SENATOR ABRAHAM DARIUS Dillon’s stance against corruption and the fight for the moral uprightness and integrity of the Liberian Senate is drastically diminishing, with the Senator suffering from double character loss in less than a month. A few weeks ago, the Senator was accused of flying business class to the United States of America—an allegation that the he took serious exception to, claiming to have ridden economy class.
THE SENATOR WAS soon brought to his kneels when proof of his business class ticket was published in the media. In a disgraceful and a nowhere-to-hide situation, Senator Dillon apologized for lying to the public and promised never to repeat the occurrence.
BUT AS THE saying goes, “Each betrayal begins with trust”, and so it seems of Senator Dillon, who was elected in two highly contended senatorial elections due to the people trusting his word—that he would make public all the workings, secrets and micheavous activities of the Liberian Senate.
ON THURSDAY, JULY 15, 2021 Senator J. Emmanuel Nuquay, in a release, broke the news that the Government of Liberia (GOL) was disbursing the remaining US$15,000, of the US$30,000 Legislative Engagement funds, to the lawmakers, disclosing what his office intended to do with his portion of the money.
THE INITIAL ALLOTMENT of US$15,000 was disbursed sometime last month, with all the lawmakers getting their fair allotment. Abraham Darius Dillon was heavily criticized for playing a role in the allotment of the money amidst a struggling economy and a dying health sector. The Senator, who is often found discussing the activities of the Capitol, was condemned for what the public considered “playing to the business-as-usual” and for taking the Liberian people for granted.
IMMEDIATELY, SENATOR DILLON took to a Facebook podcast, soliciting views in regard to spending the US$15,000, since he had already blundered by accepting the money. Later, the senator announced that he would transfer the amount the account of the Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment (LACE) for onward implementation of his preferred project for Montserrado County, but was shunned by the agency—refusing the money and informing the lawmaker that it would be against its standards of receiving funds.
CONCERNING THE SECOND US$15,000 payment, members of Senator Dillon’s team have said that the Office of the Senator has not been alerted on such disbursement, and when the money reaches their office it will be reverted to government’s coffers effective immediately. According to them, however belatedly, the money is needed the most at this time to save lives; as such, Senator Dillon is not willing to accept any such money.