Source: http://davidgrandeau.blogspot.com/2018/02/
Timestamp: 2018-11-21 13:03:26
Document Index: 403981414

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 74', '§ 74', '§94', '§ 74', '§94', '§94', '§ 74', '§ 74']

DGA: February 2018
Posted by David Grandeau at 12:34 PM No comments:
Agata Complaint aka and you wonder why Albany ethics is a joke?
Does anyone think JJOKE will investigate it's own hand picked Cuomo apparatchik?
Before The New York State JOINT Commission
on Public ETHICS
david grandeau,
Joint Commission on public ethics executive director seth agata
IN THE MATTER OF AN INVESTIGATION INTO MISCONDUCT BY Joint Commission on public ethics executive director seth agata
David Grandeau (“Complainant”) files this Complaint and based on the information detailed herein, respectfully petitions the New York State Joint Commission on Public Ethics (the “Commission”) to investigate the misconduct of Joint Commission on Public Ethics Executive Director Seth Agata (the “Respondent”)§ 74 et seq.
Seth Agata, an employee of the JCOPE has violated Public Officers Law § 74(3)(d), (f) and (h) by engaging in acts that have violated the trust of the public and are being pursued to advance Mr. Agata’s non-governmental interests.
Mr. Agata’s statements and conduct evidence a motive that is inconsistent with his former role as Acting Counsel for Governor Cuomo and his current role as Executive Director of the Commission.
While employed as Acting Counsel to Governor Cuomo in July 2014, Mr. Agata, engaged in a pattern of misconduct to the detriment of both complainant and the State of New York. Respondent has used state resources, to support his efforts to secure privileges for Joseph Percoco, a private citizen, when there is no legitimate state purpose for doing so. Respondent has also continued to use his state position as Executive Director to benefit Mr. Percoco when there is no legitimate state purpose for doing so. Such actions, clearly raise suspicion that they were being undertaken in violation of the respondents’ public trust and were not made to further either New York State’s nor the Commission’s legitimate interests but rather to benefit Respondent and Joseph Percoco and give reasonable basis for the impression that Respondent has been improperly influenced in the performance of his official duties.
In July of 2014, Respondent, while employed by the State of New York, provided legal advice and counsel to Joseph Percoco, a non-state employee, with no right to receive legal counsel from the respondent, while Respondent was acting in his official capacity as Acting Counsel to Governor Cuomo.
Mr. Agata in recent testimony in a Federal criminal trial of Mr. Percoco testified under oath as follows, establishing that Joseph Percoco was not a state employee in July of 2014:
Q. Turning back to Joseph Percoco, you said he was the executive deputy secretary?
Q. When did he hold that title?
A. He held that title from - - as far as I know, he came in with that title January1, 2011. He left the chamber sometime in spring of 2014, came back later in the year and resumed that title. (Percoco transcript page 1105)
He then testifies as follows regarding the provision of legal advice to Mr. Percoco:
Q. Before you get to that, where did the second occasion occur?
A. It occurred in Joe’s office in July of 2014. Joe’s office in Albany, the office he had in Albany.
Q. Let me pause you there. You said it occurred in July of 2014. That was after Joe Percoco had left to go work on the governor’s campaign: correct?
A. That’s correct. . . .” (Percoco transcript page 1127)
Then Mr. Agata continued as follows:
Q. So, generally. What did Joe Percoco ask you about in this second conversation in July of 2014?
A.Joe was sitting at his desk, and he asked me to come over. And he had mentioned to me that he was looking to get - - do some work for a law firm and earn some money doing work for a law firm, and, you know what kind of restrictions - - what kind of problems would he have with, you know - - if any would he have with working there. I asked him, does this law firm have any business in front of the state? Would he be doing any work in front of the State? And he said No. He said it would be municipal work, labor work. And I said, well, that’s - - anything, any projects at all in front of the state? He said, No, nothing at all I said that’s great. . . (Percoco transcript page 1128)
Mr. Agata further testified that he documented his guidance to Mr. Percoco in a memo which was admitted into evidence (Percoco transcript page 1129 - 1130)
In addition Respondent testified under oath that he had provided Mr. Percoco with legal guidance regarding the use of private aircraft for the governor’s campaign (Percoco transcript page 1147) and the use of private aircraft for the New York State Democratic Party (Percoco transcript page 1148).
The Commission is authorized by Executive Law §94(13)(a) to commence inquiries into credible violations of Public Officers Law § 74. Pursuant to Executive Law §94(17)(c), the Commission is authorized to conduct any investigation necessary to carry out the provisions of Executive Law §94. Pursuant to this power and duty, the Commission may administer oaths or affirmations, subpoena witnesses, compel the attendance of targets or witnesses, and require the production of any books or records that it may deem relevant or material.
When the Commission determines there has been a violation of § 74(4), it is authorized to assess a civil penalty in an amount not to exceed ten thousand dollars and the value of any gift, compensation or benefit received as a result of such violation.
In addition to any penalty contained in any other provision of law any such officer, member or employee who shall knowingly and intentionally violate any of the provisions of § 74 may be fined, suspended or removed from office or employment in the manner provided by law.
The conduct of Respondent Agata has violated multiple provisions of New York law, summarized below, and justify further investigation by the “Commission”.
A. Section 74(3)(f) and (h)
Under Section 74(3)(f), a state official “should not by his conduct give reasonable basis for the impression that any person can improperly influence him or unduly enjoy his favor in the performance of his official duties.” Public Officers Law Section 74(3)(h) requires that a state official “should endeavor to pursue a course of conduct which will not raise suspicion among the public that he is likely to be engaged in acts that are in violation of his trust.”
Respondent has violated these sections of the Public Officers Law by offering legal services to Joseph Percoco that were not part of his official duties as Acting Counsel to Governor Cuomo. Respondent further violated these sections by failing to recuse himself before engaging or refusing to engage in regulatory actions affecting Joseph Percoco in respondent’s present position as Executive Director of the “Commission”.
Respondent’s actions in providing legal advice to Joseph Percoco regarding employment by Mr. Percoco after he had left State service clearly raises suspicion that such actions were not made to further New York State’s legitimate interests but rather to benefit Respondent and or Mr. Percoco personally, and further raises suspicion that such actions were in violation of the respondents’ public trust and give reasonable basis for the impression that he has been improperly influenced in the performance of his official duties.
Respondent’s actions in providing legal advice to Joseph Percoco regarding the use of a private airplane for travel by Governor Cuomo’s campaign clearly raises suspicion that such actions were not made to further New York State’s legitimate interests but rather to benefit Respondent and or Mr. Percoco personally, and further raises suspicion that such actions were in violation of the respondents’ public trust and give reasonable basis for the impression that he has been improperly influenced in the performance of his official duties.
Respondent’s actions in providing legal advice to Joseph Percoco regarding use of private aircraft by the State Democratic Party clearly raises suspicion that such actions were not made to further New York State’s legitimate interests but rather to benefit Respondent and or Mr. Percoco personally, and further raises suspicion that such actions were in violation of the respondents’ public trust and give reasonable basis for the impression that he has been improperly influenced in the performance of his official duties.
Respondent’s actions in providing Mr. Percoco a waiver from filing a financial disclosure report by May 15, 2015 clearly raises suspicion that such actions were not made to further New York State’s legitimate interests but rather to benefit Respondent and or Mr. Percoco personally, and further raises suspicion that such actions were in violation of the respondents’ public trust and give reasonable basis for the impression that he has been improperly influenced in the performance of his official duties.
Respondent’s actions in failing to report Mr. Percoco’s use of state offices and resources after he had left state service and was working for Governor Cuomo’s campaign clearly raises suspicion that such actions were not made to further New York State’s legitimate interests but rather to benefit Respondent and or Mr. Percoco personally, and further raises suspicion that such actions were in violation of the respondents’ public trust and give reasonable basis for the impression that he has been improperly influenced in the performance of his official duties.
B. Section 74(3)(d)
Under Section 74(3(d), no official “should use or attempt to use his or her official position to secure unwarranted privileges . . . for himself, herself or others including, but not limited to, the misappropriation to himself, herself or to others of the property, services or other resources of the state for private business or other compensated non-governmental purposes.” Here, Respondent has used his official position to engage in a series of actions that have no legitimate State purpose. In doing so, Respondent has used state resources, such as employee time and state equipment, to support his efforts to benefit Mr. Percoco. In addition, Mr. Agata has secured privileges for himself by continuing his actions when there is no legitimate state purpose for doing so.
When Respondent provided Joseph Percoco a legal opinion related to employment after he had left state service and at a time when Mr. Percoco was a private citizen and not a state employee. Respondent used or attempted to use his official position to secure unwarranted privileges for Mr. Percoco. Such action, rather than vindicating any public right or obtaining any public relief clearly raises suspicion that it is being undertaken in violation of the respondents’ public trust and were not made to further New York State’s legitimate interests but rather to benefit Mr. Percoco and give reasonable basis for the impression that Respondent has been improperly influenced in the performance of his official duties.
E. Section 74(4)
Section 74(4) of the Public Officers Law provides: “In addition to any penalty contained in any other provision of law any such officer, member or employee who shall knowingly and intentionally violate any of the provisions of this section may be fined, suspended or removed from office or employment in the manner provided by law.” It provides further that for intentional violations of certain subsections, such as Section 74(3)(d), violators “shall be subject to a civil penalty in an amount not to exceed ten thousand dollars and the value of any gift, compensation or benefit received as a result of such violation.”
In conclusion, the complainant believes that the evidence leads to the inexorable conclusion that Respondent’s actions have violated several New York State laws governing the ethics of public officials. We respectfully submit that this matter warrants your immediate consideration and a thorough investigation.
All I can do is keep tilting at windmills and hope some JCOPE commissioner is willing to do their job and not simply follow orders
Posted by David Grandeau at 10:10 AM No comments: