The state Liquor Control Board didn't break the law but showed impaired judgment and ignored red flags when it awarded a $173,820 contract to a regional director's spouse, Auditor General Jack Wagner said Wednesday.The liquor board last month referred the matter to Wagner after newspapers revealed it awarded a contract to Solutions 21, a Pittsburgh firm whose president, John "Buddy" Hobart, is married to the board's western regional director, Susanne Hobart.
Liquor board Chairman P.J. Stapleton III said he is pleased Wagner's review concluded no laws were broken. The board said Solutions 21 submitted the lowest proposal to provide courtesy training to state store clerks.
Wagner said he found no evidence Susanne Hobart funneled confidential information to Solutions 21 or influenced the process. But he said the liquor board ignored red flags and exercised poor judgment.
This doesn't exonerate the Hobarts, it just points out how truly feeble PA laws are. If there isn't legislation in place that specifically disallows such clearly "insider trading," then there should be.
Perhaps now they can hire someone's husband to do ethics training....
Pilt