Ball Campaign Reveals Major Conflict of Interest, Continues Call for Full Disclosure

From Greg Ball's campaign:

Peekskill, N.Y. – (8/17/12) – On Friday morning the Ball Campaign hosted a press conference outside of Wacky Wagner’s Campaign Headquarters to continue their call on Wacky Wagner to fully disclose his firm’s clients, many of whom present a direct conflict of interest on many prominent and pressing issues currently before the New York State Senate. 

"Extremist Wacky Wagner is a wolf in sheep’s clothing, positioned to be the well paid shill for a host of large, well-heeled corporate raiders. The last thing we need in Albany is another attorney, ripe with conflicts, representing big oil, big insurance, fracking polluters and corporate outsourcers, all making billions while working people are hurt by legislation crafted to protect their lawmaker’s clients. Wagner needs to immediately disclose his firm's clients and detail what financial investment this firm has made to his Trojan Horse candidacy. The Ball Campaign is demanding that Wacky Wagner fully disclose his firm's clients, detailing the specifics of his 'extended leave' from his firm, which we believe may constitute an illegal campaign contribution, and we are calling for an investigation into Wacky Wagner’s arrangement with his law firm” said Jim Coleman, Ball’s Campaign Manager.

 Jim Coleman delivered to Wacky Wagner’s Campaign Office Senator Greg Ball’s “Pledge to New York State Property Owners.” Among the protections outlined in the pledge, Senator Ball has committed that he will not accept any fees, campaign contributions, personal income, or bribes from Big Oil and Big Gas. Jim Coleman today invited Wacky Wagner to make the same commitment.

 While Wacky Wagner claims on his campaign website that he opposes hydraulic fracturing, Senator Ball’s campaign today revealed that Wacky Wagner’s law firm represents powerful clients at every stage of the fracking industry, from the bankrollers to land leasing to the pipelines and the refineries. These clients could stand to earn billions of dollars if allowed to operate unregulated fracking pads in New York State.

 Craig Stevens, a Pennsylvania resident and victim of fracking companies, was at the press conference to call for Wagner to sign Senator Ball’s pledge.

“Chesapeake Energy is on this board, and Chesapeake Energy went to my 95-year-old grandmother in her nursing home and got her to sign a land lease for $135 on the family home with promises that we would be rich. We haven’t seen a dime. This is a disgrace!” 

Senator Greg Ball’s Campaign is calling for the following disclosures:

• Publicly disclose the full employment arrangement he has made when he took a leave of absence with his law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, including how much the law firm pays him during his leave of absence, possibly constituting an illegal campaign contribution;
• Publicly disclose the full client list for the law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, including any retainers these clients pay to the firm; 
• Publicly disclose any direct or indirect campaign contributions made to Wacky Wagner’s campaign by partners and associates of the law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, as well as campaign contributions from the family of the law firm’s partners and associates; 
• Publicly disclose those clients of clients of the law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, who have been or are currently conducting business with New York State.

The Ball Campaign is calling on Wacky Wagner to disclose these details, before filing an official complaint. If Wagner doesn’t, the Ball Campaign will ask for a full investigation by all proper authorities.