Albany watchdogs are vowing to “follow the money” that the head of a major Jewish charity is accused of stealing from the group. Question is, are they willing to follow it back to where it leads? Which is Albany.
State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and Comptroller Tom DiNapoli are looking into how the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty used local tax dollars — and how much, if any, went south. The Cuomo folks likewise are reviewing the group’s contracts with the state.
Great. But why stop there? As The Post wrote just last week, “the politicians and the system that provides taxpayer funding to groups like [the Met Council] scream out for equal scrutiny.”
Remember, the council got $90 million in public funds last year, every dollar OK’d by some pol. Meanwhile, Schneiderman and DiNapoli say some of the money stolen by Met Council director Willie Rapfogel was used for political donations in an effort to buy more public funding for the charity.
The criminal complaint says Rapfogel even figured out it was best to have donor checks made out in small amounts to qualify for a 6-to-1 match in taxpayer dollars.
Was there a quid pro quo? Which pols got donations and then OK’d funding for the council? What other charities — and pols — are engaging in similar hanky-panky?
These are vital questions. If all Rapfogel did was rip off his own charity, it would be a relatively small story.
What makes this one stink is the way Rapfogel channeled the stolen dollars through Albany to rip off even more from the taxpayer and buy influence with politicians funding his charity.