Dearest Historics:
The King has never really concerned himself with items of a domestic nature. These include maintenance of the estate, the plantation of gardens and silencing those who need to be silenced.
So word of Mayor Cohen and City Attorney Karen Hardwick trying to stop leaks has him perplexed.
At first they took the right tack. Paying senior people to remain silent as part of a 'consulting' provision of their employment contract (see: Silence Can be Golden, April 5). Cash is so clean.Now, the King has disclosed their closed City Council Meeting where the Mayor's inside dealing was discussed (see - Council Goes Rogue: Citizens Kicked Out, August 17). Mayor Cohen and Attorney Hardwick have decided there must be a leak. So they are trying to plug it. Including threatening one sitting Alderman.
It does not appear to have dawned on this brain trust that they have created the 'leaks' themselves. The act of firing 33 senior City employees would create some backwash. Not to mention vengefulness or ill will toward this Mayor.Plus the crass way it was done by then CAO Doug Smith who inhabited his position in the bureaucracy illegally. And Herr Smith's continuing personal animus toward government in general. And then, gosh, it turning out the firings didn't need to be done in the first place.
So some people know some fairly specific things. And are spilling the beans.
The Mayor and Attorney Hardwick can chase Aldermen through the streets. Or threaten City employees. Or hold secret meetings to discuss the Mayor's actions.
It won't clear up the Mayor's track record. Hiring virtually his entire campaign team without the posting of jobs or interviews. Making up entirely new insider positions without following the process set out in the City Charter. And now secret meetings of the Council to discuss issues where he is personally compromised.
Mister Mayor: all the information is already out there. You want to find the ultimate source of the leak? A mirror might help you find it.If a leak cannot be stopped then it is no longer a leak. Its water over the dam.
King of George
The King knows all !!! Sources say Cohen is looking into a new program he calls Transparent-Opaqueness in lieu of his previous pledge to have a transparent government. It's hard to lie and deceive when the leaks and time expose the true nature of the Boy-mayor.
ReplyDeleteJosh, we know everything, most times before you do. Remember that theft from city hall ? Someone leaked it to the cops while you were sleeping. wake up Boy !!!
We embrace all leaks and see each leaker as a true american.
ReplyDeleteThe law allows the City Council to convene in closed session, but there is no law whatsoever prohibiting a Alderperson from walking out of the meeting and saying whatever he or she wants to say about what is happening. It is their own judgment as to whether the confidence should be maintained, such as where the City's litigation or negotiation position would be harmed if word got out, but there is no law that can silence them. I'm not sure what the Alderman would have been threatened with.
ReplyDeleteSweep the Council Chambers for bugs. A fly is on the wall. Maybe Special Fixer Smith can handle this one. Where is the newspaper's crack political team on this scandal ? Ron Burgundy scoops them again with the real behind the scenes story -- way to go King!
ReplyDeleteWhat did Cohen know and when did he know it ? That is always the question in a coverup.
Dearest Readers:
ReplyDeleteI am not sure what was exactly threatened.
Although we do know this Mayor threatened all three African American Aldermen with political damage if they would not support him this spring. He said he would go into their wards and tie them to Ellen Moyer! (That would help them more than hurt them there.)
See KOG "Cohen's Punitive Expedition", March 21st.
Is the threat that he will campaign against this Adlerperson in their own Ward? Maybe.
King of George
Cohen is a one term Mayor who scares nobody.
ReplyDeleteCohen will not serve out a single term. The political damage may already be done. THe only way he can be re-elected is with a clean slate. Look for John Astle to "retire" mid term and allow Cohen to step in his shoes, and hopefully do some good and face a wider electorate as an incumbent Senator rather than trying to justify the failures of this mayoral term.
ReplyDeleteI hear recent polls suggest Astle is quite vulnerable.
ReplyDeleteSomeone ought to tell Astle that. He is crowing about his presumed win already!
ReplyDelete