GOP Candidate illegally changed credit limits.

[SirNitram]

Link

Congressional candidate Chris Lee acknowledged Friday that he was fired from Ingram Micro years ago because he “made a mistake.” Sources familiar with the mistake say he hacked into a company computer for personal gain.

Lee was a young salesman with Ingram Micro, a computer products distributor that in 1989 was known as Ingram Micro D and operated from offices on Elmwood Avenue.

Lee, according to his co-workers at the time, somehow obtained a company credit manager’s password. Then, with that password, he raised the credit limits for some of his customers and the customers of other sales people, the employees said.

That way Lee could sell the customers more of the company’s products, on credit, before the billing system would flag their accounts for payment and halt further purchases.

It might have helped with sales, but it also put the company at greater risk if those customers failed to pay. A few others knew of the scheme, according to one of the former employees, who asked to remain unidentified fearing retaliation from Lee or Republican Party forces.

“This unauthorized raising of the credit lines allowed Chris and his cohorts to make sales to their customers in excess of Ingram-approved credit lines,” a former employee said, “thus putting Ingram at risk of customer default.”

Two people were fired, Lee among them. Others were reprimanded, the former employees said.

Told of the accusation Friday, the Lee campaign responded with a written statement from Lee: “At my first job out of college, I made a mistake and broke company policy and was let go. What’s important is that I learned from that mistake, and have had a successful career building a business and creating jobs for families here in Western New York.”

A campaign spokeswoman said Lee broke no laws and never did benefit financially.

“It happened 20-some years ago, and Chris has learned from his mistake,” said Andrea Bozek of the Chris Lee for Congress campaign.

Lee, now 44, was about 25 years old at the time. He soon after went to work in the information technology business in California and obtained his MBA.

He later helped run Enidine, a family business that began as a machine shop and expanded internationally, with more than 20 companies across North America, Europe and Asia.

“And he is the only candidate in this race who has created jobs and understands business,” Bozek said.

The former employees appear to have no link to the campaign of Lee’s opponent, Democrat Alice Kryzan. Bozek, however, said the revelation looks like a Kryzan attempt to “smear the reputation of a successful businessman in Western New York.”

Lee and Kryzan are vying to represent New York’s 26th Congressional District, the seat now held by Rep. Thomas Reynolds, R-Clarence, who is not seeking re-election.

The Kryzan campaign did not have an immediate comment about Lee’s work record Friday or Bozek’s accusation.

Yep, just 'made a mistake'.

[Terralthra]

Is this a joke? Do you actually find something a 44 year-old did at 25 to be that relevant? Do you have any evidence he didn't learn from his mistake, or is this just knee-jerking?

[ArcturusMengsk]

Is this a joke? Do you actually find something a 44 year-old did at 25 to be that relevant?

Uh, I do. One generally wouldn't hire someone with a known record of profiteering for any other position.

[SirNitram]

Is this a joke? Do you actually find something a 44 year-old did at 25 to be that relevant? Do you have any evidence he didn't learn from his mistake, or is this just knee-jerking?

If it is knee-jerking, it's knee-jerking at the way crimes are passed off in political circles. 'Just a mistake' is a fairly hilarious one. What, he stumbled around, inputting the password by some cosmic improbability, profited from it, and so forth? Of course, it is humorous to me that in the midst of a crisis credited by excess credit from years of the GOP's ideals, a GOPer is uncovered to have.. Handed out excess credit.

Like it or not, however, criminal records are something relevent to public figures lives. Politicians, particularly at this moment in time, who have gamed the system of credit for their own benefit, should be kept as far as fucking possible away from the US Economy and it's regulation. Or is this point a bit too difficult?

[Terralthra]

Is this a joke? Do you actually find something a 44 year-old did at 25 to be that relevant? Do you have any evidence he didn't learn from his mistake, or is this just knee-jerking?

If it is knee-jerking, it's knee-jerking at the way crimes are passed off in political circles. 'Just a mistake' is a fairly hilarious one. What, he stumbled around, inputting the password by some cosmic improbability, profited from it, and so forth? Of course, it is humorous to me that in the midst of a crisis credited by excess credit from years of the GOP's ideals, a GOPer is uncovered to have.. Handed out excess credit.

Like it or not, however, criminal records are something relevent to public figures lives. Politicians, particularly at this moment in time, who have gamed the system of credit for their own benefit, should be kept as far as fucking possible away from the US Economy and it's regulation. Or is this point a bit too difficult?

Maybe if he had a criminal record, this would be a valid point. He doesn't. He used someone else's password at work, broke company policy, profited from it, then got fired for it. I don't see how "I made a mistake, suffered the consequences, and I learned from it" is in any way inaccurate. Also, the guy is hardly a political insider: this is the first time he's ever run for elected office, as far as I can tell.

[SirNitram]

Maybe if he had a criminal record, this would be a valid point. He doesn't. He used someone else's password at work, broke company policy, profited from it, then got fired for it. I don't see how "I made a mistake, suffered the consequences, and I learned from it" is in any way inaccurate. Also, the guy is hardly a political insider: this is the first time he's ever run for elected office, as far as I can tell.

Last I checked, there are laws against unauthorized entry of secure systems. The fact there was no enforcement means precisely dick to me. Again, messing with this sort of stuff is relevent in today's situation, and if the best you can do is whine how you don't see him blatantly lying, you really aren't worth rebutting further.

[CmdrWilkens]

Here is the thing: We know that he did something that almost requires intent to defraud (unless the password just fell out of someone's pocket he went looking for it). This means that he has demonstrated a willingness to bypass most ethical and regulatory codes in order to profit for himself and a limited group of others. Apologizing for it doesn't change the fact that this was an action he undertook and has shown no sign of remorse until confronted with it. Now maybe I will forgive someone for something they did 20-odd years ago BUT the incident itself indicates a lack of ethical standards and those are difficult to come by later in life.

[Edi]

Wilkens nails it in one.

[The Yosemite Bear]

He's lucky he didn't go to prison those 20 years ago, then again we tend to give "White Collar Crooks" an easy ride.