Transparency killer at HUD: Another disastrous Obama nominee
My column this week reports on the pending nomination of HUD’s Number Two man, Ron Sims — a serial violator of public disclosure laws. He’s a perfect fit for the Obama administration. Both treat transparency like a bad joke. Will the GOP roll over again on this nomination, like they have with so many other picks?
Chances of GOP rollover: High.
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Transparency killer at HUD: Another disastrous Obama nominee
by Michelle Malkin
Creators Syndicate
Copyright 2009
If you need a shining example of the utter disingenuousness of Barack Obama’s commitment to government transparency, I have two words for you: Ron Sims. This lifelong political hack is to transparency what sunlight is to Dracula, what salt is to a slug, what kryptonite is to Superman, what The View is to intelligent debate.
That is: lethal.
In its press release announcing the nomination of the Seattle-area county executive to the No. 2 post at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the White House described Sims as a “visionary urban leader.” The White House also touted Sims’ “willingness to make the tough choices necessary to ensure that American tax dollars are spent wisely.” But his key accomplishments in the Pacific Northwest have involved illegally keeping taxpayers in the dark. Despite his long-known notoriety in Washington state as an incompetent manager and obstinate campaign finance law-breaker, President Obama trusts Sims to oversee the day-to-day operations of a federal agency with 8,500 employees, a $39 billion yearly budget, and a chronic history of corruption and cronyism.
A Senate Banking Committee staffer told me this week that Sims’ confirmation hearing will likely be scheduled soon after the Easter recess. Let’s hope someone on the committee is talking to the folks who have fought the real Ron Sims in his own backyard.
Ask Stefan Sharkansky. A Seattle blogger and citizen activist, Sharkansky blew the whistle on election fraud shenanigans involving Sims’ office during the November 2004 gubernatorial election. He has fought since December 2004 to obtain public records related to gross errors in the county’s ballot-counting. Since filing suit against Sim in October 2005, Sharkansky told me, “the county has released a number of additional documents which confirm both (a) that county officials unlawfully counted hundreds of ineligible ballots in the 2004 election (a multiple of the 133 vote “margin of victory” in the governor’s race); and (b) that they unlawfully withheld documentation of the illegal vote counting from public disclosure for many months (up to a few years) after the documents were first requested.”
“What we’ve seen is not just a lazy agency dragging its heels to respond to document requests, but an organized effort to cover-up official misconduct and to obstruct justice,” Sharkansky stated in his suit. His case goes to trial next week. This defiance of open records laws fits a disgraceful pattern in Sims’ office.
Ask Armen Yousoufian. In 1997, the former Boeing engineer embarked on what would be a 12-year legal battle to force Sims to obey public disclosure rules. Instead of making the “tough choices necessary to ensure that American tax dollars are spent wisely,” Sims did everything in his power to ensure that King County, Washington taxpayers were deprived of vital information on how their money was being spent.
Yousoufian wanted access to government documents related to a sports stadium subsidy plan up for a vote in Washington in the summer of 1997. The records he requested at the end of May 1997 pertained to the fiscal impact of a massive tax-hike proposal to build a new football palace for the Seattle Seahawks. Time was of the essence: County residents were preparing to vote on a ballot initiative package worth $300 million on June 17, 1997. Boosters of similar “public-private stadium partnerships” had made dubious claims of economic windfalls that never transpired. Yousoufian – serving as the watchdog that Sims failed to be for his constituents — was absolutely right to question the numbers.
But Sims, a leading stadium subsidy booster and corporate water-carrier for Microsoft billionaire and Seahawks owner Paul Allen, didn’t put an informed citizenry first. His office deliberately stonewalled Yousoufian’s request – at first, failing to deliver the documents, then claiming they didn’t exist, and then admonishing him to bug off because he had been given everything he requested. All lies. While Sims’ deputies gave Yousoufian the grand runaround, Referendum 48 passed by a margin of 51-49.
Yousoufian launched a one-man crusade to hold Sims accountable to taxpayers. He sued under Washington’s open-records law in 2000. He spent $330,000 of his own money in legal fees and 4,000 hours of his own time. A lower court ruled in his favor, dinging the county’s obstructionism as “egregious,” but skimped in awarding him the minimum $5 a day for each of the 8,252 days that Sims’ office withheld the documents. The courts found “hundreds” of instances where Sims’ office deceived Yousoufian or refused to tell the truth. To deter future abuse, Yousoufian appealed for higher fines.
In January 2009, just weeks before President Obama would tap Sims for the No. 2 HUD post, the high court issued a historic ruling in Yousoufian’s favor damning Sims’ “blatant violations of the state Public Records Act.” This travesty is the singular responsibility of Ron Sims. It dragged on through his entire tenure as King County executive – and beyond. The state Supreme Court remanded the case back to the lower courts to determine a final fine that may exceed some $1 million in taxpayer funds. In keeping with his whitewashing ways, Sims is now trying to have the Supreme Court ruling vacated.
Obama’s best and brightest: Working hard to keep taxpayers in the dark. Long live transparency!
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He sounds very qualified to serve in obamas government.
Perfect fit.
I guess, to paraphrase another president, it all depends on what your definition of “transparency” is.
A pattern in tune w/ ACORN’s M.O. in voter registration and electioneering; so far, Sims reads like the perfect fit w/ Obama’s disingenuous administration.
In more ways than one. The American people have indeed bought a Pig in a Poke–Statism run wild.
Cue Sonny & Cher “And the beat goes on . . .”
Ahahahahahahahaha!
Where’s my BS meter when I need it.
Another disgusting punk.
Another scoff-law corruptocrat.
Another master thief welcomed to the peoples’ treasury.
I wonder if anyone will oppose his appointment. After all, he’s black, and that would be a racist thing to do.
Add this corruption to the corruption of the prosecuter in the Ted Stevens boondoggle and the corruption of the Franken-Coleman sentorial race, and the corruption of the current race in NY. Little by little, the liberals are sneaking in their thugs and using voter fraud to keep their majority in congress. And where are the republicans? I don’t hear anything from them, except for John Boehner once in a while. Is no one standing up for what is right? They seem to have rolled over and are now hiding under their chairs. Have they been threatened? Or perhaps the RINO’s also have plenty to hide and are being silenced by blackmail. Whatever is happening is very very bad for our democracy!
Is he a tax evader as well?
That would make for a perfect fit.
I’d loan you mine but it’s broken, all it does is continuely spin. Oh wait maybe it isn’t broken.
It is things like this that is awakening (if not rudely) the American people. I personally think it is great. Before Obama finishes his term in office, there will be a great arising. Too bad it took this long to get here.
Well, it looks like the fellow needed a new job. I guess Li’l BO is just trying to address the unemployment issue by giving him one. One down, 3.499 million more to create (or save).
That’s not a very good analogy, Michelle. You’re comparing him to Superman.
Now, THAT’S a much better analogy!
I pray you are right! You do realize, however, that a large portion of the people in this country don’t give a rip. They have no idea what is going on in DC and therefore will continue to vote democrat because they have been indoctrinated to do that. We know the truth…but do enough of the bozos out there in la la land even care what the truth is?
That’s a perfect analogy.
I think waterboarding could easily be replaced with forcing prisoners to watch and hear The View. They would quickly spill their guts and their stomach too.
Reading this SLUGS history, I’d say a SHOO-IN, for sure… All he needs for a rousing UNANIMOUS vote, to find out he was FORGETFUL in the tax area… And if he was for 3 or be still my heart, maybe 5 years, he will be carried on the shoulders of CONGRESS to his new offices…
Has zero picked anyone that is not incompetent, a cheat, a fraud, a parasite or all of the above. I think not. the incompetent feel more secure surrounding themselves with the same.
This administration ranks right up there with gutter trash, low expectations, no standards.
Another bad actor. Everybody should work for the government. Then we’d all be ‘special’.
and people accused bush of cronyism!
A business prof/mentor once told me that 1st class managers hire 1st class people, and 2nd class managers hire 3rd
class people. A 1st class manager wants the best people he/she can find to do the best job possible. 2nd class managers are afraid their people will show them up, so they hire 3rd class people.
Never have I seen this theory put into practice more than I am right now.
Wow. It’s like the republicans left the house with the doors wide open, and now all the thiefs are having a party inside.
What a disgrace our government has become. I’m embarassed for America right about now.
But, scrappy, it was ever thus…
the American Revolution was carried by, at most, a quarter of the population. At least that many were devotedly opposed to it.
Dittos with any movement in our history, I think. The Civil Rights movement was carried by a minority, as was Woman’s Suffrage, etc.
That is a very good, descriptive way of putting it! You could add that the republicans came home, found the party going on and said, “Sorry we interrupted your fun. Carry on.”
Well I guess it’s pretty obvious………….
Chicago Politics and tyranny is being thrust upon us all.
Good point…and very encouraging. Thanks for reminding me!
Yeah, happy, and the thiefs told the repubs, “The spiked koolaid punch is in the kitchen, and we’re remodeling the rest of the house. Come help out when you get your punch.”
Or something like that…
Off topic alert! Minnesota has been voted as having the healthiest eaters in the country! At least we have that!
Par for the course for the corruptocrats now infesting our government. Eminently qualified for the new Politburo.
If he didn’t pay taxes, I’d say he’s over-qualified.
The Real Economy killer is Cap & Trade.
Chip off the old block blogging here.(My daughter Pleasant)
http://youhavetobethistalltogoonthisride.blogspot.com/2009/04/top-gun-trumps-goraphobia.html
This is the Obama Administration. It’s no mistake in vetting – they’re looking for crooks.
he is black, so rollover in 5..4..3..
I have no doubts any sane person in the Seattle area (and there ARE some), breathed a sigh of relief when they were finally rid of Sims. Unfortunatly he didn’t just go away. Didn’t surprise me Odumbo would want him in his fold.
Complaining about an African-American nominee from the KBPOTUS is RRRAAAACCCIIIISSSSTTTTT……..
GSP
Just my two cents worth between classes today.
Complaining about an African-American nominee from the KBPOTUS is RRRAAAACCCIIIISSSSTTTTT……..
GSP
Just my two cents worth between classes today.
In case the trolls don’t understand, this is called Sarcasm!
maybe so, but true
I live in Washington State and it seems the Obama administration is taking all of our morons to run the government.Sims is as corrupt as can be along with Nichols,Locke and Gregoire.I also can’t stand Cantwell and Murray.The 2004 election was clearly stolen and everyone knew it,but our liberal judges as well as the pandering Rhino
Republican,who’s name escapes me at the moment but allowed this to take place,knowing that there were dead voting,illegals as well as many homeless bused in to voting booths,along with felons.Dino Rossi won 2 machine counts and she won the hand count,were they just kept mysteriously finding ballots in King County.I don’t trust any elections to be fair in this state anymore,especially since we went to all mail in ballots.
The number one threat to my freedom in WA state? King County government.
“Oh look! I just *found* another box of ballots!!”
Telling them that doesn’t make any difference to them. Criticism of THE ONE is racist, regardless of its nature.
You will be receiving your order to report to a reeducation center tomorrow…
Three words when spoken from or about a progressive liberal public (gag me) servant, should make the hair stand up on the back of your neck, and encourage you to beware!
Visionary – In line with progressive ideology.
Urban – Believer/participant in Black Liberation Theology.
Leader – Liar, propagandist, facilitator.
Put all this together with where he’s from, and it spells “danger.” He is an Anti-American socialist, with leanings towards totalitarianism, with no new vision helpful to America. He will play fast and loose with the rules, obfuscate, and be less than honest. Most likely, he will have a suspicious past, used anti-military or anti-American rhetoric, but have done wonderfully for himself in the capitalist economic system. In short, a perfect fit for the Obama Administration.
yohann,
There is more truth to your comment than the trolls could ever understand.
As for me, my Sig is cocked, locked and ready to rock!
GSP
“This is Sparta!”
Why not? They certainly don’t want to do anything that will screw up receiving invitations to those A-List DC dinner parties.
No worries about flushing the country down the toilet when the opportunity to party with Rahm and the boys is at stake.
Take it from someone who’s lived under the ‘reign’ of Sims, and still lives in Seattle, this is all true. Sorry we’re importing it to the national level, now.
HUD is a criminal institution, I know from first-hand experience.
Bin Laden should’ve recruited a 5th plane to deal with HUD.
Great column today (as usual).
Corrupt democrap, Ron Sims, brings new meaning to the term electioneering.
here ya go…
http://www.saveourstate.org/vforums/images/smilies/bsmeter.gif
I fail to see what all of the fuss is about here. The Big Zero’s policies, beliefs and political leanings are nothing but transparent to anyone who cares to take a peek behind the curtain of drool and adoration that constantly covers our beloved emperor.
I hope I’m not related to that Asshat.
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How about a PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN style cruise package with traditional PIRATE STYLE PUNISHMENTS for the pirates?
***
Charge NRA “tourist” passengers a fee to use the weapons they like–provide them and suitable ammo at a reasonable price. For a slight additional charge trained bilingual parrots and some peg legs will be provided.
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Prisoners could be treated to KEELHAULING, FLOGGINGS, WALKING THE PLANK, and HANGING FROM THE YARDARM. Marooning on desert islands would be another popular option–this could replace GITMO mistreatment. No panties on the head allowed–too brutal for our Islamic pirates. Heads on plates is O.K.–they like that in that part of the world.
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Make it a sporting (gambling) event. Prizes for the longest shot, best cutlass stroke, hardest belaying pin hit, etc.
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Make piracy a fun and profit business again–for the good guys.
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As far as the “salty wenches”–bring your own with you. There are a lot of bad diseases in that benighted part of the world. Ditto for the food.
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John Bibb
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Hey John,
Where do I get to sign up for some this piratey fun?
Please don’t say the Navy, I already had my fun in the worlds greatest canoe club.
GSP
“This is Sparta!”
Speaking of disasters, Drudge is reporting that the NYT will report tomorrow that Obama is about to re-introduce the McCain-Kennedy Amnesty Bill. You know, the one Mitt Romney recently endorsed by urging it be passed this year, the same one every single Republican who plans to run for president in 2012 supports?
We are living what Raspail predicted in his novel “Camp of the Saints” more than 30 years ago.
^ anything to distract from his other failed policies
Obama will need a second, maybe even “third term” (wink, wink) because he couldn’t fill all the positions during his first term… bleah.