11302004 - News Article - EDITORIALS: Keep public integrity a priority

EDITORIALS: Keep public integrity a priority
NWI Times
Nov 30, 2004
nwitimes.com/news/opinion/editorial/keep-public-integrity-a-priority/article_f00311fe-f7fd-5e62-adee-0aa05a24c82b.html
Our opinion: Whether Peter Benjamin, the former county assessor and county auditor, should have his sentence reduced is debatable.

The U.S. Attorney's offce has come out swinging again at public corruption in Lake County and other parts of Northwest Indiana.

It seems disgraced, imprisoned Lake County politician Peter Benjamin has been extremely cooperative with federal investigators, offering them valuable leads in their quest to rid the region of corrupt elected officials and others in the public arena.

What a relief to the honest people who live here and those in public life who do not consider it their right to abuse the public trust and misuse public money. They are embarrassed and enraged by the way some offcials abuse their positions and consider themselves entitled to live off the public trust and wallet.

Operation Restore Public Integrity has resulted in the start of a major housecleaning in the region, one that few who grew up in the political structure here thought would never happen.

Under U.S. Attorney Joseph Van Bokkelen and David Capp, his first assistant U.S. attorney, the offce has secured the convictions of 18 elected oggcials and public figures on corruption charges. Nine others are awaiting trial.

What a warning to those who could be targets or who could be tempted to use their public offce for private gain.

There had been speculation that in the aftermath of the federal jury trial of three East Chicago politicos, the Operation Restore Public Integrity investigation might have lost some of its steam. A federal jury convicted Councilmen Frank Kollintzas, D-4th, and Joe De La Cruz, D-at large, and City Controller Edwardo Maldonado of misappropriation of funds, but acquitted them of 10 counts of fraud and conspiracy. The jury also convicted Kollintzas of lying.

Thank goodness, that is not the case. The region's reputation for political shenanigans and underhanded methods has not helped attract new businesses to the area.

After he was convicted last year of bribery, Benjamin said he would cooperate with federal investigators on other corruption activities here, but federal prosecutors did not ퟌnd him all that helpful. As a result, they did nothing to get him a lighter sentence than the 51 months he began serving last year. After several months at the Fort Dix, N.J., Federal Correctional Institution, however, Benjamin became more helpful. For that, the feds now are saying Benjamin deserves a reduced sentence.

Whether Benjamin, the former county assessor and county auditor, should have his sentence reduced is debatable. First, it is important to see whether the information he is offering federal investigators is solid enough to lead to more indictments.