Not even the holiday season was able to slow down the state Attorney General’s investigation into the possible use of Union City Board of Education computers for political purposes. The Attorney General’s Office has identified eight computers that they are interested in based on a series of interviews with various Board of Education employees, according to board attorney Herbert Klitzner. The board has located and given the state these computers, Klitzner said. Klitzner said that some computers were found in the board offices and others in the schools throughout the district. Klitzner said that the state didn’t give any reason as to why they wanted those particular computers.
“The only thing to do now is cooperate 100 percent,” said Klitzner. “And that is what we are doing.”
Last year, there were rumors that computers found at the offices of the former Union City Democratic Organization had actually belonged to the Board of Education.
In June, the Attorney General’s Office issued subpoenas to the Board of Education relating to the purchasing of computers used by the Union City Democratic Organization while it was chaired by former Union City Mayor Rudy Garcia from 1998 until August of last year. When Mayor Brian Stack took over, he shut down the UCDO to form a new political organization.
The UCDO was also issued subpoenas last year from the Attorney General’s Office requesting all financial records kept while Garcia was chairman. It also specifically named records that concerned Hart Associates, a supposed political consulting firm hired by the UCDO.
Throughout the month of December, board employees were interviewed by representatives of the Attorney General’s office, Klitzner said. More employees are expected to be interviewed in January. No board members have been called for interviews.
These interviews have been called to gather information about the procedures used by the board when keeping inventory of their computers and other equipment, Klitzner said.
According to Klitzner, the employees were only interviewed, and have not testified before a grand jury. “The employees are under oath and on the record,” said Klitzner. “But no one has testified before a grand jury.”
Naming a target
Recent rumors among various city politicians mentioned two board officials as possible targets in the state’s investigation. One official, Business Administrator Anthony Dragona, was specifically named in a subpoena issued by the state.
But Klitzner denied the rumors, saying that no one has been named as a target in the investigation yet. Dragona did not return a phone message left at his office.
“I don’ pay attention to rumors,” said Klitzner, admitting that he has probably heard those same rumors. “I haven’t been told of anyone being named a target or even a subject [of the investigation].”
Klitzner admitted to bringing in an outside attorney for one of the interviews.
“I wanted someone there that was familiar with these proceedings,” said Klitzner, who added that it was he who requested the outside counsel, and not the employee that was being interviewed.
Klitzner said that he used outside counsel because that interview was asking for more information than just verification of financial and other board records.