Hurlburt's betrayal: Jail time warranted
WHEN RICHARD HURLBURT defrauded Nova Scotia taxpayers of $25,320.77, through four false expense claims submitted over two years, he was a high-earning cabinet minister, entrusted with responsibility for millions of public dollars.
He could look forward to a generous pension from taxpayers. He had a lakefront home in Yarmouth County and a vacation home in Florida. And like all MLAs at the time, he had allowances in excess of $40,000 a year to spend as he pleased, with no receipts or audit.
He did not need more help from the public to buy a home generator or a big-screen TV.
And yet, as detailed in the statement of fact at his sentencing hearing Thursday, Mr. Hurlburt made fraudulent expense claims for these personal luxuries and more. He claimed the TV was for his office but installed it at home. He billed for a $9,000 generator after buying one for $2,600. He claimed $12,777.50 for office renovations that were not done.
Many of us have a jaded view of politicians’ sense of entitlement. But these frauds surely shock the public conscience enough to warrant some time in jail.
They were a breach of trust at the highest level of public office. Ministers know how stretched public funds are, how many pressing human needs go unmet. It’s the most callous betrayal for one to illegally raid these scarce funds for his own selfish wants.
In seeking a conditional sentence of house arrest and community service, Mr. Hurlburt’s counsel says he only took advantage of a “flawed system” and “his actions have been remarkable” in atoning for his offences.
Yes, the system was flawed in relying too much on trust. But we should not expect our ministers to be honest only when the system is so tight they have no choice. No system is perfect and none is impervious to calculated fraud.
Nor is there anything remarkable in Mr. Hurlburt’s atonement. He has apologized, paid back the money and endured public contempt. The contempt was his due, though it’s sad and unfair that his family has suffered as well. An apology is the least he owed the public. He had plenty of means to repay the ill-gotten funds and would have been sued for their recovery, plus legal costs, if he hadn’t.
So we have to agree with the Crown that incarceration is warranted here, as it was in the fraud convictions of Liberal MLA Dave Wilson. Only that will truly express the gravity of betraying the basic integrity that is essential to a government that actually serves the people.
Jail time is futile
Submitted by Alan on July 7, 2012 - 7:26am.
Hurlburt's reputation is destroyed. He has had plenty of time to meditate on his character. Jailing him is just, but it costs us money with no improvement of the result. Instead, we should hit him where it hurts him, and helps us. Pass retroactive legislation stripping him and the rest of our fraudsters of their MLA pensions. Future Hurlburts and Wilsons of the province might think harder before swindling the public if they thought their golden egg was at risk.
What are the odds of that idea getting any air time in the Legislature, as appropriate a punishment as it is? The party system fosters selfish takers who are not about to remove a single feather from their nests without a fight.
We need independent candidates.
Grooming Tories for public service
Submitted by Another one in ... on July 7, 2012 - 7:58am.
Is there not a decent Tory around? In this article in today's paper http://thechronicleherald.ca/business/114454-new-glasgow-e-learning-comp... and in one in the New Glasgow News there is a celebration of a $250,000 award to a Pictou County company by the honourable Mr. Peter MacKay. Yet the total story remains untold.
First the company in the linked article gets $40,000 from a provinciall-government funded agency, and now $250,000 from the federal taxpayers. And what's the connection to Mr. MacKay and the Conservative party, you may ask? One of the principals of this local company was seen prominently high-fiving Mr. MacKay at his campaign headquarters on the CBC broadcast of his recent election victory. Funny how his name does not appear in these press releases. And this same person is now wanting to run for the Tory party in Pictou East in the next provincial election (based on a press release a few weeks back). In that news item, the potential candidate stated that he should get nominated because of his business experience. Did we not have enough of this type of business experience with some of our politicians, like Hurlburt, who are currently before the courts? I guess living off the public trough feels so good as a business person, this potential MLA now wants us to support him permanently. .... and for Mr. MacKay's looking after his friends' failing businesses ...., Shame, shame.
Jail time is warrented
Submitted by can-eh-dian on July 7, 2012 - 8:08am.
How many people are sitting in Nova Scotia prisons for stealing a lot less than 25 thousand dollars? Send a hard message to the rest of the public servants we entrust with our money and show no favourtism for this convicted criminal. Prison time in a regular cell with the rest of the convicted criminals followed by a probation period with conditions. All the sobbing in court doesn't change the level of greed and sense of entitlement demonstrated by this millionaire.
It's a no brainer.
INCARCERATION
Submitted by TIC on July 7, 2012 - 8:24am.
Jail time is needed for these crimes. Mr. Hurlburt only became tearful and apologetic after he was caught just like any crook. We need to show these people who have become rich off the taxpayer that we will not stand for it anymore.
flawed system
Submitted by bornagainstchri... on July 7, 2012 - 8:34am.
The only reason that the system is "flawed" is because we allow our politicians in NS to make ridiculous decisions with no consequences. maybe if a few of them were hanging from a tree on the odd occasion, things like this wouldn't happen.
Lock them all up.
Submitted by hav2b on July 7, 2012 - 8:46am.
All four MLAs, if convicted, should be given federal prison time. The public money was stolen for reasons of greed alone. The MLAs had plenty of their own, but wanted more.
In the mean time, Trevor Zinck is still being represented by Lyle Howe, himself charged with drugging and sexually assaulting a woman. Now is it just me or do others see that Zinck will likely be able use this to delay his pending trial even further? He's already managed to hang on long eneough to qualify for a full MLA's pension, regardless of the outcome of any trial.
Ouch!
Submitted by Alan on July 7, 2012 - 10:30am.
That's sick! Change the law quick!
Crown didn't ask for enough prison time.
Submitted by shawnino on July 7, 2012 - 8:48am.
This is a very serious crime and the Crown should have asked for a federal sentence of 2+ years. Wilson didn't get a federal sentence, but he should have.
It really bothers me how the Crown and judges can't decide whether they want to slap these guys on the wrist or on the back. Disgusting. Betrayal of the public trust should be worth five years--especially in our system where for some bizarre reason full parole can be achieved after a third of the sentence.
And please don't give me this bit about how Hurlbut's reputation was ruined and he's suffered enough, blah blah--he brought all of this on himself with greed and fraud.
Not alone
Submitted by No problem here... on July 7, 2012 - 8:51am.
Sorry to say but Richard Hurlburt was not alone in his quest for booty at taxpayers expense. From the premier on down the line up formed with cheque books in hand to repay for items that should have not been purchased in the first place. This behaviour from those who are compensated beyond your wildest dreams, to carry out a task that by anyone's description would be marginal at best, it seems the prerequisite for being a politicians in Nova Scotia these days is the ability to be able to sit for long hours, listen to dregs of drivel and be able to snort that yes you understand the trials and tribulations of the ordinary person, that in of it's self high lights the dishonesty that permeates the government of this province.
He didn't just
Submitted by Selina on July 7, 2012 - 9:06am.
misappropriate a TV and a generator. He also stole over $15,000 in cash. This fraud is an outright theft committed by a person of means and responsibility. There was no "misunderstanding", there was no "accounting error". This was taking advantage of a system that in retrospect was wrong to assume that that MLA's in general were ethical in the comportment of their responsibilities.
Further, he brought disrespect on a profession that is sadly lacking in public respect. His actions affected the perception of his whole profession and cheapened the public's perception of politician's in general.
He is fully deserving of jail time, in fact, he should be made an example of. Like Caesar's wife, he must not only be above reproach, he must be seen to be above reproach. He did the crime, he must do his time.
MORE IMPORTANT-- PENSION
Submitted by bearpaw on July 7, 2012 - 9:04am.
In severe situations, like this, there should be NO PENSION. Just refund him the amount HE contributed, not what WE contributed. These offences occured, against US, while being paid by US, and while WE are making HUGE contributions, to his pension. How much worse can it get?
RICHARD HURLBURT defrauded Nova Scotia taxpayers of $25,320.77
Submitted by Paul1 on July 7, 2012 - 9:24am.
Trough his defence attorney he make a claim that one of the reason he defrauded the people of Nova Scotia is because of a flawed system what an arrogant claim, those that sound like remorse to any one. In my view is only regret he got caught and also if he is charge with a criminal offence he would have to say goodbye to spending winter months in Florida BoooHooo Richard .
The sad part in all this is, he shamed is family because of is greed. I hope the judge in his case send him to jail and for those do-gooders who say other people with similar offence were not jailed well you can’t compare him to others, he was a person of trust he should be held to higher standard therefore when you break that trust higher consequence should be paid.
I had forgotten the 40K "no accountability" allowances
Submitted by Here on July 7, 2012 - 11:10am.
Funny how it works. I had forgotten they were each given 40K a year to spend however they saw fit anyway.
This is such a disgrace to the NS political system. Groupthink run rampant. Swival savants raising an eyebrow but never a voice. That government raised taxes on the "bite the bullet" pledge that never materialized, diverted the offshore windfall, and left us in a mess that caused a 2% tax increase on every last thing we buy. Not 2% on millions transferred in investments, just on the goods and services the little guy or gal buys to get through life.
Maybe, just maybe, there is hope for NS. A few years ago none of this would have made it to court, let alone sentencing. Perhaps senior civil servants will begin taking responsibility for government actions and speak up when these things happen. Because one thing I am very sure of. Plenty of people knew what was happening and did nothing.