the official blog of the evergreen freedom foundation

Port of Seattle's own audit finds fraud, corruption by officials

Posted by Scott "The Piper" St. Clair - December 04, 2008

A just released internal audit report on the Port of Seattle discloses widespread fraud and corruption at the tax-supported agency.
 
For once, the $1.39 million spent on the audit - it took 10 months, covered 250.000 documents and over 300 gigabytes of electronic data and e-mail - looks to be money well spent.
 
The audit found 10 specific cases of contract fraud, large and small; nepotism by former Port CEO Mic Dinsmore in his leveraging a Port consultant to get his daughter a resume-padding Congressional intern job; and a general culture of lax contracting practices and a work environment that lends itself to abuse.
 
These "new" findings aren't exactly new.  EFF has been tossing back the curtain on the Port's Oz act revealing it to be nothing but a big and expensive humbug for a long time.  We did it here, here, here, and here - and that's just a few places!
 
The stink down on the docks and at Sea-Tac isn't the low tide or the dirty clothes in my lost luggage (you wouldn't believe it, so I won't go there), it's the contiued abuse of tax-funded projects, programs, and property.  And the smell is getting really rank.
 
What's needed?  Well, keep those audits a comin', that's for sure.  And how about ending the ridiculous tax King County property owners pay to underwrite all these shenanigans?  A few trials for some of the miscreants wouldn't hurt either. 
 
And how about ol' Mic Dinsmore paying taxpayers back for what they ponied up so his daughter could get that "job?"
 
We'll keep you posted...
 
The Piper
 
 

Thoughts?   Add Comment -

Jeff Reichert said on Dec 07 2008 at 8:51am
Okay Port of Seattle Next should be the Ferry system. Layer upon layer of government bureaucratic waste. The ports and the ferries two extreamly mismanaged government systems
we have right now. Next will be all the bridges that need repair and replacement.I say serious taxation without representation..........

Elaine said on Dec 07 2008 at 9:23am
After an audit finds fraud, corruption or misused and wasted tax dollars, is anything done about it?

Are the perpetrators fired? Are the taxpayers notified of the results of these audits?

Of course not.

I believe if more taxpayers were interested in how their money is spent they would be reviewing every single audit (since they pay for them too) and after the results show fraud, corruption or waste, flood the governor's office with calls and emails and write to every newspaper in the state demanding action and the firing of the perpetrators. I've done that but get no results because I'm only one person.

Lasse Lund said on Dec 08 2008 at 4:20pm
Worry not, Elaine; you are not alone. The Citizen Action Network will be highlighting this item in this week's CAN Alert - calling all of our members to respond to their representatives and encourage them to enforce audit recommendations.

Kay said on Dec 09 2008 at 4:20pm
Nothing to do with ferries, but...

I heard that some Seattle police officers shut down bars, then purcahse them and open up.

Is it fact or fiction? It's told as the gospel truth on national radio, if it's not well know could be an article if your wearing your superman suit.

I could tell you things you wouldn't believe, but I like breathing. ;)

adieu