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Good evening, Netizens…
The mouse that roared has once again aroused the powers-that-be in a positive way and, although we haven’t heard a final resolution yet, the fact remains authorities have opened an active investigation. The Washington State Board of Accountancy’s Executive Director, Rick Sweeney, has opened an investigation into allegations by Ron Wright (AKA rocketsbrain) that Spokane’s Chief Financial Officer Gavin Cooley was listed on a city web site as a Certified Public Accountant. Cooley, by his own admission, was no longer a CPA, having allowed his license to expire in 2006.
I neither know nor do I truly care if I am allowed by the rules of conduct to jump for joy, but given the time and effort Ron Wright put into researching his claim about Cooley, nor the smarmy response he garnered from Cooley when the error, if that is what it was, was first made public, I’m jumping for joy.
It all comes back to something a former editor of mine once stated, lecturing me in front of the entire assembled news room, that any good investigation by a journalist must first begin with a single brick.
“You take the edifice apart, one brick at a time,” he stated, and that quote has stuck with me ever since.
I believe many of the claims that Ron Wright has made over the last few years. I believe we are paying a steep price for the corruption and waste that is being allowed to continue in City Hall. Thus far despite extensive research and studious analysis by Wright, no formal charges have been placed against anyone, and thus that is not really news.
However, despite Gavin Cooley’s weak protestations, one of the bricks of City Hall is being investigated, and that first brick counts, whether or not formal charges are ever brought forth by the State Board of Accountancy.
Kudos are in order for Ron Wright.
Dave
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Ron_the_Cop on February 23 at 8:41 p.m.
Thanks Dave,
Folks may wish to read my comments over in Brunt’s article thread over at:
State investigates city of Spokane Web site
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2010/feb/23/state-investigates-city-spokane-web-site/
Ah the power and beauty of the new/alternative/social media to dig and lead on a story before the S-R hits the streets in print:-)
ChefGus/ John Olsen on February 24 at 3:36 a.m.
I know Ron personally and that his motivation is backed by a lifelong career of feretting out the truth… The “first brick” does soften the building some… the culture I have personally observed at City Council meetings over the years IS changing because the electorate is waking up and making progressive choices.. and I am in hopes that the ofen now 6-1 votes against the powers that be are a message of change coming….
There is no excuse for not renewing certification as a professional…. and in most professions four years of not keeping up with the current trends does make you less conversant and effective… and it also means you lose your license to practice.
120 hours in four years… is 30 a year, most of which can be accomplished by on line courses now in my profession and weekend courses, where you also get to network and interact with peers you might not otherwise see.
Mr Cooley is a VERY bright young man, and has done a great job, so it may be that he was so busy he could not find the time.. but most businesses provide time off and travel to conferences with fees paid to stay current.
He is certainly not a lazy person so I’m wondering too what his motivation or lack of motivation was. John
Ron_the_Cop on February 24 at 6:20 a.m.
Thx for the words of encouragement. BTW it’s only 120 hours over three years. I have no issue with Mr. Cooley going on company time and be reimbursed for his expenses. While the educational updates are important what is critical is the professional standards/ethics and state and fed regulations he must follow as a CPA that are important to me.
Further as I replied to Orange in the other thread:
“I moved to Spokane for its many fine attributes. The one thing that is lacking is a government that is uncorrupt and responsive to the people. Sorry I’m staying and prefer to fix this one item.
The Cowles Co criminal enterprise as defined in the Federal RICO Act has so thoroughly co-opted/corrupted the political/governmental structures in Spokane that they can no longer act to protect the citizens of Spokane from criminal victimization and from imminent public hazards. The citizens of Spokane and the family of Jo Savage have a fundamental right to ensure that justice is served when their political/ governmental law enforcement and decision making bodies can’t or won’t act because of their systemic co-option/ corruption. In our legal system – NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW.”
Orange on February 25 at 5:43 p.m.
If the Cowles Co. is criminal, why hasn’t law enforcement investigated? Seem like useless rant here.
Ron_the_Cop on February 25 at 9:28 p.m.
Orange,
Good question actually. That’s the problem this is all “wise guy” up’d up to and including the sitting US Attorney for the Eastern District of WA.
Read my causes and actions for filing a civil RICO prosecution here:
http://friendsofmarkfuhrman.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/cowles-co-rico.doc
Cooley is a principal in my RICO case because of his involvement in the RPS Settlement Agreement Yes the misd violation re the CPA is kinda of taking low hanging fruit. The way to unwind this criminal enterprise is one brick at a time. I will take whatever I can get when those involved are so arrogant that they don’t think their poop stinks.
And Orange you question on what basis do I have to have an opinion. Here’s my professional qualifications. You can read them here in the other article thread:
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2010/feb/24/state-probe-targets-city-cfo/?comments#c122067
Ron_the_Cop on February 25 at 10:42 p.m.
Orange,
BTW I was taking some heat in the other thread re my table of the losses sustained by the Spokane Taxpayers. Yes the table may be a little difficult to follow without the text that goes with it. I’ve now completed my report and readers are free to read both the report and table here. At a minimum this was a loss of $87M. See caveats in my report/analysis re a forensic audit needs to be done to confirm the actual losses.
RPS Fraud Losses Sustained by the Taxpayers of Spokane
http://friendsofmarkfuhrman.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/rps-bond-frauds-summary-and-analysis-1.doc
I have some other related breaking news that I will post tomorrow. I just got in the door from teaching my criminal justice class.