LAT: Audit Says(CA Dem Secy of St) Shelley Mishandled Vote Funds

[DeepModem Mom]

Audit Says Shelley Mishandled Vote Funds

By Tim Reiterman and Nancy Vogel, Times Staff Writers


SACRAMENTO — Secretary of State Kevin Shelley mismanaged millions of dollars in federal funds intended for voter education and new election machines, a blistering state audit concluded Thursday.

The report asserted that Shelley used some of the $46 million from an election reform program to pay contractors who attended partisan political events and wrote speeches for him. At the same time, counties were waiting months for their share of money to buy sorely needed voting equipment.

State Auditor Elaine M. Howle's findings not only confirm many allegations raised in recent news reports but for the first time demonstrate the depth of management problems attributed to the state's chief elections officer — and the state's potential liability for his lapses.

The 70-page assessment concluded that no one was in charge of California's efforts to implement the sweeping reforms adopted by Congress after the 2000 presidential election. It portrayed Shelley's office as poorly run, willing to bend the rules and overwhelmed.

Auditors also suggested that the state elections office may have paid too much for services such as legal advice, information technology and voter outreach. Shelley repeatedly circumvented state regulations by awarding dozens of no-bid contracts, some to his Democratic political associates....


http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-shelley17dec17,0,2343189.story?coll=la-home-headlines

[UL_Approved]

1. Hmmm, blame the Democrats for voter fraud

Looks like a plan to pull the old false blame game. They want 100%. They want it all. They even want the stronghold of their enemy. The GOP is thirsting for total control.

Which of course, will lead to the total collapse of their aspirations in the coming years...

[havocmom]

4. Yep, didn't give the $$ to GOP companies arranging vote fraud for GOP

Bad, bad boy!

[havocmom]

2. awarding no-bid contracts to political associates, hmmmm

That's bad. Should have just given them to companies that still send him checks. Works for GOP Vice Presidents.

[Old Mouse]

3. HERE the FBI showed up quick

What's taking them so long in Ohio?

Oh yeah, I forgot... Shelly is a democrat.

[Rose Siding]

5. Arnold's trying to gain control of elections

snip>
A spokesman for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said his office was researching whether it had legal authority to take back oversight of the state's voting-act program.
...........

Guess he'll rush to buy the machines Kelley rejected.

[bemildred]

6. State Auditor Elaine M. Howle:

September 17th, 2004

GOVERNOR SCHWARZENEGGER ANNOUNCES SELECTION OF THE CALIFORNIA STATE AUDITOR

Governor Schwarzenegger today announced the reappointment of Elaine M. Howle as the California State Auditor.

Howle has served as the state auditor for the past four years. She has more than 20 years of auditing, management and leadership experience with the Bureau of State Audits and its predecessor office, the Office of the Auditor General. Howle began her career in 1983, joining the Office of the Auditor General as an entry-level auditor conducting performance audits on a variety of state and local government operations. She became a supervising auditor in 1987 and a principal auditor in 1994. She became deputy state auditor in 1999 before being appointed California's first female state auditor in 2000.

Howle is actively involved in various national organizations devoted to government accounting, including the National State Auditors Association. She is a certified public accountant and a certified government financial manager. Howle earned a bachelor's degree in Sports Management from the University of Massachusetts and a Masters of Business Administration from California State University, Sacramento. Howle, 46, of Sacramento, is registered decline-to-state. The statutory salary for this position is $131,412 and it does not require Senate confirmation.

http://www.schwarzenegger.com/en/news/uptotheminute/news_upto_en_StateAuditor.asp?sec=news&subsec=uptotheminute

[DeepModem Mom]

7. Kicking for the Coast --