Sweeney digs himself deeper

The newest John Sweeney ethics scandal broke a little wider open today. Here's a recap from the Albany Times Union:

"A state official testified Tuesday that U.S. Rep. John Sweeney played a key role in drawing up the guest list for an annual congressional winter weekend in Lake Placid, a practice deemed inappropriate by the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct.

Olympic Regional Development Authority President Ted Blazer, speaking at a state Assembly hearing, said invitations to the Congressional Winter Challenge -- an event held to highlight Lake Placid Olympic facilities in hopes of securing federal funding -- were 'assembled by the Washington office of Congressman Sweeney and the United States Olympic Committee.'"

Now here's the Sweeney's defense, from the same article:

"Melissa Carlson, Sweeney's deputy chief of staff, insisted Tuesday that the congressman had nothing to do with the invitations.

'I don't know what he's talking about,' Carlson said of Blazer's testimony. 'The invitations are clearly sent out by the U.S. Olympic Committee.'"

I'd like to know if Carlson is really saying that since the U.S. Olympic Committee put the invites in the mail that means Sweeney didn't invite people, but let's leave that aside for this quote from a radio interview Sweeney did with Fred Dicker on WROW AM 590 this morning:

"Sweeney: And, uh, we've invited media in the past, and I'm going to invite you next time, Fred."

So his deputy chief of staff says he doesn't invite people, and then Sweeney goes on the radio and invites someone.

Maybe a quick stop at the bar would cheer you up John.



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