The Cesspool Of Corruption Marches On

Only this time we have someone to blame, thanks to a new city charter, but don't hold your breath waiting for an apology from the Mayor's Office. Mayor Wilder marched into office vowing to clean up the "cesspool of corruption" at City Hall. Some of the highlights as I recall.

1. Removing security from City Hall and hiring a personal entourage of security guards.


2. Circumventing personel regulations and hiring his own nephew.


3. Prohibiting all City departments from communicating with the press and channelling all inquiries through a press office that he controls.


4. Seeking hundreds of thousands of dollars to move the Mayor's offices off the 2nd floor to the 14th (?) floor where no doubt the air and the views are better.


5. Sabotaging the Performing Arts Center by every means possible only to ressurrect it on his own terms 1/2 it's former size and 2 years behind schedule.


6. Losing Richmond's premier sports team by dropping the ball on a new stadium.


7. Using the police department as his own personal gestapo in the School Board debacle.


8. Illegally apointing a CAO without approval of Council, violating his own City Charter.


9. Pulling out the race card after years of alienating his support in the black community.


10. Sending termination notices to City Council staff requiring them to apply to him for their own jobs.

No one had more power and respect that Doug Wilder when he was elected. With an 80% mandate from the voters he could have accomplished miracles in Richmond. I was ready to support him, even though I didn't vote for him. Manoli Loupassi was ready to roll out the red carpet for him. Instead he chose to use sledgehammer tactics and poison the well. Instead he created chaos at City Hall which according to former spokesman Bill Ferrar was a calculated political tactic.




Read the gory details of Umesh Dalal's latest audit in Wednesday's RTD article. No wonder the Mayor is so anxious to get rid of him. I'm can't wait till the Mayor's next Vision's Newsletter so I can "Get it first from The Source". Does the use of capitals represent any connection to divinity?