 | |
| |
TechnologyDaily Mobile
New Jersey Governor Hands Over E-Mails
by Michael Martinez
New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine this week gave a state judge a collection of e-mails he exchanged with his ex-girlfriend, an official with the state's largest union, during labor talks last year.
Republicans have sued to obtain the e-mails that the Democratic governor swapped with Communications Workers of America Local 1034 President Carla Katz. The state GOP argued that the e-mails should be considered public records if state business was discussed.
Corzine provided the e-mails after a report in The Newark Star-Ledger that he gave $15,000 to Katz's brother-in-law this year. He made several large payments to Katz after they broke up in 2004 but insisted that the payments stopped once he became governor.
State Superior Court Judge Paul Innes will review the e-mails, which have been sealed by the court, to determine whether they are covered by the state's public-records law.
Corzine has asserted executive privilege over the messages, saying they should remain private and that his discussions with Katz did not affect his judgment during the labor negotiations. An ethics advisory panel that examined the case this spring also determined that Corzine's relationship with Katz did not sway the talks.
He acknowledged writing checks to Katz's brother-in-law, Rocco Riccio, according to the Star-Ledger. He said he offered Riccio the money as a personal favor. Riccio was forced to resign from his job with the state's Turnpike Authority earlier this year amid accusations that he used his post to unlawfully access tax records. He was close to going bankrupt.
But in a statement released Tuesday, New Jersey Republican State Committee Chairman Tom Wilson said the Star-Ledger story is proof that Corzine has been dishonest about his ties to Katz and her family. Wilson said the best way for Corzine to square himself with the public would be to release all documents related to Riccio's reviews of tax records.
Republicans also have asked State Attorney General Anne Milgram to investigate whether Riccio abused his previous job to access the tax records of Corzine's political enemies.
"The governor and his handlers know they did something wrong and are now engaging in a cover-up of Watergate proportions," Wilson said. "Stories don't square up and people have a right to know whether the governor is abusing the power of his office, offering hush money, and whether any laws have been broken."
Kentucky's Top Cop Widens E-Voting Probe
Kentucky's top law enforcer has decided to widen an investigation into why the state's most heavily populated county used uncertified e-voting machines in at least three recent elections.
State Attorney General Greg Stumbo said this week that he was told by Diebold Election Systems that Jefferson County has used uncertified optical-scan machines in multiple contests. The company indicated it only discovered "in the past few days" that the machines were not given proper clearance.
Stumbo has asked the state's top election official, Secretary of State Trey Grayson, to re-examine irregularities surrounding the Diebold devices. He said in a letter to Grayson that the state's previous investigation into whether Jefferson County used uncertified machines was inadequate. Grayson reported to Stumbo in August that all of the systems being used in Kentucky had been vetted by the state Board of Elections.
"It is now necessary for my office to expand its ongoing investigation to include the failure to certify this critical component of a voting system used in the most populous county in Kentucky," Stumbo wrote. "The inconsistency between your assurances and the facts raises serious questions about the quality of the current certification system."
New York Cab Drivers Strike Over GPS Mandate
New York City taxi drivers this week went on strike to protest new rules requiring their vehicles to be equipped with global positioning systems.
Thousands of drivers stopped working Wednesday. Mayor Michael Bloomberg already had developed a contingency plan in preparation for the strike. The city has implemented a temporary zone-based fare structure that permits group rides to and from airports. Bloomberg also has assigned extra police officers to ensure that the city's busiest transit hubs are kept safe.
"We will not tolerate drivers who want to disrupt this city, intimidating or threatening their fellow drivers who are interested in making a living and providing a service to New Yorkers," he said.
The New York Taxi Workers Alliance, which organized the strike, estimated that 90 percent of the city's taxis were kept off the road Wednesday -- figures that were disputed by city officials.
The spat erupted over rules that require all cabs to be equipped with video devices and credit-card payment systems beginning Oct. 1. A spokesman for the New York City Taxi & Limousine Commission told AP that more than 1,500 of the city's taxis already are equipped with such technologies.
California Governor Appeals Videogame Ruling
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Wednesday appealed a federal court ruling that overturned a law he backed to restrict sales of violent videogames to children.
U.S. District Judge Ronald Whyte this summer blocked the law on constitutional grounds. The videogame industry thus far is undefeated in its court battles against similar state laws enacted during the past several years.
In a statement, the Republican governor said the state has a responsibility to protect children from the ill effects of games with "ultra-violent content." He said studies have proven that a link exists between playing those games and violent behavior.
"We protect our children from buying inappropriate movies and ought to be able to protect them from buying inappropriate videogames as well," Schwarzenegger said. "These games are for adults, and the law I signed ensures that parents have the chance to determine which videogames are appropriate for their children."
Some people have argued that challenging the ruling is a waste of taxpayer money, and they have urged Schwarzenegger to accept it. The Video Game Voters Network, which opposed the law, circulated an online petition to discourage Schwarzenegger from appealing Whyte's ruling.
NEW FEATURE
-Advertisement-
-Advertisement-
-Advertisement-
