A nonprofit, nonpartisan Florida-based organization that provides advice on local government ethics matters has recently issued a two-part article referencing Fort Worth — and not in a good way.
Robert Wechsler, research director for City Ethics Inc., wrote in Part I about conflicts of task force members and in Part II uses Fort Worth as an example of how poorly some city officials deal with the issue.
The top 5 mistakes committed by Fort Worth officials during a recent appealed ethics violation, according to Wechsler:
1. Overturning the ethics review committee’s ruling;
2. Doing it at a special meeting;
3. Replacing the ethics committee members who made an unpopular ruling;
4. Changing the city’s policy to allow the ethically-challenged situations to continue;
5. Letting the city attorney compete with the ethics panel on ethics advice.
Wow, only 5? There’s plenty of room for a Top 10, if not Top 20. The problem isn’t coming up with mistakes, it’s deciding which one is more egregious than the other.
Every single one of the Council, the corrupt Mayor especially, should be ashamed of themselves. Their cowardice is appalling. Their circumventing the law is criminal.
I’m not sure what else Moncrief could do that says “I work for and report directly to Chesapeake, but I also serve my other Industry masters as well.”
The people of Ft. Worth desrve a mayor and council that serve the best interests of the people, not the Industry, so the time to organize and put forth an honest candidate for the next election needs to happen now.
It won’t easy and certainly won’t be cheap, but there’s got to be some folks with money who have been adversely affected by this kangaroo council who have had enough of Moncrief and his criminal pals.
Thanks, Jeff.
The FW Council is digging their hole ever deeper.
And it just gets worse! Today’s city council meetings would indicate that (for the most part) all we have on council these days are people that read the english language, and rely instead on the city attorney to tell them what they are supposed to think and believe.
Read the purpose of actually having an Ethics Review Committee and then ask yourself if that is what we are getting?
Mayor and Council planned their escape on this one . Once again script playwrite by Mayor Mike. The only thing that was said right here was that The Mayor pointed thiscommittee. He even took credit for doing so. Someone said Mr Ashfors should of filed againt the mayor and council these ethics charges. Yes rightfully so. Mayor Mike and COuncil appointed these members to this committee in spite of an up front and adement opposition from many citizens and citizens groups that adfvised against these members or any member of the Industry haveing voting priviledges in formatting this air study choosing a contractor etc. This flew against public desire from the get go. Now they go against the unanimous ruling of what was left in place of the Fort Worth Ethics committee. Remember committees are recommending bodies Ultimately the council ruled by a strong armed mayor makes the decissions. The rest continues to be a pollution of the ” Frt Worth Way ” Citizens are seeing through this and credibility and trust is highly questionable with our council on so many issues.