Rhonda Swann’s editorial in the Palm Beach Post on the fate of Wellington Mayor Bob Margolis as he faces the Ethics Commission has me asking a question or two about this whole process of legal funds for elected officials.
Earlier I read that unlike campaign contributions, which have strict uses, these funds are on what was described as a “gray area.” Does that mean no accountability as to source and expense? The current investigation is on the Wellington mayor’s legal fund, but I have to ask if there have been any inquiries into the expenses of the other two legal funds — the funds set up for councilmen Matt Willhite and John Greene. They did not go to court over the election issue but simply had a recount of sorts under the eye of the supervisor of elections and the canvassing board. So here is the No. 1 question: How much money was donated to their funds and how was the money expended?
And before signing off on this editorial letter, I have another question regarding the Wellington municipal race: If the initial results were certified by the supervisor of elections office, how is it possible that they were changed to the current outcome when the “legal” results are the certified results? The certified results were not for Willhite and Greene. Is there an investigative team at the Town-Crier that can find the answers to these questions for us out-of-the loop voters? Please, how did we get to where we are now?
Nell Hagen-Altman, Wellington
