Attempted cover up, covered up

KRQE continues to investigate, link, the allegation that an APS senior administrator, Rep Sheryl Williams-Stapleton, took advantage of taxpayers. According to their report, they have uncovered evidence that suggests Williams-Stapleton attempted to cover up the fact that she had not completed the appropriate paperwork for the political leave she took.

Of interest to taxpayers; the ball upon which we must keep our eyes; the administrative handling of allegations of administrative corruption or incompetence.

Brooks knew about the attempt to falsify records.

KRQE reports;

APS Superintendent Winston Brooks said he did not take
kindly to Stapleton’s attempt to backdate leave documents...

"I don’t think anything ought to be backdated. I think it’s unethical.”

Brooks is apparently unaware,
the falsification of public records
is a fourth-degree felony.

Yet, how could he not know,
except willful ignorance?

If the allegations of criminal
misconduct are investigated,
who will do the investigation?

Brooks would like to have his own publicly funded, private police force, the APS police, do the investigating; a police force that is certificated by no one, certified by no one, and accountable to no one except Winston Brooks and the leadership of the APS. And, most importantly, which has demonstrated a willingness to hold and hide evidence.

Unfortunately for Brooks, APS signed an MOU with Bernalillo County Sheriff Dan Houston, requiring them to surrender evidence of felony criminal misconduct by APS administrators, to either the Sheriff's Office or the Albuquerque Police Department.

After botching their previous self-investigation of their own public corruption and incompetence, and then suppressing evidence until statutes of limitation expired on felony criminal misconduct by APS senior administrators, link, the APS police force is no longer allowed to self-investigate felony criminal misconduct involving APS senior administrators.

The understanding reads in significant part;

Any report of a crime which may be determined to be a felony offense, excluding property crimes, shall be promptly reported to and investigated by BCSD or APD.

Not much wiggle room there.

It would be interesting to know, if any evidence of Williams-Stapleton's efforts to backdate records, has been forwarded to the Albuquerque Police Department or Sheriff's Office as required by the MOU.

In support of conjecture that no evidence has been forwarded; Brooks' unwillingness to respond candidly, forthrightly and honestly to legitimate questions about his handling of allegations of her misconduct.

Asked if he disciplined Stapleton over the leave situation,
Brooks said, "Yes. The answer to that is yes."

Asked, what was that discipline? Brooks hid the truth behind
"personnel rules".

A letter of reprimand, if she got even that, is a public record.

APS cannot write "personnel rules" that except them from the
requirements of the Inspection of Public Records Act.

Except that they can (obviously), but only because they have an unlimited budget for litigation and legal weaselry, even against the public interests.

Why would Brooks need to hide the letter, or records of any other consequences he provided, even in violation of the law, except that they point to a lack of accountability in the leadership of the APS?




photos Mark Bralley