Les(s) work

ryanteaguebeckwith — Thu, 03 May 2007 14:18:59 -0400

State Auditor Les Merritt is no longer in the business of providing financial advice.

His spokesman, Chris Mears, said this week that Merritt has sent letters to his clients informing them that he can no longer help them with their investments, Dan Kane reports.

Merritt had caught some flak for continuing the side business while serving as the state's top fiscal watchdog, a position that pays roughly $115,000 a year.

In March, a news release from the financial services firm that Merritt worked for touted his public position while promoting his side business, which was a major ethics no-no.

Merritt had approved the firm's news release, but he pulled it shortly after reporters questioned him about it.

In an interview last month, Merritt, a Republican, said he was looking into closing the side business because it was proving to be a distraction "to the good work that this office is doing."

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Les(s) work