Delaware’s Top Republican Covers Up Wrongdoing
Tom Wagner often joked during the 2010 campaign that he was the “last man standing” after Castle’s defeat. Wagner is the only Republican elected to statewide office. An investigation by the News Journal has found that Wagner refused to release a report critical of Dick Cathcart and fired the official in charge of the report.
The state auditor of accounts has delayed for nearly a year the release of a report critical of a Delaware State University department managed by a powerful former legislator and longtime political friend.
The investigation focuses on DSU using state funds to award nearly $1.5 million in no-bid contracts to a heating, ventilation and air-conditioning company, according to a draft of the report obtained by The News Journal. Many of the contract awards violated state bidding law and the work was performed without the necessary city permits, DSU and state officials acknowledge.
DSU’s purchasing and contract procurement is overseen by Richard C. Cathcart, a veteran Republican lawmaker who also served as House majority leader and chaired influential appropriations committees. Cathcart is DSU’s associate vice president of administration in charge of campus facilities.
Read the whole report. Something’s really fishy and it might explain why Cathcart abruptly decided not to run for re-election last year.
Tags: Dick Cathcart, State Auditor, Tom Wagner
The NJ is cruel to put that large picture of Cathcart in the story. He’s staring at me.
Cathcart’s sudden decision needed an examination – now we have it. The fact that we have a do nothing auditor is what Rumsfield might call a “known known.”
Why is it when an auditor does his job “he’s a disgruntled employee?”
So how does one get rid of a corrupt Auditor? Impeachment?
The term ‘disgruntled employee’ is generally used as a pejorative, and I think that’s just plain wrong. Just b/c someone’s disgruntled doesn’t mean that they’re not justified in their disgruntlement. Seeing the abuses that go on in state government can easily frustrate someone who takes their job seriously. And, yes, they have every right to resent people who get ahead through the ‘Delaware Way’. And by seeing people abusing the system, aided and abetted by a good ol’ boy auditor. By reporting such abuses, they have done the public a service, disgruntled or not.
And all we get from Wagner is a vague allusion to the ‘quality of the work product’. Read the entire News-Journal article, an excellent one by the way, and YOU determine who is more credible, Wagner or Robert Hicks. Really too bad that Hicks is not the State Auditor. Then you wouldn’t get questions like “Dick’s not going to look to good in this, is he?”
Tom Wagner should be investigated for his “private accounts”. How much money has HE invested with his cronies? How did supporting his cronies keep him from ferreting out the truth. Wagner investigates cases a) he was forced to or b) cases that would help his cronies. Dont know if he can be impeached, but we need some RECALL legislation put forward to recall these insiders and their cronie capitalists. Why didnt he investigate Harris McDowell…
Nancy Willings take on WDEL with Al this morning leaves lots to the imagination. She would still like us all to believe her version of Peoples Settlement. She never talks about how Harris McDowell won the election against Charles Potter or the deal made with PSA, Keith Lake and Harris. Her take on the Pal Center is utter nonsense. Lets see Nancy, you supported Karen Weldin Stewart, and Chip Flowers…so far youve been dead wrong!
Shouldn’t we wait to actually see the Auditor’s report before deciding what it says? As Cathcart was not running for re-election, I don’t see how delaying the report until the auditor is comfortable with it can really be criticized until the actual report comes out. The auditor refused to release a draft report. He hasn’t refused to release anything. Patience.
“I don’t see how delaying the report until the auditor is comfortable with it can really be criticized until the actual report comes out.”
Which report, the original or the bowderlized version? Tom Wagner has never been shy about calling attention to his findings before — but now that the target is a pal, mum’s the word. Patience my ass.
I suppose… if the AG’s office asked him to hold up the report because there was an ongoing criminal investigation of Cathcart, that would be an legitimate excuse.
Are you talking about “FO the AG”?
He’s capable of anything.
As long as it aligns with his political purposes.
And why do I NOW call him FO?
PERFECT NAME!!!!
Credence Clearwater Revival: FORTUNATE SON
Listen and tell me I’m wrong.
If this had come out before the election, Richard Korn would have won (given Wagner’s slim margin of victory).
So, I was talking to a Newark resident the other day who is a progressive and very active in progressive issues. This person sneered at the DEMs handling the Newark area party committee as faux progressives. The position was based on their endorsement of Richard Korn’s primary opponent.
Reap what you sow.
John Kowalko was on Korn’s show last night comparing Wagner’s audit recommendations of Cathcart DSU to those he made for the Wise/Christina audit. The same can be said for the PSA audit recommendation compared to the Wilmington PAL audit. Velda Potter did the exact same things that People’s Settlement did but the recommendations were a world apart. This DSU story just verifies that slimy people got slimy goodness from Tom Wagner no matter what.
@anon, you are not the ‘regular’ anon. I stand behind my story about PSA and I have the audit report and responses and drafts to prove it. It is easy to put out a lame comment but just go to the Auditor’s web site and read it for yourself.
Robert Hicks was surprised when the evidence was put before him that the audit recommendations for PSA were miles apart from the PAL recommendations. Hicks said that he would fix the PSA recommendations because it should not be that there are such discrepancies within the office reporting. He said he would fix it but the final report did not contain the repairs. I would guess that Hicks didn’t get very far when he attempted to amend office policy around consistency in treatment of violations…..the stuff of the infamous young Nick Adams whom Hicks replace when Adams went over to the Treasurer’s office.
oh and, if you can prove there was a deal as you claim, by all means….there wasn’t one so I know that you got nothing but by all means keep making an ass out of yourself.
@Nancy Willing–
I’ve listened to you when you call in to Al’s show. You have a fantastic knowledge of local politics & I often agree w/ you, but right here, right now, you’re not doing yourself any favors.
I’m not even sure what you’re arguing w/anon about, but you seem like an ass when make 3 consecutive posts and NO ONE responds.
The real shame is that the Dems don’t let Wagner get enough funding to investigate all the corruption in government, regardless of the party. The current state of cronyism and sweetheart deals by those in power is extreme. It would likely dwarf the Cathcart issue.
We need as non-elected inspector general to root out more of the corruption, which is rampant on all sides.
Okay. Faced with a clear instance of Republican malfeasance, dereliction of duty, and likely criminal activity – its the Dems fault. Then, the old standby, “They all do it.”
Well… for now we are talking about Wagner and it would be like a breath of fresh air to hear a Republican admit that this reeks.
heh! holy shit, now I get it! I shouldn’t make such a fool of myself next time I sit down to respond to the bullcrap sent my way by anonymous crabs. I should wait for responses between composing posts! riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.
@anon “The real shame is that the Dems don’t let Wagner get enough funding to investigate all the corruption in government, regardless of the party.”
Trouble with that is that Tom Wagner has bent over backwards to assure the General Assembly that he didn’t need more funding right up until this last election cycle. One reason he is currently the subject of a lawsuit in Chancery was that in early 2000’s, Wagner decided to skip following the law and save himself some money by discontinuing the codified auditing of all local school district funds.
Whle at PSA, Tom Wagner sent a forensic auditor who sat around for three-four MONTHS (at least half of the time he was seem out in the parking lot chain smoking). It seemed pretty obvious that going through a few boxes of receipts wasn’t all this guy was doing. I concluded that he was biding (wasting) time so that the audit release could be timed in coordination with the political season.
oh GOD. Did it really take me 7 minutes to compose that last comment. What the fuck???? Now I am going to lose credibility. WHAAAAAA Why isn’t anyone else up at this hour and online to save me and my reputation and fucking respond already? Whaaaaa.
Sorry, but that idiotic sentiment was pretty funny. Thoughts anyone? No? REALLY? whaaaaaaaaaaa.
Here, Nancy, a response.
NJ editorial board points out today that unanswered questions remain, and asks Wagner to clear the air.
A foolish request — any further response from Wagner is far more likely to cloud the air.
Wagner needs to step down today. I don’t often agree with NJ commenters, but this one makes sense:
Why would Mr. Cathcart’s office show favoritism to this one particular contractor? (KICKBACK! We have laws dealing with this, CALLING BEAU BIDEN!!)
How much is this outside quality control review costing the taxpayers of Delaware? (Stick it to the public employees while feathering his nest and driving up the state’s cost of doing business, nice job Dick!)
Did Mr. Wagner advise DSU to withhold the contract files from the News Journal as the DSU rep contends?
Unless there are criminal charges pending, what is preventing the release of those files now?
Is the contractor or it’s bonding agent going to be held liable for all the additional work required to fix the shoddy work he did and get the required inspections?
Wagner fired a man that takes pride in his job. He should be very careful of defamation. Yes he should resign NOW.