White House Carrying Carrión Despite Ethical Mess

Apparently the White House believes that Aldolfo Carrion is the best person for the new job of urban policy czar. They're telling him to pay up the $3,627.50 he owes to an architect for work done on his private home.

Carrión still hasn't paid for the work, raising questions about whether it was a freebie done to win approval of the project.

Bronx District Attorney Robert Johnson's office confirmed Wednesday night it was looking into the matter.

Spokesman Steven Reed declined to characterize the DA's involvement as an investigation, saying only "the facts as reported raise questions that we are trying to get answers to."

At Wednesday's press briefing, spokesman Robert Gibbs said the White House expects Carrión to pay the $3,627.50 bill.

"I think the quote says that when the work is complete, that the bill will be paid. And certainly that would be the expectation," Gibbs said.

Gibbs did not mention that the addition of a porch and balcony to Carrión's home took place in late 2006 and early 2007.

The contractor on the home renovation, Nationwide Maintenance, declined to say how much it was paid.

It is illegal for city officials to accept gifts from entities they know are doing business or are about to do business with the city.

That's quite telling.

Instead of going back to the drawing board to find someone who isn't ethically challenged, the Obama Administration simply thinks this is an accounting error that can be corrected with the prompt payment of a longstanding outstanding debt (that likely was never to be repaid).

You know what else is telling? The media's reluctance to delve into the matter beyond what the New York Daily News has done. MSNBC regurgitates the basics of the Daily News reporting.

The New York Times is late on the story, but notes that Bronx prosecutors are looking into the matter. The Times further notes that while the borough presidents do not get a veto say over projects done in their boroughs, they hold serious sway - far more than the Times would care to admit. If the borough president opposes a particular project, developers go out of their way to find ways to make the borough president get on board with the project. That's how things are done in the City.

The Daily News has a photo of Carrión's home.

UPDATE:
Jules Crittenden links. Thanks!