City of Saratoga Springs
Office of Commissioner of Finance
City of Saratoga Springs, Michele Madigan
Contact: Michele.Madigan@Saratoga-Springs.org or 518-587-3550 ext 2577
Aug 13, 2019
MEDIA ANNOUNCEMENT
Commissioner Madigan and Mayor Kelly Respond to Recent Ethics Board Decisions
Saratoga Springs Finance Commissioner Michele Madigan calls attention to two recent decisions of the city’s Board of Ethics regarding baseless inquiries from candidate Patty Morrison and her close personal friends and campaign supporters Bill McTygue and Ann Bullock. Madigan stated, “The Ethics Board made it clear that the issues raised by my challenger and two of her staunchest supporters were groundless. This was nothing more than a coordinated attempt to plant a false narrative in voters’ minds right before a hotly contested primary election. Using our Ethics Board as a weapon in furtherance of a political campaign unprincipled and is not in the best interests of the public we serve.”
In June 2019 Ms. Morrison filed an ethics inquiry regarding a contribution accepted by Commissioner Madigan’s reelection campaign, while Mr. McTygue and Ms. Bullock filed another regarding an energy purchase contract recently entered into by the City Council and brought forth by Accounts Commissioner John Franck. Both Mr. McTygue and Ms. Bullock have contributed to Ms. Morrison’s campaign to unseat Commissioner Madigan.
The Ethics Board summarily rejected Ms. Morrison’s complaint, noting that “the receipt of a campaign contribution by a city elected official” is not a violation of the Code of Ethics, as expressly stated in the Ethics Code, Section 13-3 K(4). “The public has a right to expect a candidate for public office to know that it is legal for elected officials to accept campaign contributions,” Madigan said, “Morrison’s complaint sought not only to impugn my ethics and integrity, but to also damage the reputation of a highly respected community member with a long record of supporting local, state, and national campaigns from across the political spectrum.”
The accompanying complaint from McTygue and Bullock accused the City Council of corruption as regards to the energy purchase contract, requested that the contract be rescinded, and called for disciplinary action and/or dismissal of a city employee. This was also roundly rejected. The Ethics Board stated, “there is no reasonable cause for believing that the individuals named in your letter have violated any provision of the Code of Ethics.”
Mayor Meg Kelly states: “This is politics at its worst, using totally unsupported allegations to persuade voters in a wholly improper manner. Ms. Morrison, Mr. McTygue, Ms. Bullock, and the public need to know that our system works despite and without such irresponsible theatrics.”
Commissioner Madigan finished by saying “character and competence matter. Ms. Morrison has avoided open and honest debate about how Saratoga Springs is governed, and this kind of misinformed, ‘win at all costs’ approach is a strong indicator of what her governing tactics will be.”
Copies of the Board of Ethics Decisions can be viewed by clicking the links below.
July 16th Document
August 9th Document