Boldly Committed to Truth Telling in the False Face of Fakery
Comments for Happy 100 Days of Non-Compliance
Today marks 100 days of the Washington Housing Authority refusal to comply with mandatory Freedom of Information Act request. |
Gary, there is some point at which you can file a lawsuit to get that information. That lawsuit needs to be filed. This stonewalling by government officials is unconscionable. They are wasting our tax money and should not be allowed to cover that up.
Commented: Sunday, November 5th, 2023 @ 7:44 am
By: Concerned Taxpayer
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Since the publishing of the article, it is now 107 days that the Housing Authority has not complied with the mandatory Freedom of Information Act request.
Commented: Saturday, November 4th, 2023 @ 11:19 pm
By: Gary Ceres
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I'll tell everyone one thing ... if elected I'm going to insist on a public hearing on how they have spent the money the city gave them and how they are using public funds. Also going to insist on a vote on my anti-nepotism ordinance to forbid the appointment of kin to boards by while family members are serving as elected officials. The public ethical lapses here are staggering and the cover-up of not releasing the receipts and where the money is spent is obscene. If there's no wrong-doing ... COMPLY with the mandatory request.
Commented: Tuesday, October 31st, 2023 @ 9:08 pm
By: Gary Ceres
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To reiterate one more time, this FOIA request should be honored as soon as possible to remove this claimed cloud against the City of Washington government.
Commented: Tuesday, October 31st, 2023 @ 3:20 pm
By: Stan Deatherage
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The money that the Sadler camp put into this project represents $60 for every man, woman, and child in Washington, or $300 for a family of 5. No wonder the Sadlerites hit us with a 12% tax increase to pay for corrupt boondoggles like this one.
Commented: Tuesday, October 31st, 2023 @ 1:51 pm
By: Conservative Voter
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Kary: (Not Knowing the Situation) Still that one is pretty simple. If you know that the money came from the public, then you have to be very careful in entering into a future transaction that could be considered a benefit to the politician.
Because of certain limitations to Beaufort County, as a small county, there is a small county exemption due to certain conditions for conflicts of interest, allowing people in business /government to do business with their government. It is not complicated; however, it is proved to be complicated for certain parties in Beaufort County that I will not mention at this time ... still, once again, the general statutes are clear, and the issue is NOT complicated. Begging for recusal by a politician, who could be perceived to benefit, is a big part of what keeps this issue a simple one.
Commented: Tuesday, October 31st, 2023 @ 1:46 pm
By: Stan Deatherage
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The very purpose of the city "loaning" (there appear to be no documents that one would normally expect on a real loan) that money to the Housing authority was to buy those two substandard lots from Brooks and build houses on them. That is Conflict of interest with a capital "C".
Commented: Tuesday, October 31st, 2023 @ 1:44 pm
By: John Steed
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What should he have recused himself for? At the point the motion was made to loan the money, he hadn't sold the property to anyone. He was just a Council Member who owned property.
Commented: Tuesday, October 31st, 2023 @ 1:19 pm
By: Kary
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Exactly, John Steed, in your second paragraph, which is almost exactly what I experienced, and yes, exactly, it is ultimately the responsibility of the politician enriched, and to a lesser extent, the other board members and staff are not completely absolved of some liability in any matter of this kind, depending on their position in the issue.
In these issues, being stupid is NOT a defense. In fact, I would argue that the Stupid Defense does not work for any of the parties in a conflict of interest issue. Once again, I would like to reiterate: This is why all public dealings, where the public's issues are dealt with must be done in public, preferably recorded for posterity by camera. In government: "Sunshine is the greatest disinfectant."
Commented: Tuesday, October 31st, 2023 @ 1:33 pm
By: Stan Deatherage
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When a public official recognizes they have a conflict of interest, they have a responsibility to recuse themselves whether anyone else demands it or not. A Hyde County commissioner found that out the hard way when he was prosecuted for not recusing himself. It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that if the government body you serve on is appropriating money to buy property from someone one that body that consitutes a conflict of interest for the public official involved. I keep hearing that Brooks can barely read or write but that is no excuse for this conflict of interest. Yes, he should at minimum give the money he received back.
Stan, I think your point is that if an elected official asks the board to recuse him, and they fail to do that, then even if they abstain, it will be counted as a yes vote. However, almost always when a public official states a conflict of interest, public bodies will allow them to stand aside on that vote. The failure of the public official to note his conflict of interest is an unethical act.
Commented: Tuesday, October 31st, 2023 @ 1:06 pm
By: John Steed
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There always has to be a request for recusal, not necessarily a recusal.
If it was me, and it has been me on occasion, I have always requested a recusal, actually I have argued for it when I did not feel comfortable. And in every case, there was a huge public need that no one else could provide, nowhere in this region, not just Beaufort County, and that is proved. Maybe this why, I have to believe that red flag discussions must have been held in public. There has to be minutes to that effect; video is always better.
Commented: Tuesday, October 31st, 2023 @ 11:45 am
By: Stan Deatherage
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Nailed it Stan. Should have been a recusal.
Commented: Tuesday, October 31st, 2023 @ 11:41 am
By: Gary Ceres
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Gary Ceres, sometimes in a small towns, like Washington, with limited resources, instances like this are infrequently unavoidable, depending on the public need, and that public need would need to be measurable.
The problem here could be the vote; was there a request for recusal, and from whom, and exactly how did that vote go down, etc., etc. There is your lynchpin here.
Commented: Tuesday, October 31st, 2023 @ 11:39 am
By: Stan Deatherage
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Kary ... so you don't care about elected officials profiting off of land and money they vote on ... got it.
Commented: Tuesday, October 31st, 2023 @ 11:32 am
By: Gary Ceres
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Sadler Mafia. Wow. And it only took a few days.
Commented: Tuesday, October 31st, 2023 @ 10:46 am
By: Big Bob
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THIS IS A LIE
"We also know that Council Member Brooks bought two lots from the Housing Authority after making a motion to move the $580,000 out of the General Fund over to the Housing Authority and then sold it back the Housing Authority for a profit." He may have sold them to the Housing Authority, but to claim that he bought them after making a motion is simply not true. Those lots we purchased in 2012, DB 1778, P113.
Commented: Tuesday, October 31st, 2023 @ 10:47 am
By: Kary
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I do believe I have said his before, "as a long time county commissioner who has proved to know conflict of interests statutes better than most", and that includes local board attorneys /administration types, I cannot see how this was allowed to occur as you have presented this Concerned Taxpayer. This is such an obvious infraction that red flags would have been available for all to see. Only the intentionally blind would have missed this; the statutes are clear.
You, and maybe Gary, have gotten all of this just a little bit, or maybe a lot wrong. I am sure this could all be solved by the City government just laying it out there for folks to pick through.
Commented: Tuesday, October 31st, 2023 @ 11:07 am
By: Stan Deatherage
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Lets just vote out ALL the crooked Sadler mafia.
Commented: Tuesday, October 31st, 2023 @ 10:35 am
By: Conservative Voter
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This FOIA request seems geared primarily to the junketing all over the country at taxpayer expense by the Washington Housing Authority members appointed by Sadler, which include Sadler's wife and his pastor. Mayor Sadler, himself, went on many of those junket trips. When they stonewall you, the next thing to do is sue them in court. Of course, it is likely that once the election is over and hiding this stuff is no longer politically important to them, they will then likely give it to you.
On Brooks' motion and vote to appropriate money to buy property he himself owned, this is a clear ethical violation, one that got a Hyde County commissioner prosecuted criminally. Sadler clearly knew what was going on and did not tell the rest of the council. I wonder if he could be charged as well? At the very least, Brooks should be compelled to give the money he received back to the city. He should not be allowed to profiteer off of his unethical behavior.
Commented: Tuesday, October 31st, 2023 @ 10:20 am
By: Concerned Taxpayer
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Send them then. I don't think they're going to prove what you say they're going to prove.
katykat6248@gmail.com
Commented: Tuesday, October 31st, 2023 @ 9:11 am
By: Kary
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Exactly right Concerned Taxpayer but Kary does not appear to be concerned with facts or ethics.
Commented: Monday, October 30th, 2023 @ 6:30 pm
By: Gary Ceres
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That taxpayer money, over half a million bucks, was to buy and develop two substandard lots belonging to Richard Brooks. Ethics laws required Brooks to recuse himself (not participate) in approval of that transaction, but he violated those laws by making the motion and then voting in favor of it. A Hyde County Commissioner was prosecuted for doing something similar. This is pure sleaze and we do not need sleazy politicians like this in public office.
Commented: Monday, October 30th, 2023 @ 6:28 pm
By: Concerned Taxpayer
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Oh and the date of the minutes is the City Council meeting of November 2022 under the budget item for the WISH program.
Commented: Monday, October 30th, 2023 @ 6:28 pm
By: Gary Ceres
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Send me your email address and I'll send you not the one lot but the two lots on Gladden Street he sold back to the Housing Authority the one on Fleming street is just another on the list of lots that were bought off of the housing authority and made money on so you can claim all you want that I don't have the proof but I do.
Commented: Monday, October 30th, 2023 @ 6:14 pm
By: Gary Ceres
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Yes and I have a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you Kary. Yes he did everything on the up and up *eyes rolling*.
Commented: Monday, October 30th, 2023 @ 5:55 pm
By: Gary Ceres
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Your claim that Mr. Brooks made the motion to give the $$ to the Housing Authority, then bought those two lots with intent to sell is 100% straight up BS. The lot that Mr. Brooks bought in January is located on Fleming St, not on Gladden St. I'd love to see proof otherwise.
Also, LOL, your whole premise is that the City just gave $580,000 to the Housing Authority. It was $528,000, and it was a loan. I realize there were other items/services given to the Housing Authority as well, but helping the Housing Authority out with discounted or free water, sewer, or electrical services has been going on for years.
Commented: Monday, October 30th, 2023 @ 3:26 pm
By: Kary
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Oh I agree, It's amazing how NC government gets away with it. On all levels
Commented: Monday, October 30th, 2023 @ 3:05 pm
By: Big Bob
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Kary you have you head stuck in the sand. Try a simple search instead of claiming I'm making it up. There is NO dispute of the transfer. Washington Daily News article www.thewashingtondailynews.com
If there's nothing here then please explain why it's day 102 of non-compliance with the Freedom of Information Act request?
Commented: Monday, October 30th, 2023 @ 2:43 pm
By: Gary Ceres
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I know how deed searches work. If you did, you would know the 10/2 deed is for a piece of property at 3rd & Van Norden, not Edgewater Dr.
I have searched back through a bunch of minutes and have yet to see a mention of a $580,000 transfer to the Housing Authority. The date you claim that occured would be great.
Commented: Monday, October 30th, 2023 @ 2:02 pm
By: Kary
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Another sale recorded October 2nd, 2023 (in time for election) at 169 Edgewater Drive.
Commented: Monday, October 30th, 2023 @ 1:47 pm
By: Gary Ceres
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Well I have the Deeds lol. And it's public undisputed record of the $580,000 transfer. You can't upload pdf files on comments but if you send me your email address I'll send you the deeds.Deeds. Sale back to Housing Authority recorded April 4, 2023 at 10:30 AM in Beaufort County but suspiciously notarized in Greene County.
Commented: Monday, October 30th, 2023 @ 1:44 pm
By: Gary Ceres
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Proof that Mr. Brooks sold properties for a profit to the Housing Authority. Proof that the City gave the Housing Authority $580,000, and that they took expensive vacations with the money, after splitting the proceeds with Mr. Brooks. You can't just make crazy stuff up, and spout it all over Facebook and this site.
Commented: Monday, October 30th, 2023 @ 1:29 pm
By: Kary
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Big Bob, compliance with a Freedom of I formation request isn't left or right ... its the law.
Commented: Monday, October 30th, 2023 @ 1:36 pm
By: Gary Ceres
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On another issue, a constitutional issue, which you just inadvertently helped me make Big Bob, Gary should not be forced to go to court to prove anything, especially where his government is concerned. He is more than welcome to use his 1st Amendment guarantee of Freedom of Speech to seek redress, and in particular for Gary Ceres, his guaranteed Free Speech is political speech.
The government does not have to do a thing if it wishes to try to wriggle out of that whole transparency paradigm ... but, then again there are the courts, but better yet, there is this inconvenient system of elections every few years. Changes can be made then, and they can be made at the political drop of a hat. That we should all be well aware of.
Commented: Monday, October 30th, 2023 @ 1:35 pm
By: Stan Deatherage
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