"APPOINTED PUBLIC OFFICIAL CHIEF ACCUSED OF CRIMES"

Poughkeepsie Journal

Gaffney Grand Jury To Begin Hearing In May

March 30, 2004

HIGHLAND — An Ulster County grand jury should begin hearing evidence in early May as part of an ongoing probe into a travel expense scandal involving former state Bridge Authority head Jack Gaffney.

Ulster County District Attorney Donald Williams said Monday that a grand jury will be convened in late April and his office could present its case soon after.

The move came after Williams consulted state and federal authorities about the case to see if they wanted to handle the matter.

“They declined any additional independent action and in essence have deferred to this county,” Williams said.

Williams had been in contact with the state Attorney General’s Office, the state Comptroller’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office about the case in which Gaffney made trips through the country and abroad, some of which were allegedly inappropriately billed to the authority.

William Tendy, Gaffney’s Poughkeepsie-based attorney, said his client has done nothing wrong.

“I don’t see any crime here,” Tendy said. “I think the other agencies are probably seeing the same thing.”

Williams had been trying to determine whether to convene an Ulster County grand jury or whether the case would best be handled by other agencies.

A state Inspector General’s report released last summer took Gaffney to task for billing travel expenses to the authority, some of which were allegedly personal in nature. Some of the trips Gaffney took included stops in Texas, Florida and Japan.

Witnesses may be called

Williams said witnesses from several states could be called to help the grand jury with its investigation. He said the grand jury will also look into the overall operation of the bridge authority during Gaffney’s tenure.

That examination could result in criminal charges against Gaffney or others, or in recommendations on how the authority might operate more efficiently.

After Gaffney’s departure, the authority enacted measures to shore up its travel policies for employees. Gaffney resigned his $138,000 post in June after published reports of his travel expenses appeared. He assumed the authority’s top spot in 1997.

The inspector general’s office began its look into Gaffney in 2002 after receiving anonymous tips of possible problems.

Authority spokesman Mark Sheedy said the agency would cooperate with Williams’ probe, noting that internal policy changes at the authority have already been made.

The authority operates the Mid-Hudson, Newburgh-Beacon Kingston-Rhinecliff, Bear Mountain and Rip Van Winkle bridges.

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