It's a relatively short article, so I'll copy it here
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All in the family business
When it comes to government ethics, Tom Leighton is the Rip Van Winkle of local politics.
Leighton must have slumbered through the last 30 months.
He must have snored through that federal corruption sweep that netted more than 30 government officials and contractors.
He must have snoozed while outraged voters upended county government and approved a home-rule charter that will impose strict hiring, contracting and ethics rules. Well good morning, Mayor Tom. It's a new day and voters don't look kindly on politicians who use their positions to benefit their relatives.
As reported Friday by Citizens' Voice Staff Writer Andrew Staub, Leighton approved the hiring of his 20-year-old daughter and 20-year-old niece for $10-per-hour summer jobs with city government. More than 100 other people who applied for 76 summer positions with the city were turned away.
Leighton defended the hirings, arguing his daughter and niece "should be considered as everyone else in considered."
No, they shouldn't. Elected officials have a duty to avoid even the appearance of impropriety and to promote public confidence in government.
If Leighton wants to help his daughter and niece find work during their summer vacations from college, he should give them jobs in his real-estate firm. Or, if they are as dependable and hard-working as he says they are, they could find summer work on their own.
The city is full of disadvantaged young people who would love to have a summer job at City Hall to pay tuition, help with household expenses or build a resume that will help them become productive adults.
Two of them won't have that chance because Leighton decided to use the power granted to him by voters to help his own household.
The hirings, coupled with Leighton's letter to a federal judge on behalf of a former city official facing prison in a corruption case, show the mayor is clueless when it comes to the unraveling culture of corruption in Luzerne County.
That culture is a continuum that begins with ethically questionable acts like hiring your relatives and ends with out-and-out criminality.
It must be rooted out from start to finish.
Wake up, Mayor Leighton. Our city government is not your family business.
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Once again parts just jumped out at me.
Like
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Leighton defended the hirings, arguing his daughter and niece "should be considered as everyone else in considered."
No, they shouldn't. Elected officials have a duty to avoid even the appearance of impropriety and to promote public confidence in government.
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Sounds familiar.
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If Leighton wants to help his daughter and niece find work during their summer vacations from college, he should give them jobs in his real-estate firm.
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This is SO TRUE!!! But then Captain U. Cupcake (Leighton) would have to pay them, instead of the city (Meaning the citizens of Wilkes-Barre).
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The hirings, coupled with Leighton's letter to a federal judge on behalf of a former city official facing prison in a corruption case, show the mayor is clueless when it comes to the unraveling culture of corruption in Luzerne County.
That culture is a continuum that begins with ethically questionable acts like hiring your relatives and ends with out-and-out criminality.
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WOW.
Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote
Well said Dan. But who is going to file charges about the glad handing in the election poll, and what kind of reprimand was mandated of the election judge who allowed it, by the election board? And who will file charges regarding the impropriety of hiring a relative which is contrary to the state nepotism laws? Who is going to demand that Wilkes-Barre contact the FBI and initiate a forensic audit of ALL of the Mayors deals? Who is going to educate madame Council Chair as to the proper manner of conducting a meeting, and how to treat everyone with respect? Who is going to train her to refer to a speaker only by their given name or the name they signed on the speaker list? And who is going to educate her as to not use nicknames in a derogatory,demeaning manner despite what her personal feeling might be? Ditto for the Mayor. Under this administration the political news has become synonymous with the comic section of the local newspapers! You would think the people would have had a belly full by now? I for one say ENOUGH ALREADY!!!!
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