Vicky Heller writes:
Mayor Rybak says that developing a City Hall ethics code boils down to the word "Trust." Here's what I propose: We'll trust you guys when you stop abusing the "full faith and credit" of Minneapolis taxpayers - because frankly, we're PLUM OUT OF BOTH. [TB] Back in the summer of 2001 we had a member of the Minneapolis City Council indicted on federal charges of accepting money to get things done. The council member resigned admitted his guilt and spent (I'm not sure if he's still there) some time in a federal correctional facility. Shortly after being reelected another member of the same city council got indicted by a federal grand jury on federal charges of accepting free plumbing work to get things done. This council member went to a Hennepin County cafeteria where he signed a well publicized confession, stayed in office and asked his attorney to convince the court that he didn't really mean the confession and we, the people, should just forget about it. We've had some turnover in the Council, but within the last 15 months the holders of 15% of seats have been indicted by federal grand juries. One of these is doing everything he can to keep his council gig and avoid taking responsibility for what he reportedly admitted to an FBI agent that he did. What he reportedly admitted doing to the FBI is blatant disregard to the public trust that comes with his office. If Mayor Rybak wants to rebuild trust in City Hall, he should start by demanding the resignation of Councilmember Joe Biernat. The other members of the city council should do the same thing, they certainly shouldn't allow him to remain as chair of the committee which supervises the function that the indictment (and the confession we read about in the papers) involves. I think the technical term is: Throw the bum out. Maybe then we can start building some trust in City Hall. Until then it is a cruel joke. Terrell Brown Loring Park terrell at terrellbrown dot org __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? New DSL Internet Access from SBC & Yahoo! http://sbc.yahoo.com _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
