Thruway chiefs: Pataki wants scandal records kept secret

[Khephra]

ALBANY, N.Y. -- Top Thruway Authority officials on Wednesday testified that Gov. George Pataki is trying to withhold 600 pages of internal documents in a canal system scandal to protect the right to some secrecy between government agencies.

John Buono, the Pataki-appointed chairman of the authority, testified in an Assembly hearing that he thinks the documents should be released for the public good and that their exposure won't hurt the authority.

Still, his authority went to court Wednesday over the documents in part on the advice of a Pataki counsel, who wants the records kept secret, Buono testified.

State Supreme Court Justice Joseph Cannizzaro issued a temporary restraining order Wednesday delaying release of the documents and will rule Thursday whether the internal memos, e-mails and other documents should be made public.

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/ny-bc-ny--canal-buildingrig1229dec29,0,7923181.story?coll=ny-ap-regional-wire

[BrklynLiberal]

1. Can't wait til Pataki is out of office. I never voted for him. I find it

laughable when people write about his "presidential aspirations".

[acmavm]

2. Wonder who's he's really trying to protect. Somehow it always turns out

that the guy who is trying so hard to hide the dirt (or a family member or very close friend) turns up guilty, or at the very least complicit, in whatever it is they are trying to hide.

[Art_from_Ark]

3. Sounds like a cat that just took a big dump in the litter box

and is now working franticly to cover it up.