Milwaukee County supervisors Toni Clark and Elizabeth Coggs did a bad, bad thing when they had taxpayers foot the bill for them to go to Barack Obama's inauguration.
They've seen the light and claim to realize the error of their ways.
They're sorry and will pay back the taxpayers.
From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
Milwaukee County Supervisors Elizabeth M. Coggs and Toni Clark announced Monday they'll repay the county for the costs of their Washington, D.C., trip last week and apologized for the misstep.
Coggs and Clark issued a statement saying they had decided to reimburse the county after talking to constituents and other state and local officials. The full cost for the two is expected to be as much as $4,000, including $931 for round-trip airfare and hotel bills for Clark that cost up to $644 a night.
"We just think it's the right thing to do," the statement says. They will pay back all money approved or allocated to them by the county for the trip, the statement says. They did not list a specific payback figure or time frame for making the payments.
...The supervisors' decision to repay the county came after local criticism, including from state Rep. Jon Richards (D-Milwaukee). He said he wants to review three years of travel expenses of County Board and Milwaukee Public Schools board members.
...In their statement, Coggs and Clark said they could "certainly understand why some have had concerns about the timing."
"We ask for the forgiveness of our constituents, our colleagues and the elected officials that have been singled out," their statement says.
When are they going to pay back the money they took to fund their trip?
Who will oversee that the money is returned in a timely fashion?
Will they pay it back in installments? Take out a loan?
Will their expenses be transfered on to their personal credit cards?
Issuing a vague statement about being sorry and promising to pay back the county is meaningless without detailing the specifics about how and when they will pay off their debts to the taxpayers.
Clark and Coggs get no points for fessing up to their abuse of position and power.
"We just think it's the right thing to do."
What is that? Give me a break! Suddenly, Clark and Coggs know what's right? I don't think so. They got caught.
I think the right thing to do is apologize to the taxpayers and then resign. That's the right thing to do.
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