Politics and Prosecution
November 26, 2007 Filed in: Politics
We at the Englewood Report are relieved to see that
Chief David Bowman's legal ordeal in the "faked furlough affair" is
over. It always struck us as being a
prosecutorial over-reaction to something not
rising to that level of public
significance. Unfortunately, the
resolution of this case does not magically roll
back the clock for Englewood. The City Manager
has an assessment and decision to make: is what
is good for Mr. Bowman also good for the Police
Department and the City of Englewood?
When Englewood decided to go with a City Manager form of government, it chose to have a chief executive officer that would provide expert leadership independent of the political and the personal. The City Manager is charged with hiring, firing and administrating as professionally and dispassionately as possible in the best interests of the City of Englewood. This is a necessary and difficult thing to do well -- particularly when it is being done in New Jersey, where the legal and governmental environment appears all too contentious, personal, emotional and political.
Politics and Prosecution
One would have thought that after the expensive and trumped up "Constitutional crisis" over Bill Clinton's "lies" during the Lewinsky affair, prosecutorial discretion would dictate that such power only be used on issues of public importance. The use of legal power for political revenge and inflated trivialities hijacks a legal system that should be acting on significantly damaging criminality and corruption. Certainly, it is time for our prosecutors to restore our confidence in their independent good judgment. Don't they have enough to do without excursions into frying the small fry? Unfortunately, the report card on even our most high profile prosecutors is mixed. To wit:
While we congratulate Chris Christie on his aggressive pursuit of corruption, our US Attorney has not consistently appeared above reproach. His timing in the Menendez investigation (just before the last Senatorial election) and Mr. Christie's official steering of $52 million to John Ashcroft's firm undermines his credibility and moral authority.
The Englewood Report holds that the sensationalized pursuit of Chief David Bowman and, as well, Violet Cherry are uncalled for and over-the-top. Joe Afflito, one of the defense attorneys in the Bowman/Jackson/Clark trial, said it best:
"...Afflito was surprised the case went this far when it could have been handled administratively." (Record, Nov 20)
Yes, indeed.
We are learning, albeit slowly, that neither the public nor justice is served when the the courts are used for petty cases and political warfare. It is costly to our trust and our treasury. And prioritizing it detracts and distracts from the truly significant work that remains undone.
Jobs Policy in the Public Interest
By now, hearing the words "entitled" and "competence" should strike fear in the hearts and wallets of NJ taxpayers. All political cronies on the public payroll claim "competence" when their pay-to-play or patronage jobs are questioned. And they often claim entitlement to better than the average taxpayer gets, be it health benefits, work conditions, hours, overtime, retirement age, pensions or even an extra paid Friday off. Woe be unto those politicians who challenge these "entitlements" on behalf of sorely abused taxpayers.
It has been common practice in national and local politics to use public money, contracts and jobs to promote political prospects and pander to demanding special constituencies. The measure of courageous and effective public leadership is the willingness to keep the eye on the ball: the public interest beyond the political and personal.
Predictably, ferocious pressure and vitriolic abuse is heaped on such a leader. But, as Harry Truman once said:
"If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen."
When Englewood decided to go with a City Manager form of government, it chose to have a chief executive officer that would provide expert leadership independent of the political and the personal. The City Manager is charged with hiring, firing and administrating as professionally and dispassionately as possible in the best interests of the City of Englewood. This is a necessary and difficult thing to do well -- particularly when it is being done in New Jersey, where the legal and governmental environment appears all too contentious, personal, emotional and political.
Politics and Prosecution
One would have thought that after the expensive and trumped up "Constitutional crisis" over Bill Clinton's "lies" during the Lewinsky affair, prosecutorial discretion would dictate that such power only be used on issues of public importance. The use of legal power for political revenge and inflated trivialities hijacks a legal system that should be acting on significantly damaging criminality and corruption. Certainly, it is time for our prosecutors to restore our confidence in their independent good judgment. Don't they have enough to do without excursions into frying the small fry? Unfortunately, the report card on even our most high profile prosecutors is mixed. To wit:
While we congratulate Chris Christie on his aggressive pursuit of corruption, our US Attorney has not consistently appeared above reproach. His timing in the Menendez investigation (just before the last Senatorial election) and Mr. Christie's official steering of $52 million to John Ashcroft's firm undermines his credibility and moral authority.
The Englewood Report holds that the sensationalized pursuit of Chief David Bowman and, as well, Violet Cherry are uncalled for and over-the-top. Joe Afflito, one of the defense attorneys in the Bowman/Jackson/Clark trial, said it best:
"...Afflito was surprised the case went this far when it could have been handled administratively." (Record, Nov 20)
Yes, indeed.
We are learning, albeit slowly, that neither the public nor justice is served when the the courts are used for petty cases and political warfare. It is costly to our trust and our treasury. And prioritizing it detracts and distracts from the truly significant work that remains undone.
Jobs Policy in the Public Interest
By now, hearing the words "entitled" and "competence" should strike fear in the hearts and wallets of NJ taxpayers. All political cronies on the public payroll claim "competence" when their pay-to-play or patronage jobs are questioned. And they often claim entitlement to better than the average taxpayer gets, be it health benefits, work conditions, hours, overtime, retirement age, pensions or even an extra paid Friday off. Woe be unto those politicians who challenge these "entitlements" on behalf of sorely abused taxpayers.
It has been common practice in national and local politics to use public money, contracts and jobs to promote political prospects and pander to demanding special constituencies. The measure of courageous and effective public leadership is the willingness to keep the eye on the ball: the public interest beyond the political and personal.
Predictably, ferocious pressure and vitriolic abuse is heaped on such a leader. But, as Harry Truman once said:
"If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen."
