January 10, 2010

Hoyas as Poster Child

Justin Katz

Is it me or does everything about the Chip Hoyas check scheme story make him the perfect poster child for Rhode Island political corruption? Sure, the most damaging corruption in the state is entirely legal, but Hoyas's shadow amply covers that, as well: The obese political insider, pathetically sunken into a gambling addiction by those stupid slot machines, saw the mountain of state dough lying around and concluded, from his perch as deputy chief of staff for the Senate president, that nobody would notice if thousands of dollars went missing.

Sharper players maneuver fancy dives into positions as magistrates or rewards for public "service," or they figure out ways to make their larceny legal. Hoyas slipped off the wire and, by his splash, exposed the whole system. Those who'll argue that he's just an individual, cutting a sad figure in the state's political class, are entirely correct. But we all know, don't we, that if he weren't so pitiful, he'd have done more fundamental harm and, perhaps, been more typical?

I hope Mr. Hoyas finds his way out of the dull hell through which he appears to have been living for quite some time. I hope the same for Rhode Island.

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This is a guy who made $105,000 a year, working full time for a part time boss; and needed to steal from children ...

Posted by: Sandra at January 10, 2010 7:29 PM

Hoya's actions are reprehensible and should be punished, but very pale compared to those who profited from "legal" maneuvers like derivatives and pocketed billions. I guess it's all in what you choose to see.
OldTimeLefty

Posted by: OldTimeLefty at January 10, 2010 8:50 PM

Keep your eye on the forest through the trees. The man hasn't said anything YET. But he could single-handedly bring down more state-politicians that anything or anyone else I can thik of.

Oh, and btw, before you shoot your mouth off about how "pathetic" a person is because of an addiction, look into it a little more. Sompone with an addiction, is not by definition, pathetic. Think about your words. These are fellow human beings.

Posted by: Michael Hannigan at May 18, 2010 12:28 AM
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