Shedding Light on Corruption
A former city official used to have a great line when reporters started asking questions.
“Don’t go looking for trouble with a flashlight,” he said.
As it happens, he had good reason for not wanting the light of truth trained on his activities. He was working in another municipality while holding a fulltime paid position in Plainfield. Eventually his absence from City Hall became too much for the administration to explain and he was officially gone.
Is it possible that a similar situation existed in City Hall last year?
An official imported from another municipality was listed last year on that town’s web site in a related title to the one he held here. As of March 7, he is still listed on the state Department of Community Affairs roster of Municipal Code Officials as Construction Official for that municipality. Last fall, this writer used a telephone, not a flashlight, to confirm that he still worked in the other municipality.
Lots of people knew about this situation and grumbled mightily. The perception was that political powers outside the city mandated the situation and mere citizens could not overturn it.
But now on the state level, some of the mighty are in jail, others are indicted and laser beams are trained on more down to the municipal level.
U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie said in a press statement on charges against 14 low-level city employees, “Crimes like this affect the quality of life of ordinary people playing by the rules. We will not permit them to be exploited.”
If Christie’s flashlight for finding trouble was not in such good working order, grateful citizens might offer to get him another. But of course, being who he is, he would not accept any such gift.
Look here to read more about what happens to corrupt public officials.
--Bernice Paglia
“Don’t go looking for trouble with a flashlight,” he said.
As it happens, he had good reason for not wanting the light of truth trained on his activities. He was working in another municipality while holding a fulltime paid position in Plainfield. Eventually his absence from City Hall became too much for the administration to explain and he was officially gone.
Is it possible that a similar situation existed in City Hall last year?
An official imported from another municipality was listed last year on that town’s web site in a related title to the one he held here. As of March 7, he is still listed on the state Department of Community Affairs roster of Municipal Code Officials as Construction Official for that municipality. Last fall, this writer used a telephone, not a flashlight, to confirm that he still worked in the other municipality.
Lots of people knew about this situation and grumbled mightily. The perception was that political powers outside the city mandated the situation and mere citizens could not overturn it.
But now on the state level, some of the mighty are in jail, others are indicted and laser beams are trained on more down to the municipal level.
U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie said in a press statement on charges against 14 low-level city employees, “Crimes like this affect the quality of life of ordinary people playing by the rules. We will not permit them to be exploited.”
If Christie’s flashlight for finding trouble was not in such good working order, grateful citizens might offer to get him another. But of course, being who he is, he would not accept any such gift.
Look here to read more about what happens to corrupt public officials.
--Bernice Paglia
posted by Bernice at 8:48 AM
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