Apr 8, 2008 8:13 pm US/Eastern
Quinn Offers Little On Slush Fund Controversy
Council Speaker's Political Career May Hinge On Outcome
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn says she takes full responsibility for the slush fund bombshell that has hit City Hall, but is not providing reasons for why it happened.
CBS
When CBS 2 HD asked New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn on Tuesday about her role in providing money to community groups from phantom slush funds, she said she takes responsibility, but would offer little, if any, new information.
Since Quinn became council speaker, $4.7 million was allocated to 30 fake groups with names like "American Association of Concerned Veterans."
Quinn visited a senior center near City Hall, where the seniors CBS 2 HD spoke with said, despite the controversy, they like the speaker.
"I think she's grass-roots oriented and very assuring," Edward Ma said.
Quinn spoke of long-term planning for senior services. But reporters asked about her office using millions of dollars to fund community-based groups by stashing money under bogus organizational names.
"I am speaker of the city council, so obviously the buck stops with me on all these issues," Quinn said.
But to get more information proved difficult. Last Thursday, Quinn acknowledged that her office funneled the money, and that after she told aides to stop the practice, it continued. Some people have expressed disbelief at this.
"You know, at this time we don't have more to say about it than what we said last week," Quinn said.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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