That's only a 4300% markup. There've been worse. I saw one that was about 8000%. Can't remember the med, though.
HERE IS A CANDIDATE for "CREEP OF THE MONTH CLUB"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Here is an article illustrating why our govt books will never be balanced as long as LIE-beral minded goofs are in charge!! With some comments of my own in brackets):
Ex-Montreal mayor can keep $268K severance despite fraud conviction
From Canadian Press
Published: January 20, 2020/ Updated: January 20, 2020 5:16 PM EST
Filed Under: Toronto SUN/ News/ Crime
MONTREAL — Disgraced former Montreal mayor Michael Applebaum can keep the $268,000 he received from the city after resigning from office, despite a conviction for fraud against the government, Quebec Superior Court ruled Monday.
Applebaum is legally entitled to the taxpayer cash because new rules punishing elected officials convicted of crimes went into effect after he broke the law and received his severance package, Justice Serge Gaudet said. The judge added that nothing in the law stipulates the new rules apply retroactively.
(That is all very well - but FRAUDSTER AN BE SUED for the cost of their crimes sp WHY IS THIS GUY NOT BEING PLUCKED like a chicken?????????)
Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante said she was disappointed with the ruling because it sent a signal that politicians can break the law and still get paid. She said the city’s lawyers will analyze the decision to see whether other legal avenues to recoup the money are possible.
Applebaum’s crimes occurred during a period in the city’s history when there was “a lot of corruption and collusion,” Plante told reporters Monday. As a result, she added, Montrealers have become cynical towards municipal politics.
(Yes - in the last ten years Quebec has become NOTORIOUS for its corruption!! At one point councillors in one Montreal suburb actually requested that senior govt take over from them - and supervise them - WITH THE PROVISO that even though others would be making ALL THE DECISIONS for local govt- the councillors WOULD GET TO KEEP BEING PAID IN FULL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
(Senior gvot declined the offer and suggested that if the councillors really felt they could not do their jobs properly and honestly - they should RESIGN!! Naturally there WERE NO TAKERS for the retirement line!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
“If someone is convicted of fraud I think the message to send is that we will fight to get this money back,” she said.
(Uh huh- and let us hope that Our idiot Boy and his loser LIE-berals ARE FIRED from their minority govt BEFORE the statute of limitations runs out on Lavalin!!!)
Applebaum, who was first elected to council in 1994, became the city’s interim mayor in 2012 on a promise to clean up the city’s scandal-plagued politics. He replaced mayor Gerald Tremblay, who resigned after his administration was accused of corruption by witnesses at a public inquiry.
Applebaum was forced to resign in 2013 when he was arrested on corruption charges. He was convicted in January 2017 of fraud against the government, conspiracy to commit fraud, breach of trust and conspiracy to commit breach of trust. The ex-mayor was sentenced to one year in jail.
(IN the private sector - being convicted of defrauding your boss MEANS NO PENSION OR SEVERANCE PAY FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
The Crown alleged Applebaum accepted cash through a former aide between 2007 and 2010 in return for favours given to local real estate developers and engineering firms.
As a consequence of the corruption in Montreal and in other Quebec cities, the provincial government changed a law governing municipal politicians, in 2016 and again in 2018. The new rules forced elected officials to reimburse so-called departing and transition allowances if they were convicted of certain crimes.
One month after he resigned in 2013, Applebaum received $108,204 as a departing allowance and another $159,719 as a transition payment, designed to help politicians transition to a new career.
Gaudet ruled that Applebaum’s actions took place before the consequences of those actions were entered into law, despite the fact he was convicted after the first modification of the law went into force.
NOT RELEVANT!! Traditional FRAUD LAW DEMANDS THAT RESTITUTION MUST BE MADE - whenever possible and this goof HAS CASH and thus NEEDS TO BE SUED TO RECOVER DAMAGES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
Applebaum’s lawyer, Anamaria Natalia Manole, said neither her client’s morality nor his criminal behaviour were on trial.
(Isnt it ODD that the Law Society can ATTACK a lawyer in New Brunswick who was running for election and stated on a radio talk show - to the effect that LIE-beral hug a thug judges were weakeningthe legal system and endangering the public - and that lawyer GOT DISCIPLINED “for bringing the practice of law into dis-repute!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
(Is this former mayor not guilty of bringing POLITICIANS into “disrepute”!!!!!!!)
“This was a matter of law,” she said in an interview. “This isn’t a criminal trial, it was a civil case. The law had to be applied and it was applied.”
Attempts to reach Applebaum for comment were unsuccessful.
(And NO WONDER - if I was him I would be paying for an UNLISTED NUMBER AND CALL SCREENING - AND FOR LARGE FENCES AROUND MY RESIDENCE - to protect against ENRAGED VOTERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)