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Paulin Accused of Ethics Gaffe
By REBECCA BAKER ERWIN
THE JOURNAL NEWS
(Original Publication: October 4, 2006)
WHITE PLAINS — The Republican trying to unseat Assemblywoman Amy Paulin has accused her of using her legislative offices to benefit her re-election campaign, a charge Paulin said was "completely wrong."
Challenger Jim Coleman said Paulin, a Scarsdale Democrat, may have violated state campaign ethics rules by listing the addresses and telephone numbers of her two Assembly offices on her campaign Web site, www.amypaulin.com.
By doing so, Coleman said, Paulin blurred the line between her taxpayer-funded office and her re-election campaign, and yesterday he filed complaints with the state Board of Elections, the Assembly's Ethics Committee and the state Attorney General's Office.
"A three-term incumbent should know better," he said. "It's another example of arrogance gone wrong."
By midafternoon, Paulin's Web site listed the address and phone number of her campaign office instead of her Assembly offices.
But Paulin said she did nothing wrong by including contact information for her Assembly offices on her campaign Web site.
"I wanted people to be able to reach me," she said.
Ellen Likovich, a staff member in Paulin's district office, said any information, including campaign pledges, entered on Paulin's personal Web site goes directly to campaign headquarters. Part of Likovich's job is to read e-mails from Paulin's constituents in the 88th Assembly District.
"Those e-mails don't come here," she said.
Paulin said no taxpayer money ever has or ever will be used to fund her campaigns, adding that she holds herself and her staff to the highest ethical standards.
"I had hoped Mr. Coleman would address the serious issues in this campaign," she said. "I'm disappointed at his priorities."
Coleman said he wants an investigation to see if Paulin used state phones, fax machines or legislative staff members to help keep her job. He said her most recent campaign finance report, filed with the Elections Board, showed no evidence of a campaign office.
Paulin said her campaign office, down the hall from her district office in Scarsdale, just opened in the summer. The next financial disclosure should show office expenses, she said.
Coleman called for Paulin's resignation yesterday at Republican Party headquarters in White Plains, a few hours after his staff saw Paulin's campaign Web site. Paulin said the Web site was launched less than a week ago.
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