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Waste and Cronyism Inside the Middlesex Sheriff's Office: Part 2
Nov 4, 2004 5:54 pm US/Eastern
Tonight, an exclusive I-Team investigation focusing on one state politician and how he's spending millions of your tax dollars. The I-Team has uncovered a trail of questionable spending and patronage that is costing you big time. I-Team reporter Joe Bergantino with a story every taxpayer should see.
You've probably never seen or heard of this man.
But he is spending 48 million of your tax dollars this year alone.
He is Middlesex County Sheriff Jim DiPaolo.
Salary: a hefty $107,000 a year.
Job duties: Overseeing two county jails.
After he was elected and sworn into office a few years ago, DiPaolo, a former state representative, made a lot of promises. But has he kept them?
The I-Team has spent the past several months combing through the Sheriff's records. What we found: millions of dollars worth of questionable expenses and a trail of broken promises.
Example: when he was elected DiPaolo promised to get the Sheriff's office budget under control.
Jim DiPaolo, Sheriff: "That's my first challenge to bring that budget back into line."
Instead, spending is up thirteen million dollars since DiPaolo took over.
Example: $2.9 million for new vehicles, including motorcycles in the past few years alone. Much more than most other sheriffs.
Joe Bergantino: "Do you need every one of these cars?"
Jim DiPaolo, Sheriff: "I believe we need every one of these cars right now."
Well how about this $800,000 command center? And this $150,000 armored vehicle?
Joe Bergantino: "Why do you need those vehicles?"
Jim DiPaolo, Sheriff: "The world has changed since 9-11."
True. But the State Police already have three armored vehicles. DiPaolo uses his mostly in parades. There's the Sheriff marching right behind, the command center?
The State Police have two of them.
DiPaolo also spent about $22,000 of your tax dollars driving his down to a national sheriff's conference in Nashville for a little show and tell.
Joe Bergantino: "So you think this is a justifiable expense?"
Jim DiPaolo, Sheriff: "Uh, yes, I do."
And speaking of travel, the Sheriff spent thousands of your dollars sending this staff lawyer to a legal seminar in China.
Joe Bergantino: "What did he learn in China that he brought back to your office?"
Jim DiPaolo, Sheriff: "I think it was a worthwhile program to participate in."
On the subject of lawyers, when DiPaolo took office there was one lawyer on retainer. Now three lawyers on staff and at least two law firms on retainer-including former House Speaker Tom Finneran's firm.
Cost: about $350,000 of your dollars.
Joe Bergantino: "This is good spending?"
Jim DiPaolo, Sheriff: "Oh absolutely. I think it's very good spending."
Here's another DiPaolo promise.
Jim DiPaolo, Sheriff: "I don't have any plans to hire anybody that worked on my political campaign."
That was DiPaolo a few weeks after becoming sheriff.
Since then he has put plenty of political pals on his payroll.
John Granara, DiPaolo's campaign coordinator makes $100,000 a year.
Michael Blatus, a DiPaolo campaign worker, $68,000, to name a few.
This management study commissioned by the Sheriff himself found "considerable patronage" in the Sheriff's office.
Joe Bergantino: "It doesn't seem like you kept that promise?"
Jim DiPaolo, Sheriff: "I think I have kept that promise."
Patronage, questionable spending, you be the judge of whether Jim DiPaolo kept his promises. Problem is, broken promises are expensive and you're paying the bill.
:BM: I wish the MSP had an extra 13 mil for more cruisers and patrols.
Waste and Cronyism Inside the Middlesex Sheriff's Office: Part 2
Nov 4, 2004 5:54 pm US/Eastern
Tonight, an exclusive I-Team investigation focusing on one state politician and how he's spending millions of your tax dollars. The I-Team has uncovered a trail of questionable spending and patronage that is costing you big time. I-Team reporter Joe Bergantino with a story every taxpayer should see.
You've probably never seen or heard of this man.
But he is spending 48 million of your tax dollars this year alone.
He is Middlesex County Sheriff Jim DiPaolo.
Salary: a hefty $107,000 a year.
Job duties: Overseeing two county jails.
After he was elected and sworn into office a few years ago, DiPaolo, a former state representative, made a lot of promises. But has he kept them?
The I-Team has spent the past several months combing through the Sheriff's records. What we found: millions of dollars worth of questionable expenses and a trail of broken promises.
Example: when he was elected DiPaolo promised to get the Sheriff's office budget under control.
Jim DiPaolo, Sheriff: "That's my first challenge to bring that budget back into line."
Instead, spending is up thirteen million dollars since DiPaolo took over.
Example: $2.9 million for new vehicles, including motorcycles in the past few years alone. Much more than most other sheriffs.
Joe Bergantino: "Do you need every one of these cars?"
Jim DiPaolo, Sheriff: "I believe we need every one of these cars right now."
Well how about this $800,000 command center? And this $150,000 armored vehicle?
Joe Bergantino: "Why do you need those vehicles?"
Jim DiPaolo, Sheriff: "The world has changed since 9-11."
True. But the State Police already have three armored vehicles. DiPaolo uses his mostly in parades. There's the Sheriff marching right behind, the command center?
The State Police have two of them.
DiPaolo also spent about $22,000 of your tax dollars driving his down to a national sheriff's conference in Nashville for a little show and tell.
Joe Bergantino: "So you think this is a justifiable expense?"
Jim DiPaolo, Sheriff: "Uh, yes, I do."
And speaking of travel, the Sheriff spent thousands of your dollars sending this staff lawyer to a legal seminar in China.
Joe Bergantino: "What did he learn in China that he brought back to your office?"
Jim DiPaolo, Sheriff: "I think it was a worthwhile program to participate in."
On the subject of lawyers, when DiPaolo took office there was one lawyer on retainer. Now three lawyers on staff and at least two law firms on retainer-including former House Speaker Tom Finneran's firm.
Cost: about $350,000 of your dollars.
Joe Bergantino: "This is good spending?"
Jim DiPaolo, Sheriff: "Oh absolutely. I think it's very good spending."
Here's another DiPaolo promise.
Jim DiPaolo, Sheriff: "I don't have any plans to hire anybody that worked on my political campaign."
That was DiPaolo a few weeks after becoming sheriff.
Since then he has put plenty of political pals on his payroll.
John Granara, DiPaolo's campaign coordinator makes $100,000 a year.
Michael Blatus, a DiPaolo campaign worker, $68,000, to name a few.
This management study commissioned by the Sheriff himself found "considerable patronage" in the Sheriff's office.
Joe Bergantino: "It doesn't seem like you kept that promise?"
Jim DiPaolo, Sheriff: "I think I have kept that promise."
Patronage, questionable spending, you be the judge of whether Jim DiPaolo kept his promises. Problem is, broken promises are expensive and you're paying the bill.
:BM: I wish the MSP had an extra 13 mil for more cruisers and patrols.
