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Democratic Executive Commitee votes to
allow Murray to repay funds
allow Murray to repay funds
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By RICHARD HARRIS (From the June 14, 2006 Issue)
The Marion County Democratic Executive Committee recently voted to allow committee member Elizabeth Murray, who also serves on the Buena Vista City Council, to make monthly payments to repay $3,363 of committee funds she spent over an eight-month period last year.
Earlier, Murray had been accused by fellow committee members James Wright and Jackie Robinson (who is no longer on the committee) of embezzling the
When asked about the allegations by the newspaper, Murray said that whoever was making the accusations had better have some proof or she was going to sue them, and she declined to give any explanations for how the money was spent.
However, according to the minutes of the committee’s March 17 meeting, Ann Bartulettie of the Georgia Democratic Party presented the committee with a letter from the party’s attorney which stated that Murray had agreed to make monthly payments of $75 until the $3,363 was repaid in full.
Wright described the letter as a “plea bargain” and said he voted, along with the rest of the committee, to accept the repayment proposal, but he voiced his displeasure that at the $75 rate it will take close to four years for the committee to recoup the money.
Wright also said he is disappointed that Murray still has not given an adequate explanation of how the money was spent and he felt her apology was lacking.
“She apologized for using the money, but didn’t say what she used it for,” he said.
He is also disappointed that she has not resigned from the committee, as she was asked to do by three members.
“We have a moral obligation to the people,” said Wright. “You can’t just push things under the rug. We need to be accountable to the people. She should not be active on the committee.”
While he believes Murray’s continued presence on the Democratic Executive Committee makes the committee look bad, he also said he will make sure that the committee uses all of its funds for legitimate purposes.
“We could have used some of that money to assist disaster victims or in some other way to help people and show them that the Democratic Party cares,” noted Wright.
After the accusations were made against Murray, the committee amended its bylaws to require two signatures on all checks and all expenditures over $50 must be approved by the committee.