Tom Wagner’s Defense
Yesterday the News Journal printed an editorial on the Wagner/Cathcart situation. The NJ believes questions remain and that Wagner and Cathcart need to explain the situation. Check out Wagner’s defense:
More serious, however, is the appearance that Auditor Wagner was withholding the results of the audit — now close to 18 months old — to protect fellow Republican and then-House Minority Leader Richard Cathcart. Auditor Wagner insists he did no such thing, even doubting whether Mr. Cathcart even voted for him in last year’s election.
Auditor Wagner says the quality control review of the audit conducted by former Deputy Auditor Robert Hicks will show “significant problems” with the audit that will explain the reason for the delay.
“Anytime you do an investigation, it can be blown out of proportion, as [Mr. Hicks] is obviously attempting to do in this case,” Auditor Wagner told News Journal reporter Wade Malcolm.
Wagner’s defense is twofold: Cathcart and I aren’t that right (he may not have voted for me) and that Mr. Hicks is a drama queen. That defense is pretty lame. Notice how he doesn’t address the heart of the issue? Hey, Tom Wagner, did you suppress the report or not? The people of Delaware deserve to know.
Tags: Dick Cathcart, State Auditor, Tom Wagner
Disgraced Delaware Auditor, Tom Wagner, took some sort of oath of office didn’t he? Covering up a crime is itself a crime isn’t it?
The NJ is giving credence to this bullshit defense that there are technical problems with the audit, put the criminal activity is so blatant that this should have gone directly to the AG’s office.
If anybody thinks I’m being harsh, here is a refresher of the plain facts of the case:
– DSU gave $1.5 million in no-bid contracts to a heating, ventilation and air-conditioning company.
– DSU and state officials acknowledge that many awards violated bidding law and the work was performed without necessary permits.
– Richard Cathcart, a former House majority leader, currently oversees DSU’s purchasing and contract procurement.
I mean WTF more do you need? Wagner is not an Auditor, he is an accomplice
…to get this back in the comments column let me add that – I think everyone should use the “Disgraced Delaware Auditor, Tom Wagner” honorific from now on.
I wonder why Wagner never made known his disgruntlement with Hicks’ investigation prior to his election. Didn’t the voters have a right to know about this before they voted in the general election?
Absolutely right, Dana.
If Wagner had come out and trashed Hicks before the election, he might have gotten Cathcart’s vote.
” I think everyone should use the “Disgraced Delaware Auditor, Tom Wagner” honorific from now on.”
ha! agreed.
After reading the article in Thursday’s News-Journal, the Auditor Deathwatch can now officially commence. He really may have to resign.
Ya think a report on, say, Norman Oliver, would have been subjected to the same ‘standards’ imposed to protect Cathcart?
Didn’t think so. (BTW, the News-Journal is on fire lately, best reporting from them in decades.)
BTWBTW, where’s Smitty? I miss him, especially now.
Here’s the article ‘Bulo mentioned. Oh my, it doesn’t look good for Mr. Wagner.
Yeah, Wagner just wanted the report to be super-duper perfect. That’s the ticket. Cathcart didn’t even vote for him you know.
His excuse;”sloppy work by his staff”, is a dig at Hicks and the last desperate lay of the rope Disgraced Delaware Auditor Wagner is hanging on to.
It will slip through his slimy fingers REAL soon.
Buh-Bye Disgraced Delaware Auditor R. Thomas Wagner.
Maybe you’ll receive a NEW moniker.
Like Indicted Delaware Auditor.
Let’s hope so.
Replace him with Hicks, and you’ve got a serious challenge to the Delaware Way, which Wagner has done everything to protect. Pretty sure that Jack can name an acting auditor until the next election, which would be for a 2-year term to fill out the remainder of Wagner’s term.
I love the quote from the HVAC company owner keepin’ it real:
Yeah anon, ALL double negatives by HVAC-man.
That means, literally, he DID.
So Wagner’s defense will be that he is stupid:)
“@daveburris: @jpconnorjr No. evidence that he wasn’t burying anything. There’s no intent.” so your words “stupid means no intent” Classic!
Heh, I remember when Richard Korn kept saying crazy stuff like an auditor’s job is to audit.
El Som et al.,
If you’re thinking death watch, be prepared for a long wait.
Wagner is an independently elected public official — no one can force him to quit.
He’s the highest-ranking Republican official in the state and he was covering for a politician respected within the GOP — so his party isn’t going to push him. Especially since, if he resigns, the governor will no doubt replace him with a Democrat — cleanly sweeping the GOP out of statewide offices.
That means we’ve got to wait for an indictment. The evidence thus far strongly demonstrates incompetence but there’s a big difference between providing political cover and being charged with an airtight case of official misconduct.