Landau's aide used official Prime Minister's Office letterhead
Photo: Zvika Tishler
Katz - Champion' of political appointments
Photo: Haim Ziv
State Comptroller report causes stir
Annual report reveals ministers employed assistants at taxpayers' expense; some advisors, party officials, illegally appointed ministers
JERUSALEM - We are facing a “slippery slope” regarding the political appointments phenomenon, said the State Comptroller’s annual report published Sunday.
State Comptroller Eliezer Goldberg’s report contained a long list of cabinet ministers who took liberties with employing assistants and advisers -- all at the taxpayers' expense.
Some of the advisers in question were members of the very party institutions responsible for appointing the ministers; this, of course, is illegal.
On the Prime Minister’s Office letterhead
The report revealed that a former aide working for Prime Minister’s Office Minister Uzi Landau (Likud) attempted to “push” Likud party members into government posts.
Another issue raised by the report has to do with the continuous partisan political activity carried out by ministry advisers and assistants.
According to the report, one of Landau’s senior advisers sent "thank you" letters on official Prime Minister’s Office letterhead to people who “assisted in establishing the office against the disengagement plan.”
This created a situation in which the prime minister was working to implement the disengagement plan as a minister in his own office used employees and equipment to thwart the plan.
“I regard the sending of the 'thank you' letters, whether I was aware of it or not, as administrative aid, and therefore permitted,” Landau said in response. “The use of Prime Minister’s Office stationary was done without my consent or knowledge.”
'Champion' of political appointments
However, Landau is not alone.
Likud ministers Silvan Shalom, Limor Livnat and Tzipi Livni all employed advisers, state officials, who were involved up to their necks in political and partisan activity.
But this year’s “champion” of political appointments is Agriculture Minister Yisrael Katz (Likud).
The state comptroller hinted Sunday he expects resignations to ensue, as excerpts of the report have been submitted to Attorney General Menachem Mazuz.
