Tuesday, October 25, 2005
Ethically Challenged
KYW News in Philadelphia has been reporting on the Councilman Rick Mariano ethics problems for several months. This morning, he was indicted.
http://www.kyw1060.com/news_story_detail.cfm?newsitemid=50096
This sordid tale is part of Philadelphia's infamous "pay for play."
Basically Philadelphia politicians run the city as though it is an exclusive Co-op store. As a normal course of business, our city councilmen and mayors solicit donations for their campaigns and political parties in exchange for business with the city and favorable treatment by city agencies. The corrupting influence has reached down to remarkably low levels, leading to recent incarcerations of religious leaders, owners of contracting firms, bank officials, and unelected government officials.
Rick Mariano is the highest ranking elected official to be indicted.
Setting aside the obvious caveat that he is "innocent until proven guilty," it appears that the "honorable" councilman permitted firms with business before his committees and agencies that he oversees to pay his personal bills and club memberships.
Mouldy, you'll appreciate what follows...
Mariano's attorney says "This is a witch-hunt against a councilman who's skin color does not insulate him from such trivial charges. His actions are minor in comparison to corruption in other cities across the country." And, further- "Rick is a fighter. He'll fight this case to the end and he knows how to weave and move." And, finally, our illustrious mayor counsels that Mariano's constituents "shouldn't lose faith in him since he has always been there for them and he needs them now more than ever."
I'm just sick of it all. THIS is a great example of why ethics matter and why the moral bankruptcy of elected officials is so awful. It just makes me so fricken mad.
http://www.kyw1060.com/news_story_detail.cfm?newsitemid=50096
This sordid tale is part of Philadelphia's infamous "pay for play."
Basically Philadelphia politicians run the city as though it is an exclusive Co-op store. As a normal course of business, our city councilmen and mayors solicit donations for their campaigns and political parties in exchange for business with the city and favorable treatment by city agencies. The corrupting influence has reached down to remarkably low levels, leading to recent incarcerations of religious leaders, owners of contracting firms, bank officials, and unelected government officials.
Rick Mariano is the highest ranking elected official to be indicted.
Setting aside the obvious caveat that he is "innocent until proven guilty," it appears that the "honorable" councilman permitted firms with business before his committees and agencies that he oversees to pay his personal bills and club memberships.
Mouldy, you'll appreciate what follows...
Mariano's attorney says "This is a witch-hunt against a councilman who's skin color does not insulate him from such trivial charges. His actions are minor in comparison to corruption in other cities across the country." And, further- "Rick is a fighter. He'll fight this case to the end and he knows how to weave and move." And, finally, our illustrious mayor counsels that Mariano's constituents "shouldn't lose faith in him since he has always been there for them and he needs them now more than ever."
I'm just sick of it all. THIS is a great example of why ethics matter and why the moral bankruptcy of elected officials is so awful. It just makes me so fricken mad.
# posted by Gorgius Vegetius : 10:30 PM
