Guest Commentary: A Morally Deadly Epidemic

February. 28, 2019

When I arrived in Philadelphia in 1972 every bit a reporter for The Inquirer to cover District Attorney Arlen Specter and reported on several major corruption trials, I began to understand what Lincoln Steffens meant when he called the city "decadent and contented." Since and then, Philadelphia has become more than content, more corrupt. Here is a list of elected officials (in alphabetical order) convicted since then:

• Leslie Acosta, Land Rep., 2018
• Isadore Izzy Bellis, City Councilman, 1977
• Louise Bishop, State Rep., Louise Bishop, 2015
• Vanessa Chocolate-brown, State Rep., 2018
• Michele Brownlee, State Rep., 2015
• Leland Beloff, Metropolis Councilman, 1987
• Herbert Cain Jr., Common Pleas Judge, 1988
• Henry Cianfranni, State Sen., 1977
• Matthew Cianciulli Jr., State Rep., 1979
• Mario Driggs, Municipal Courtroom Judge, 1988
• Joshua Eilberg, U.S. Rep., 1979
• Chaka Fattah, U.Southward. Rep., 2016
• Vincent Fumo, State Sen., 2009
• Herbert Fineman, Speaker of the House of Rep., 1977
• Kenneth Harris, Common Pleas Judge, 1988
• H. Warren Hogeland, Traffic Court Judge, 2013
• Harold James, State Rep., 2015
• Harry Janotti, City Councilman, 1980
• Louis Johanson, City Councilman, 1980
• Ray Lederer, U.S. Rep., 1981
• Michael Lowry, Traffic Court Approximate, 2015
• Michael Ossie Myers, U.S. Rep., 1980
• Richard Mariano, City Councilman, 2006
• Robert Mulgrew, Traffic Courtroom Approximate, 2013
• Kenneth Miller, Traffic Court Gauge, 2016
• Joseph O'Neil, Municipal Court Judge, 2016
• Maurice Osser, City Commissioner, 1972
• Angel Ortiz, City Councilman, 2001
• John Perzel, State Speaker of the Firm of Representatives, 2011
• Vito Pisciotta, Mutual Please Judge, 1975
• Fortunato Perri Sr., Traffic Court Judge, 2013
• Thomas Shiomos, Common Pleas Judge, 1988
• Willie Singletary, Traffic Court Judge, 2017
• George South. Schwartz, President of Metropolis Council, 1981
• Thomasine Tynes, Traffic Courtroom Judge, 2014
• Ron Walters, Traffic Court Approximate, 2015
• LeAnna Washington, State Sen., 2014
• Seth Williams, Commune Chaser, 2017

Mind y'all this list only includes elected officials convicted , not only indicted such as Councilman Robert Henon, or those acquitted, or the eight judges who were tossed off the bench for taking money—"Christmas gifts"—from the roofers union but not tried in courtroom. Nor does information technology include convicted land elected officials like two attorney generals, three treasurers, one auditor full general and ii Supreme Court Justices. Nor does it include appointed officials or lawyers, bankers and hangers on who have been convicted in municipal corruption cases.

Fifty-fifty with this more narrowly divers chart, it is still an ugly depiction of a morally mortiferous epidemic that threatens the city's vitality.

The reason I singled out elected officials is because the responsibility for them rests with the people of Philadelphia who elected them to office or, given the paucity of our voting turnout, didn't vote at all. Similar sheep we follow the lead of the machine politicians who walk u.s. through the valley of corruption.

Such neglect has resulted in the shame of Philadelphia—14 judges, four Congress people, eight Urban center Council people, 13 state legislators, one city commissioner and 1 district chaser, bedevilled of violating the public trust.

The but skillful thing that can exist said for our Hall of Shame is its diversity—whites, blacks, Hispanics, men, women, Jews, Italians, Catholics, Protestants. About the merely group underrepresented is Republicans only because this has been a ane-party town for more than a half a century. There are very few Republican elected officials just as at that place were few Democrats when the Republicans ruled the roost more a half a century before that.

Just that doesn't deport the current local Republican Political party. It rarely offers whatever meaningful opposition. This year is no exception. Its candidate for Mayor is a adult female who, by her own words , is a recovering addict, has a mental illness, is on disability and feels qualified to be mayor considering her cabinet will do the piece of work . The party is so lame that if it was a horse information technology would be taken out to pasture and put out of its misery.

The only good affair that can exist said for our Hall of Shame is its diversity—whites, blacks, Hispanics, men, women, Jews, Italians, Catholics, Protestants.

And so, what tin exist washed?

• Showtime, no political donor should contribute money to whatever candidate for City Quango who doesn't commit to reforming councilmanic prerogative, a practice which facilitates corruption.
• A statute should exist created in honor of Willard Rouse, the developer who, when he was shaken down past Councilman Leland Beloff, immediately called up the FBI and blew the whistle. I would suggest that Rouse'south statute should be placed in front end of the Marriage League and so when the city'due south big shots enter, they can run into what real civic responsibility looks like.
• Let'south do away with partisan municipal elections similar about every other large city in the nation has done—yes, even cities similar Chicago and Boston. This means that Republicans, Independents and Democrats can face up off in i election. Today the only election that matters in Philadelphia is the Democratic principal, basically disenfranchising independents and Republican and deterring skilful candidates from entering the ring. Our current system is a legalized system of voter suppression.

With but three months remaining until the existent election for mayor—the silence is deafening despite the latest stench of municipal corruption. You would think that things are hunky dory in Philadelphia, that there was no such affair as an opioid epidemic, a broken tax assessment system, a struggling school commune, a loftier homicide charge per unit and low clearance charge per unit, a scandalously loftier poverty charge per unit, and despite the health of Center City, which represents but two.2 foursquare miles of the city's 140 square miles, more people moving out of the city than moving in, according to a contempo Heart City District written report.

Nosotros have outsourced our democracy to a bunch of ward leaders and a handful of political chieftains who over the by several decades have bequeathed us a Hall of Shame of convicted officials. It'southward time for the people to take back democracy in this city that helped nurture America democracy before nosotros are asked to forfeit the Liberty Bong.

Phil Goldsmith, former managing director of the City and interim CEO for the school district, has held several senior level positions in the private, public and non-turn a profit sectors in Philadelphia.

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Source: https://thephiladelphiacitizen.org/guest-commentary-a-morally-deadly-epidemic/

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