accountability
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These People are Failing at Their Jobs; Why Do They Still Have Them?
Read more: These People are Failing at Their Jobs; Why Do They Still Have Them?Here is the really big problem with politics: you can smell the bad odor, but you can’t tell where it comes from. We have a board of education and a teachers’ union whose current leadership is characterized by a) ongoing parent and student demonstrations b) bogus attendance counts c) verbal abuse d) alleged predatory cover-up…
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Reason #6 for School Vouchers—Predators and Their Victims
Read more: Reason #6 for School Vouchers—Predators and Their Victims(Lead image from the Washington Post, August 11, 2023.) A high-school math teacher was, by all accounts, a very good teacher, but his social skills were affected by a streak of anger. During one class a student misbehaved. The teacher reacted far out of proportion to the offense; he pushed the student against a wall.…
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Mystery Deepens – Which MoCo Councilmember’s Staff Abused Position to Charge Taxpayers For the Reservation of Select Athletic Fields (For Their Spouse’s Use)?
Read more: Mystery Deepens – Which MoCo Councilmember’s Staff Abused Position to Charge Taxpayers For the Reservation of Select Athletic Fields (For Their Spouse’s Use)?Uh oh. Looks like a staff member of one of MoCo’s notorious and always-sanctimonious councilmembers abused their position and also the public trust (and wallet). But which one? The mystery deepens. Over at MontgomeryPerspective.com, Adam P has the initial scoop and has reprinted the Montgomery County OIG Memoranda letter. Per that letter, the staffer in…
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If Not Us, Who? If Not Now, When? Celebrating 200 Articles
Read more: If Not Us, Who? If Not Now, When? Celebrating 200 Articles“If not us, then who? If not now, then when?” This quote, in some iteration, has been attributed to numerous politicians and leaders in the past. Former President Ronald Reagan. The late Congressman John Lewis. What it really speaks to is: you, we, the community that you reside in – we are the solution to…
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It Appears Former Montgomery County Exec Ike Leggett’s $11,000 Taxpayer-Funded Jaunt to Cuba Didn’t Accomplish Much, 7+ Years Later
Read more: It Appears Former Montgomery County Exec Ike Leggett’s $11,000 Taxpayer-Funded Jaunt to Cuba Didn’t Accomplish Much, 7+ Years Later“Never let a crisis go to waste” seems to be the governing ethos of far too many elected politicians in Montgomery County (and nation-wide). That, and “never let a good ol’ taxpayer-funded trip to an exotic locale go to waste”. Now, over seven years on from an eyebrow-raising, taxpayer funded trip (over $11,000 in today’s…
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Kate Stewart’s Public Campaign Funding (and do we abbreviate Board of Elections “ATM?”)
Read more: Kate Stewart’s Public Campaign Funding (and do we abbreviate Board of Elections “ATM?”)In a previous post we explored the possibility that Council Member Kristin Mink’s campaign took almost $9,000 from the public election fund beyond what it was allowed. In this post we explore the possibility that CM Kate Stewart took about $7,500 in the same manner. Recall that MoCo contributes up to $125,000 of matching funds…
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A Look At Kristin Mink’s Campaign Finances: Part 2
Read more: A Look At Kristin Mink’s Campaign Finances: Part 2In this post we explore the possibility that Council Member Kristin Mink’s campaign took almost $9,000 from the public election fund beyond what it was allowed. Page 17 of the summary guide for public funding, published by both the state and county boards of elections, states that a district candidate cannot receive more than $125,000…
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A Look At Kristin Mink’s Campaign Finances: Part 1
Read more: A Look At Kristin Mink’s Campaign Finances: Part 1Based on downloads available from the state’s board of elections, we can get a good characterization of who financially supported Council Member Kristin Mink during her 2022 campaign, and who received monies from that campaign. Contributions The Mink campaign reported total contributions of $208,683. Who was the number one contributor to that campaign? You were.…
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The 2024 Budget Vote, When the Reformers Failed Us
Read more: The 2024 Budget Vote, When the Reformers Failed UsAndrew Friedson is by far a more compassionate, thoughtful, and caring member of the County Council than its progressive members, and CM Marilyn Balcombe has earned well deserved credibility as an advocate for a much neglected up-county population. Tragically, when it came to their votes for the 2024 budget, both let us down. Before we…
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Silence is Agreement
Read more: Silence is AgreementAs Kristin Mink’s statements cause waves of outrage both locally and nationally, there is a group of people that have remained strangely quiet – the Montgomery County Council. Outside of the County Council President, Evan Glass, responding to a question from a local reporter, there have been no formal press releases or statements. Not a…