These criminals are certainly not synonoumous with each other, but they do share something.
Today’s Globe has a story of how the judge sentencing Diane Wilkerson has received a large amount of letters asking for probation vs. prison time. They cite how Wilkerson has done so many wonderful things.
I have been saying how we need to purge the bad actors from public service to restore the trust from the public, and I would say at all costs. We have been suffering from the “we don’t trust our politicians” for far too long. Now is the time where groups like the President’s National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform are announcing measure which need to be supported or truly disastrous events could occur, much worse than anything we have seen during the last 3 years. But unfortunately, we don’t trust our leaders anymore. We don’t believe any tax increases will go to reducing the debt, we believe the people we elect will spend it on something else.
So (back to my original thought) how is it we get fooled this way by politicians? What the above titled four people share… is the ability to schmooze people and maybe even genuinely believe that as long as they can do good deeds and are allowed to get away with misdeeds. I can remember 30 years ago where scores of people from South Boston telling me how Whitey Bulger was “Robin Hood”. How he would stop at Columbus Park and give kids new baseballs, buy uniforms for kids who couldn’t afford them, help pay for someone’s medical bills who was broke… He was an urban legend, a hero. Of course, he was beating, torturing, stealing, raping, killing people… while he publicly acted like he cared. But people supported him even after much of the truth came out.
Today’s Globe talks about how Wilkerson helped a woman arrange a funeral for her grandson, Charles Yancey defends Chuck Turner “I know Chuck to be a man of integrity”. I guess he’s ok with elected officials breaking the law (so much for leading by example and being a role model for the community). What did Gov Patrick say about Turner… “I don’t have to have an opinion on everything. That’s up to the City Council,”. Governor, he was found guilty on all charges. You can tap dance while it is only “charges” but once the jury says “guilty” I think you can make a statement. Does the good people do outweigh their wrongs(crimes)? Does the High School quarterback being needed for the “big game” outweigh his most recent “date rape”?
Rangel is guilty on 9 of 11 Ethics violations (many of which sound like criminal violations as well). But his people support him overwhelmingly. Many of his fellow politicians will not critique him either.
Let’s stop circling the wagons when we find a bad apple. I hope that when the Fed probe and Martha Coakley’s investigation find wrongdoings, we don’t start circling the wagons again and announce why someone getting high paying public service jobs for their three kids, wife, ex-wife, brother and dog is completely above the board.
We need to restore the integrity of the “elected office” and we need the support of the people so we can support the upcoming “VERY DIFFICULT” choices which lie ahead for all of us.
…is that they all prove the system works for the most part.
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p>Bulger: Convicted and on most wanted list, only drawback is that he hasn’t been physically caught.
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p>Wilkerson: Convicted and it appears headed for prison, also FINALLY voted out.
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p>Rangel: Found guilty by ethics panel as you mentioned; good chance of facing censure by full House.
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p>Turner: Convicted and expelled from the Council.
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p>No amount of laws, rules, constitutions, charters, etc will ever guarantee that bad apples never seek or successfully gain public office, nor that attaining such office will never go to someone’s head, but they CAN be used to address violations as they arise and that is exactly what has happened in these examples so I’m not sure what you are complaining about. Don’t forget that the vast majority do not get caught up in this. After all we the people put them there so it stands to reason that we do trust them to some extent, at least as a default position unless/until evidence to the contrary comes up.
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p>I’m fine with the Governor withholding comment on Turner. It’s not really his place to meddle in the politics and legal issues of a city. His silence should in no way be construed as support for Turner.
although they do steal the headlines. The fact that they represent the minority does not take away from the damage they do to the whole system. I don’t know if you give to charities, but I assume so. I have contributed a lot of money to charities only to find out “some” of the money is not spent wisely, maybe even “wasted”. Even though I know they are only “wasting” a small amount of it, I still stop giving to them. How can I be sure they aren’t wasting even more of my contributions?
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p>These people were all caught and convicted and the system does work (if they catch them). But how many go “uncaught”? When people get away with things, as they have on Beacon/Capitol Hill for so long, the concern of prosecution diminishes.
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p>These jerks are no different than cops on the take and all of them deserve justice. But I believe that rest of our leaders need to cut their ties to these people and distance them.
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p>Maybe we can’t agree on this one, but I want the removal of the diseased flesh to help the healthy flesh.
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p>I think most of the commentary at BMG, has favored expulsion. I’m not sure who you’re pointing at, except Councilor Yancey.
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p>TedF
I’m referring to pundits, partisans and other elected officials.
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p>And oh by the way, I’m not only referring to Democrats. Republicans should not be “backing” other Republicans who commit crimes and are found guilty of anything.
You may not only be thinking of Democrats, but it is only to Democrats that you refer. Who also just happen to be minorities.
I missed your passing reference to Whitey. I retract and regret the second part of my comment.
…apparently Turner identifies as Green-Rainbow rather than Democrat.
One of these things is not at all like the others…
Same point!
found guilty for their actions. Plus I included Whitey since he also enjoyed the admiration of his people, even when they found out he was rotten.
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p>If it makes you feel better, throw in a few Ted Stevens or any other Republican found guilty of a crime.
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p>My point is we need to purge these people and admonish them, not praise them.
… never gets to the congressional hearing stage:
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p>The selectivity with which the ethics committee operates is just evidence that the process is much more political than legal.
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p>Also, I’d make a minor point about your earlier assertion that “These jerks are no different than cops on the take..”. It seems to me that cops on the take are more likely to create real public safety problems, with consequences that could include body counts. I’d hope that would trump mere political or financial corruption.
I see 1 post clearly for, 2 against (I weighed in last night).