"The clock is ticking on the Administrative Adjudication Court (AAC) and the citizens of Rhode Island are no closer to finding out who, if anyone, is accountable and where the 36 million dollars went," said Robert P. Arruda, Chairman of Operation Clean Government.
On February 20, 1998, Operation Clean Government (with former Attorney General Arlene Violet as counsel and co-complainant) lodged a disciplinary complaint with the Commission on Judicial Tenure and Discipline against six of the seven judges of the Traffic Court, seeking a full investigation of alleged misconduct.
On July 8, 1998 Chief Justice Joseph R. Weisberger, responding to the authority granted him in recently passed legislation (June 1998), issued an executive order calling for a "comprehensive financial and performance audit of the Administrative Adjudication Court, including examination for fraud or impropriety in the conduct of fiscal affairs of that court."
As of today, there has not been a peep in regard to the disciplinary complaint and the public has yet to see even the beginning of the audit of the court! This is after 8 months and 3 months respectively. "The question now is, have state officials fallen asleep at the switch or is the public being stonewalled?" said OCG board member William Clay.
OCG sent Auditor General Ernest Almonte a list of recommendations for the Request for Proposal to audit the Traffic Court on July 10th. In a follow-up conversation with Almonte, Arruda was told that it was imperative that this audit be conducted as soon as possible to insure that it be completed properly and on time by February 1, 1999. Mr. Almonte was concerned, even at that early date, that time was running short for a properly conducted audit.
However, as of October 7, the contract to audit the AAC had not even been awarded. OCG has been told by auditors and fraud examiners that the court audit will be time consuming due to its complexities and scope. "Our concern is, as time passes, so does the public's chance of seeing a properly conducted audit, and also the chance of there being any accountability regarding the fiscal management of this Court," said Arruda.
Of even greater concern to OCG is that the disciplinary complaint filed 8 months ago with Judge Alice Gibney, Chair of the Commission on Judicial Tenure and Discipline, has not been publicly acted on. Due to the nature of the allegations and the continuing harm undisciplined judicial misconduct brings to the judiciary, OCG's February 1998 complaint requested that a 'prompt and thorough investigation' be conducted. OCG's complaint was serious enough that, if proven, it would warrant dismissal for cause of the Traffic Court Judges. Judge Gibney and her Commission have had more than amp
Operation Clean Government holds accountable those whom the citizenry entrust with the stewardship of their state government. Transparency in government and the citizen's access to their government are essential to a healthy democracy. OCG advocates strong democratic laws and institutions that instill public confidence that common policies are fairly debated and decided on the merits, and that common resources are used responsibly.
The next monthly meeting of the OCG Board of Directors is
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