Sunday, March 23, 2008
La Cité, c'est Nagin
That should be, "the ($148,857) city attorney is Nagin's personal attorney," but I have no idea how to write that in French; and it wouldn't sound like Louis XIV, anyway.
I will remind readers that, last April, I expressed the opinion that people were missing the truly offensive passage in a Nagin speech:
No matter; from a Gordon Russell article about a deal between Home Depot and Stone Age LLC. in today's Picayune:
Moses-Fields probably notarized the document on her own time, just as she probably answered Nagin's questions on her own time.
Read the whole article and form your own opinion on the ethical implications of the deal. On the one hand. Russell points out that Stacy Head recommended that Home Depot be allowed to purchase city property for a price lower than its appraised value. However,
Apparently, the mayor doesn't care whether businesses hire local workers, he just doesn't want them to hire Mexicans.
On the question of ownership, I'll point out that Seletha Nagin does not appear anywhere on the company's corporate filing with the state.
I'll close with a suggestion for the morning news anchors at WVUE, ask the mayor about something that he said last year:
But try not to get cold cocked.
I will remind readers that, last April, I expressed the opinion that people were missing the truly offensive passage in a Nagin speech:
We haveI thought that I had said something about him using the city attorney as his personal attorney, but, apparently, I didn't.
programs where you can buy adjudicated
and blighted properties for
half their appraised value and you
hire your own appraiser.
I’ve asked the city attorney if I can
participate in this program and
she’s keeps saying no Mr. Mayor.
What was he getting at with the part about hiring your own appraiser? And why the F*** did he run for re-election if he's mainly interested in the business opportunities that reconstruction offers? The second question was intended to be rhetorical, but the first question is entirely serious
No matter; from a Gordon Russell article about a deal between Home Depot and Stone Age LLC. in today's Picayune:
In April 2007, when Stone Age registered as a home-improvement business with the state Licensing Board for Contractors, Jeremy Nagin was listed as president of the firm. Jarin Nagin and the mayor were listed as vice presidents.
Seletha Nagin signed as a witness, and the document was notarized by City Attorney Penya Moses-Fields.
Moses-Fields probably notarized the document on her own time, just as she probably answered Nagin's questions on her own time.
Read the whole article and form your own opinion on the ethical implications of the deal. On the one hand. Russell points out that Stacy Head recommended that Home Depot be allowed to purchase city property for a price lower than its appraised value. However,
Head said Nagin also played a role in scrapping a "community benefits agreement" that Head initially supported but that Home Depot opposed. The document would have required the retailer to make specific commitments to hire members of the surrounding community and pay them at a certain scale, among other pledges.
Head said "the administration pressured me to forgo negotiations" on that deal because Home Depot had pronounced it a "deal killer."
Apparently, the mayor doesn't care whether businesses hire local workers, he just doesn't want them to hire Mexicans.
On the question of ownership, I'll point out that Seletha Nagin does not appear anywhere on the company's corporate filing with the state.
I'll close with a suggestion for the morning news anchors at WVUE, ask the mayor about something that he said last year:
Stone Age LLC was incorporated in January 2005, but the degree to which the mayor and his sons are involved in the enterprise is a mystery.
Asked for comment on the venture, Nagin replied by e-mail Friday that the questions were "out of bounds."
He said he would have no comment "on my personal investments that are totally outside of any city responsibilities."
But try not to get cold cocked.
Labels: Nagin, Stone Age LLC., transparency
Sunday, February 24, 2008
One definition of sanity
To paraphrase Benjamin Franklin, the definition of sanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting the same results. Unfortunately, the mayor's latest outburst produced a slightly different result than usual. If the op-ed page of today's T/P is any indication, Nagin didn't just distract attention from other matters, it seems to have had an intimidating effect on local journalists.
To be sure, James Gill did write about Nagin's most recent tantrum rather than more important matters in today's column, but he pulled the few punches he bothered to throw. Gill got in his usual witticism or two, but he also repeated the Picayune's apology for a recent photo of the mayor holding a gun.
However, the truly puzzling aspect of Gill's column was that it seemed to be an attempt to offer an explanation for the mayor's statements. A questionable explanation at that:
It's not at all clear whether Nagin was referring to commenters at nola.com or New Orleans bloggers, many of whom are frequently critical of the mayor. I suppose that Gill may have inferred that Nagin must have been referring to comments on nola.com because none of the New Orleans bloggers can be said to make racist criticisms* of the mayor, but that's a strange inference for a writer of Gill's well known cynicism to draw. Politicians frequently question the motivations of their critics, and accusations of prejudice are easy way to call motivations into question. Gill is assuming that Nagin made a perfectly reasonable statement in an interview that left people questioning his very sanity.
So, what should Gill have written about? Before I answer that, I'll quote something that I wrote last May:
I made a similar point the following August, BTW. Bear that in mind as you read today's article on the plans for the new VA hospital and LSU Medical Center. I don't know if there's corruption involved, although I automatically suspect corruption whenever there's secrecy surrounding a government project that does not involve national security but does involve millions of dollars; maybe I'm just too cynical. However, some things are entirely predictable:
I'll also point out that so much secrecy isn't just unacceptable from the administration of a mayor who like to be called a "champion of transparency," it's also unlawful.
So, James Gill, if you're reading this, stop paying so much attention to the things that the mayor does say, and start writing about how little anybody in his "transparent" administration actually does say. If you're worried about the mayor's the mayor's threat to coldcock somebody, relax -- I got your back. Or, I would, if you actually wrote about that, and I'd probably have coverage from at least a dozen other residents.
*Well, since Gill's colleague, Jarvis DeBerry, once explained that it was racist for a white man to call a black woman a "bitch," he might argue that high-maintenance size queen is also racist.
To be sure, James Gill did write about Nagin's most recent tantrum rather than more important matters in today's column, but he pulled the few punches he bothered to throw. Gill got in his usual witticism or two, but he also repeated the Picayune's apology for a recent photo of the mayor holding a gun.
However, the truly puzzling aspect of Gill's column was that it seemed to be an attempt to offer an explanation for the mayor's statements. A questionable explanation at that:
The security question came up after Nagin complained about blogs on a website affiliated with, but not controlled by, the Times-Picayune.
The Web site posts articles from the paper and invites reader comments. Among readers taking advantage of that opportunity, Nagin said, are "some of the most vile, angry people that I've ever seen in this community."
He is absolutely correct. Some of those bloggers can put a racist spin on a weather report, although it seems a bit of a stretch to blame the newspaper for that.
It's not at all clear whether Nagin was referring to commenters at nola.com or New Orleans bloggers, many of whom are frequently critical of the mayor. I suppose that Gill may have inferred that Nagin must have been referring to comments on nola.com because none of the New Orleans bloggers can be said to make racist criticisms* of the mayor, but that's a strange inference for a writer of Gill's well known cynicism to draw. Politicians frequently question the motivations of their critics, and accusations of prejudice are easy way to call motivations into question. Gill is assuming that Nagin made a perfectly reasonable statement in an interview that left people questioning his very sanity.
So, what should Gill have written about? Before I answer that, I'll quote something that I wrote last May:
To my way of thinking, those reasons fall into two broad general categories. Excessive secrecy leads to even more waste of money, which leads to more uncompleted projects and other fiscal problems. Also, whatever rebuilding decisions are made, some people are going to disagree. Excessive secrecy can only lead to more rancor and bitterness on the part of residents who are unhappy with those decisions and help justify charges of conspiracies or crooked insider deals.
I made a similar point the following August, BTW. Bear that in mind as you read today's article on the plans for the new VA hospital and LSU Medical Center. I don't know if there's corruption involved, although I automatically suspect corruption whenever there's secrecy surrounding a government project that does not involve national security but does involve millions of dollars; maybe I'm just too cynical. However, some things are entirely predictable:
"I understand the VA is needed for New Orleans," Rogers said. "My biggest issue has just been with the way it's all happened, and the absolute lack of respect the city has shown in dealing with people in this situation. . . . The only things we hear from the mayor are his grandiose announcements in the paper."
City leaders said they did not want to convene a neighborhood meeting until they had definitive word that the VA plans to build in the Tulane-Gravier area.
...
The city did not find it premature, however, to sign a memorandum in November in which it agreed to acquire 34 acres between Galvez and Rocheblave for the VA hospital...
I'll also point out that so much secrecy isn't just unacceptable from the administration of a mayor who like to be called a "champion of transparency," it's also unlawful.
So, James Gill, if you're reading this, stop paying so much attention to the things that the mayor does say, and start writing about how little anybody in his "transparent" administration actually does say. If you're worried about the mayor's the mayor's threat to coldcock somebody, relax -- I got your back. Or, I would, if you actually wrote about that, and I'd probably have coverage from at least a dozen other residents.
*Well, since Gill's colleague, Jarvis DeBerry, once explained that it was racist for a white man to call a black woman a "bitch," he might argue that high-maintenance size queen is also racist.
Labels: James Gill, Ray Nagin, transparency, VA hospital
Monday, February 18, 2008
Nagin's lamest excuse yet
A front page article of the latest City Business begins:
I seem to recall something about a return to the politics of the past if we elected Nagin's opponent in the last election.
At any rate, New Orleans City Business says on its front page what the Picayune occasionally says in Saturday editorials, quoting Matt Mcbride:
In a related note, I misstated my case in an earlier post. Editor b's friend (see the first comment) is correct that the Times Picayune has run editorial criticizing the mayor on weekdays. The hardest hitting ones that I could locate can be found here, here and here. Amazingly, the Picayune was able to editorialize about garbage collection contracts without mentioning secrecy or campaign contributions.
However, I should have written that the T/P's editorials about secrecy bordering on dishonesty have all been hidden on Saturday. Criticism of the mayor on individual issues is all well and good, but the mayor's utter contempt for the very transparency that he claims to "champion" is the background issue behind all the other issues. It's understandable that the editors of the Picayune are reluctant to question Nagin's integrity, but they only need to ask what he's hiding and let readers draw their conclusions.
N.O. erects info barrier for citizens, City Council
Mayor’s public records request policy violates state open records law
City officials are violating state public records law with a policy requiring citizens to make all public records request in writing.
City Council members, residents and the media are regularly barred from public information on city activities or the turnaround time takes far longer than the prescribed three days.
The Public Records Act of Louisiana mandates city officials must turn over public documents, with few exceptions, within 72 hours. If city officials can’t comply in 72 hours, they need to respond in writing and explain why they can’t furnish the documents within the same time frame.
Mayor C. Ray Nagin’s office referred all questions to the New Orleans city attorney, who defends the protective public records policy.
“This has been an existing policy that can be verified as far back as 1994, when Avis Russell was appointed city attorney,” said City Attorney Penya Moses-Fields in an e-mailed statement.
I seem to recall something about a return to the politics of the past if we elected Nagin's opponent in the last election.
At any rate, New Orleans City Business says on its front page what the Picayune occasionally says in Saturday editorials, quoting Matt Mcbride:
McBride, through his work with the PRC, often reviews demolition contracts. The public records issue is one example of the city’s frequent withholding of public information, he said.
“What we’ve also found is they don’t follow requests for Housing Conservation District Review Committee agendas,” McBride said. “They routinely don’t send it. And a contract should not be hard to find, particularly if it’s for multimillion dollars.”
In a related note, I misstated my case in an earlier post. Editor b's friend (see the first comment) is correct that the Times Picayune has run editorial criticizing the mayor on weekdays. The hardest hitting ones that I could locate can be found here, here and here. Amazingly, the Picayune was able to editorialize about garbage collection contracts without mentioning secrecy or campaign contributions.
However, I should have written that the T/P's editorials about secrecy bordering on dishonesty have all been hidden on Saturday. Criticism of the mayor on individual issues is all well and good, but the mayor's utter contempt for the very transparency that he claims to "champion" is the background issue behind all the other issues. It's understandable that the editors of the Picayune are reluctant to question Nagin's integrity, but they only need to ask what he's hiding and let readers draw their conclusions.
Labels: bullshit, FOIA, Nagin, transparency
