GOTTA LOVE THE MAYOR'S STICKHANDLING, WORDSMANSHIP & OBFUSCATIONS

Politicians become masters of the message. They learn how to massage the truth and always put themselves in the best light possible, no matter how bad the facts actually are. Today I'm going to give but one example of mayor Shantz's skilful manipulation of the facts and of the media in the process.

On-line I found an interview she did with CBC News one week after her July 2/15 MECAC (Compliance Audit Committee) meeting in which by skilfully ambushing me while fairly obviously obtaining MECAC approval ahead of time to do so; she avoided their ordering of a routine and absolutely mandatory, under the circumstances, forensic audit. This July 9/15 interview occurred the day after Township Clerk Val Hummel finally issued Sandy a Default Notice for her failure to provide an Audit by the March 27/15 deadline.

Hence mayor Shantz forfeited her mayor's position. She claimed in detail to the CBC that she only needed $9,400 in contributions as her expenses were lower than the $10,000 threshold which demands an accompanying Audit. Sandy used expressions such as "strict wording" and "technically in default". She claimed that in reality both her Contributions and Expenses were below the $10,000 threshold thus she was only guilty of technical violations. Pretty good stickhandling there Sandy.

In fact as of that date and as of her most recent Financial Statement given to myself on July 2/15 and MECAC allegedly on the same day, it was true. Trouble is that Financial Statement was also false but that apparently is less important than giving the media a good spin. Sandy's first Financial Statement (February 2/15) has Total Contributions of $9,475.39 .

Sandy's second Financial Statement (March 23/15) submitted on July 2 has Total Contributions of $11,858 .

Sandy's third Financial Statement (ie. "Amended" Aug.6/15) has Toatl Contributions of $ 12,472.92 .

Sandy's fourth Financial Statement (ie. "Supplementary also Aug. 6/15) has Total Contributions of $12,472.92 .


Now let's look at her Total Expenses which she piously advised CBC News were $9,400 .

Her first Financial Statement they were $9,475.39 .

Her second Financial Statement they were $ 9,475.39 . Looking good.

Her third Financial Statement they were $ 10,717.46 . Oh Oh !

Her fourth Financial Statement they were $ 14,898.46 . WHAT!!!


Now there are both exacerbating and mitigating factors with her last Total Expenses. The mitigating factors is that they include audit fees from her accountant. The exacerbating factors are that there is still evidence that needs to be examined via a forensic audit that may increase her Total Expenses even higher. That said currently her Expenses far exceed her Contributions thus the so called "Surplus" that she returned to herself is now a Deficit. The title of the on-line CBC News story is "Woolwich Mayor "not fulfilling mayoral duties" after campaign audit confusion". "Confusion" my butkus.