Michael Stock, Chairman of the Law Enforcement Center Project Committee has requested that, in wake of the decision by the New York State Comptroller’s Office to remove the audit staff from the Law Enforcement Center review, the Democratic Legislators involved in setting up a secret meeting voluntarily remove themselves from the oversight committee.

The Comptroller’s Office, under the leadership of Alan Hevesi, has decided to replace two auditors after they met with Democratic Committee Chairman John Parete at Democratic Party Headquarters. According to a spokesperson for the Comptroller, “It was…an error … to meet in party headquarters with the head of a party.”
Democratic Legislators Richard Parete, D-Accord, Peter Kraft, D-Glenford, and Tracy Bartels, D-Gardiner, participated in the questioned meeting that has thus resulted in a windfall of problems.

“If this was such an serious violation that the New York State Comptroller felt that their auditors should be removed, then I think that the right thing for the three legislators who took part in this secret meeting step down from the oversight committee and I would hope they voluntarily remove themselves,” said Stock. “This certainly gives the appearance that the local Democratic Party was either attempting to influence the final outcome; be it in timing or the actual result. For the good of everyone involved, especially the taxpayers of Ulster County, as Chairman of the Law Enforcement Center Project Committee I am formally requesting these three legislators step down.”

Stock said that if the three stepped down, they will be replaced by other Democratic Legislators.