HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU READ THAT IN THE NEWSPAPERS?
Too many, if you ask me. Doesn’t the City ever win a case? Hell, doesn’t the City of Wilmington ever even FIGHT an accusation of wrong-doing? Do you realize that each time you read or hear about another settlement granted to a complainant, that means that THE CITY IS GIVING AWAY YOUR MONEY? Are the City lawyers really that bad? Hell, even in my worst gambling days of losing race, after race, after race, at least I won ONCE in while.
I am in the process of seeking the records of just how much of YOUR money has been given away by the James “I love to settle quickly” Baker administration. I have a feeling (with some backup info from a couple of reilable City insiders) that Wilmington settles about 90% of the time that complaints are entered against the administration; City workers, Elected City officials, City policies, etc. etc.
They settle complaints against police regularly.
They settle complaints against personnel decisions also.
They settle against garbage collectors, meter maids.
Hell, it’s like a cascade of give-a-ways. Settle here, settle there, here a settle, there a settle, everywhere a settle-settle.
There are only two conclusions one can draw. EITHER THIS CITY IS ALWAYS WRONG, OR, THIS CITY CAVES IN TO EVERY COMPLAINANT, and maybe more of us should give it a try. Which ever you conclude, you’ve got to stop buying THEIR version of the story. Baker’s got to go at this next election.
Settlement is an easy solution, if you are Baker.
Think about it. If you settle, there is always a “shut-your-mouth” condition attached, which means that we never get to know how guilty the administration is. We never find out how or why they screwed up. No one has to explain things…and silence and secrecy always benefits the incumbent.
Also, a settlement can actually get you votes. After all, aren’t you going to vote for and get your friends to vote for a Mayor who gave you a barrel of cash for stubbing your toe on a blade of City grass? If you are a City employee who screwed up, aren’t you going to be loyal to a Mayor who got you off the hook by paying off a complainant who can now never talk about what you did?
Don’t buy that excuse “It was cheaper to settle than to fight it”. That is pure bullshit. The City pays attorneys to fight things. It’s their job. It’s what they are supposed to do, if there are no grounds for the complaint.
I admit, Wilmington has a unique legal department situation. After all City Solicitor is John Sheridan is only four feet tall, and I realize that if he goes into court no one can see him as he argues his case, while hidden below the podium (let him bring his own crate to stand on). That is no excuse.
No, I am going with the fact that an incumbent Mayor, and in this case it is James Baker is protecting himself from the exposure of having the reveal how badly his aministration is, if 90% of the wrong-doing remains in files hidden in the City Solicitor’s closet…not subject to public views.
Sometimes the “settlement” takes another form.
I am in possession of a letter right here at my side as I write this. This is a beauty. The Mayor-approved letter says that the Kuumba School doesn’t have to reapay a $200,000 loan. Exact words are:”…..the Wilmington Urban Development Action Grant Corporation voted (how domocratic of them) to forgive the $200,000 loan to Kuumba Academy”.
The Kuumba school is doing much good, and apparently they are doing very well…if this is the kind of favored treatment they receive. LET’S ALL APPLY TO THE CITY TO BE “FOREGIVEN” THE WAGE TAX THEY SAY WE OWE.
Here is a bit of history for you…the letter was written by a Baker appointee named Brian Murphy…”Brain the imbiber” he was called….(a keg a day I’m told). Now, he had only one job…to get Baker elected and re-eected..and he did the job well….he got himself nice office in City hall…given a title; Excutive Director of the Wilmington UDAG Corporation…..with the heavy responsibility of writing letters of forgiveness for those favored ones who owed the City money. AND…GET THIS….HE MADE $80,000 AND USED HIS CITY OFFICE TO RUN HIS PRIVATE CONSULTANT FIRM….
He was asked to leave….when the crap hit the fan…but there were no other reprecussions. In reality he and he Mayor should hae been prosecuted for theft of services.
Going back to the KUUMBA shcool $200,000 debt cancellation. How many Kuumba parents, and workers and friends of the parents and workers will demonstrate their gratitiude for the Mayor’s largess by voting him a third term?
YES MY FRIENDS. SETTLEMENTS USING YOUR MONEY DO HELP INCUMBENTS WHO ORCHESTRATE THE SETTLEMENT….AND NO ONE TALKS ABOUT.
The $200,000 loan forgiveness was not to leave the office file cabinet….but it did get out in this case….thank you former insider employee.
MIKE BROWN AND THE NEW WILMINGTON CITY ETHICS COMMITTEE
I am about to test the City’s Ethics committee, much the way I tested the House of Representatives Ethics Committee with the Atkins case. You will recall that City Councilman Mike Brown skipped his talk with God one day, and instead he went to 2 female police officers, I’m told, and made a suggestion to them they might consider entering a sexual trinity excade with him.
As tempting as the offer was, it was rejected. That evening I called him at home, and he said there was nothing to it…..well, it took some time,but federal courts decided that there was somethng to it….about $50,000 dollars worth to it…The verbal agreement was accepted, will be signed shortly, I’m told.
So it’s over, right? OH NO IT AIN’T those involved may not be able to talk about it….BUT I CAN. AND I AM GOING TO TALK ABOUT IT TO THE CITY’S ETHICS COMMITTEE ABOUT IT. Just like the House of Reprsentative Ethics which I approached with my discoveries.
I hope to make them “an offer they can’t refuse”.
Greg Chambers and another person on the committee swore to me on my radio show (on a station that shall remain nameless…until my lawsuit hits the papers), that their ethics responsibility extends to elected City officials…
SO I AM DAMN WELL GOING TO FILE AN OFFICIAL COMPLAINT ABOUT MIKE BROWN…FOR CONDUCT UNBECOMING, and I DO MEAN UN-BE-COM-ING. I fully expect action. Greg Chambers is a straight guy, and I believe they will investigate.
That means that the victims of Mike’s suggested debauchery can’t go public, but certainly can be forced to meet in private with the committee….LET’S SEE IF THE ETHICS COMMITTEE WORKS, IF THE CITY COUNCIL ETHICS (yes, I realize it’s contradicion in terms) WORKS…remember “conduct unbecoming” can be serious….after all Atkins was thrown out for conduct; no actual crime involved. In fact, this Brown case involved a paid with city money person, at least verbally abusing two other paid with city money persons. And the settlement money will be city paid….
IT’S MORE MONEY THAN ATKINS COST US..AND GIVEN THAT IT INVOLVED FAT UGLY BROWN…I’VE GOT TO SURMISE THAT HE COULD HAVE OFFERED THEM MONEY….(CERTAINLY I CAN’T IMAGINE EVEN CONSIDERING THAT ANY ONE ONE WOULD TOUCH BROWN FOR FREE)…IF AN OFFER OF MONEY WAS INVOLVED THAT COULD MAKE IT “SOLICITATION”….A CRIME.
By the way Mike, make ME an offer for sex…of course I’ll reject it…but I sure could use the $50,000 settlement the Mayor will give me.
Stay tuned kids, there is more coming down the pike.