Alan Hevesi is famously told Erie County elected leaders that they were in need of some “”adult supervision” a couple of years ago. He may have been right on that one, but the truth is–Alan Hevesi might be in need of a little adult supervision himself.
State Controller Alan Hevesi broke the law by using a government worker to chauffeur his wife around for more than three years - then lied and cheated about the arrangement, an ethics panel ruled yesterday.
The stunning 29-page report by the state Ethics Commission unanimously concluded that Hevesi knew he likely owed the state money, yet did nothing until he was forced to.And when he finally made good on his debt, Hevesi still shortchanged the state.
The report was sent to leaders of the Legislature, which has the power to fine, suspend or remove Hevesi from office - although nothing is likely to happen before Election Day.
Not even Eliot Spitzer is supporting Hevesi.
Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, the front-runner in the governor’s race and a Democratic ally of Hevesi’s, said his office would now launch its own probe to pinpoint how much Hevesi owes the state - and sue him, if necessary.
There already is a separate investigation being conducted by the Albany district attorney - and the Daily News has learned that Hevesi has quietly retained Joel Cohen, a prominent Manhattan white-collar crime defense lawyer.
There also were more calls for his immediate resignation, which Hevesi dismissed.
He said he disagreed with some of the findings, but noted: “I made a mistake. I am deeply sorry. I offer no excuses.”
In the report, the commission found the following:
Hevesi had no substantiation for his security concerns for his wife as “there were no threats of any kind to Mrs. Hevesi.” When the state police told Hevesi that his wife didn’t merit a private driver for security reasons, he ignored the finding and kept her driver. When Hevesi agreed to reimburse the state, he came up with a sum of $82,688.82 - an amount “based in its entirety on the recollection and rough estimates” of the driver. The commission suggested that Hevesi lowballed the state, and noted that his office’s “failure to keep any record that would allow for proper reimbursement suggests that Mr. Hevesi did not intend to reimburse the state.” The panel found that Hevesi also used a government-provided driver for his wife when he was city controller - and didn’t pay the city back until the matter came to light