Seocc
18-01-2004, 13:06
Ministry of Economics Shaken as Indictment of Minister Potter Is Made Public
The MoE came to a virtual standstill today as police and senior MSA officers escorted Minister Potter to a holding cell and confiscated over four hundred personal computers and digital storage devices from the MoE. Several UM’s were also arrested, and the MSA says more indictments are likely to come in the days ahead.
These arrests stem out of investigations into the first officially recognized case of ‘Corporate Misconduct,’ which is the statute intended to prosecute ministry officers that go beyond their mandated breadth of power to unduly influence the normal operation of government and industry. The investigation began when a series of firms failed to critical plan goals and caused a total drop in production of almost 7% in a single fiscal quarter. The MoL and MSA launched investigations after the MoE downsized these firms to reestablish efficient standards, and allegations of malfeasance on the part of some MoE officials arose as early as last month.
The crux of the charges stem from Minister Potter’s alleged acceptance of greater inefficiency than allowed by law, and his awarding of several important contracts to preferential firms that could not meet the MoE’s plans.
‘This charge is not a matter of porkbarrel politics,’ assured MSA spokesperson Nadia Talou, ‘but rather of Minister Potter going soft and refusing to fire ineffective workers and shut down ineffective firms. We will show that Minister Potter and several UM’s gave orders, knowing that they violated their mandate, to award contracts to underqualified firms and to alter documents to remove evidence of the underqualification of these firms.’
Minister Potter refused to comment and was released from custody after invoking his right to counsel. Most UM’s arrested were released, but several remain in police custody at this time.
MoI Frontdesk
The MoE came to a virtual standstill today as police and senior MSA officers escorted Minister Potter to a holding cell and confiscated over four hundred personal computers and digital storage devices from the MoE. Several UM’s were also arrested, and the MSA says more indictments are likely to come in the days ahead.
These arrests stem out of investigations into the first officially recognized case of ‘Corporate Misconduct,’ which is the statute intended to prosecute ministry officers that go beyond their mandated breadth of power to unduly influence the normal operation of government and industry. The investigation began when a series of firms failed to critical plan goals and caused a total drop in production of almost 7% in a single fiscal quarter. The MoL and MSA launched investigations after the MoE downsized these firms to reestablish efficient standards, and allegations of malfeasance on the part of some MoE officials arose as early as last month.
The crux of the charges stem from Minister Potter’s alleged acceptance of greater inefficiency than allowed by law, and his awarding of several important contracts to preferential firms that could not meet the MoE’s plans.
‘This charge is not a matter of porkbarrel politics,’ assured MSA spokesperson Nadia Talou, ‘but rather of Minister Potter going soft and refusing to fire ineffective workers and shut down ineffective firms. We will show that Minister Potter and several UM’s gave orders, knowing that they violated their mandate, to award contracts to underqualified firms and to alter documents to remove evidence of the underqualification of these firms.’
Minister Potter refused to comment and was released from custody after invoking his right to counsel. Most UM’s arrested were released, but several remain in police custody at this time.
MoI Frontdesk