As much as I know that Bob Moore has lost his journalistic ethics, assuming he ever had any, it still amazes me that his personal corruption somehow allows him to ignore his hypocrisy. Of course, some of you would argue that his lack of ethics also means that he is hypocritical as well. I guess, I just can’t comprehend that there are individuals in this world so devoid of ethics that hypocritical is just part of who they are. The latest example just oozes with hypocrisy.
I am sure all of you are now aware that Bob Moore published an editorial in the local newspaper demanding that Tommy Gonzalez be fired forthwith. Moore was not asking – he was demanding that the city manager be fired.
Never mind that Tommy Gonzalez has not had his day before the city’s Ethics Commission before the editorial was published. Never mind that Tommy Gonzalez has not had the opportunity to address any concerns with those who manage him – the city council. Never mind the notion of innocent until proven guilty. And, never mind the notion of fairly being treated before any adverse action is demanded.
If that is not enough for you, consider that the City released a copy of the Ross Fisher report late last night. Although the report raised questions about Tommy Gonzalez’ regulatory financial report filings, it did not find ethical violations committed by Tommy Gonzalez in the scope of what was investigated. That’s right, the investigator did not find any violations!
In Bob Moore’s world none of this matters because it does not fit the public agenda Moore supports.
This really should not surprise me especially when we look at the hypocrisy of it all. It makes sense that Bob Moore sees nothing wrong with his demand.
In the worst case and with the evidence that we currently have, Tommy Gonzalez can be accused of not doing his job. Bob Moore accuses Tommy Gonzalez of scapegoating or blaming city staff for the controversies over the streets, the speed humps and the RFQ for the financial services. Even if Tommy Gonzalez is guilty of failing at his administrative duties, which has yet to be proven, but for arguments sake, firing him would be the last recourse. As an employee of the city, there are inherent costs to firing Tommy Gonzalez for administrative failures. Among them are recruiting a new city manager and possibly paying off part of his contract, not to mention the possibility of litigation.
To be clear, there is no evidence that shows that Tommy Gonzalez acted corruptly. None whatsoever.
None of that matters to Bob Moore. Moore takes the position that Tommy Gonzalez has failed the city so miserably that he must be fired.
Except when looking at who has failed the city we can’t ignore the $20 million that the taxpayers are footing for the delay of the ballpark bonds. Former city manager Joyce Wilson has admitted ordering the delay of the bonds for political reasons. Whether one, two or more city representatives asked her to delay them is immaterial because the official city council never took a vote to delay the sale of the bonds.
As a matter of fact, the Ross Fisher report found serious problems with Wilson’s actions. Joyce Wilson refused to provide the names of the city officials that asked her to delay the bond sale. She hid behind an attorney. The Fisher report suggests that the City compel Wilson to release the names of the officials who told her to delay the sale of the bonds.
There are other suggestions made by the report which I’ll address in depth in an upcoming article. For now, accept that the investigation found evidence to suggest that Wilson and others acted unethically in the bond sale.
By any measure that is malfeasance by Joyce Wilson.
Yet, Bob Moore has yet to address the $20 million question, much less demand the resignation of Joyce Wilson from a taxpayer-supported job. Why?
Hmmm, could it be because Joyce Wilson bought the newspaper’s building when she was the city manager. This fact leaves me wondering how long it will be before Bob Moore finishes paying off his debt to Joyce Wilson. I just can’t believe someone can be so corrupt and therefore it has to be that Bob Moore feels indebted to Joyce Wilson. Or, maybe Bob Moore is just that unethical.
Some will argue, possibly even Bob Moore, that the editorial board of the local newspaper is comprised of other individuals besides Bob Moore. Make no mistake, although that is what he wants you to believe, ultimately it is Bob Moore that drives the dialog that eventually gets published as an editorial.
Truly a sad state of affairs in El Paso. And, likely the reason why corruption in El Paso will never be abated.
Well when you have Bob Moore and other local Marie outlets siting Jaime Abeytia as a credible source then you know where this is going. Jaime prides himself as the voice of the people like his Father and Supposedly God-father the late Cesar Chavez but nothing can be further from the truth, Jaime is a hired gun and a so-called family to Vicent Perez & Claudia Ordaz so you tell me is it really that hard to uncover the truth. Wiles is about to get a challenger that is about to use some pictures of Jaime and him hanging out all while Jaime being wanted on a warrant for failing to pay his child support in Arizona. It will get interesting how well Wiles’ election goes when Jaime will become his focal point, then after Wiles tries to adjust I heard throw the Grapevine is that he is going to get hit with two incidents that occurred in the county jail. Every pig has his day.
Sorry media outlets
you think wilson is only hiding public officials that told her to delay the bond sale ? what about mountainstar telling her to delay. what would be even more interesting is who purchased the bonds after they went up. if the people who told her to delay are the same people who bought the bonds later then you would really have an fbi rico case in front of you. i doubt it happened that way, but you just never know.
That Wilson was acting on behalf of Mountainstar became clear from the FOIA emails published by Stephanie Townsend. It was literally a download from MS to the CC floor for enactment with no negotiating a better deal for the city, i.e., her job. EPT made no mention of this in its coverage of the ballpark controversy and the rush to get the deal done and the EPT paid out.
The pay out was the purchase by her of the EPT building after a so-called “appraisal” by Russ Vandenberg. I think a Vandeberg appraisal goes something like this: “Bob how much you want for this p-o-s? $10 million. OK, I’ll appraise it for $10 million.”
As for Wilson’s abrogation of her fiduciary duty to the city, the EPT building is the tip of the iceberg compared to the political delay of the bond sale. From all the honors bestowed upon her since leaving the CM job, you’d think Wilson walked on water but she was a disaster for the city. There needs to be a legal subpoena to get to the bottom of this and determine if laws were broken.
But I doubt we will be seeing that in anyone’s lifetime here. It’s business as usual in Dumbfucistan.
If investigations are initiated because of perceptions, why is wilson an exception ?
Bob More has failed as an editor and failed to meet his responsibility as a journalist, as a watch dog for freedom. The Times has lost the public trust. I will let my suscription expire because the last month or so, Moore has published very biased articles and half truths. The Times has become “the story”. That is horrific!
With holding names and hiding behind an attorney, which can be viewed as pleading the “fifth”. If there’s nothing to hide, why refuse to cooperate ? Her refusal to cooperate is leaving a bad taste in the publics mouth. It’s creating a bad perception of the suspected council members that could be innocent. She certainly is already suspected of a lot of shady deals, doesn’t she care to clear her name? The city has lost the publics trust and her refusal to speak just sunk the creditability to rock bottom.
The city should initiate legal action to compel her to respond. On the other side of coin, why haven’t the suspected council members stepped forward and revealed their involvement ? What are they hiding ? Do they suddenly realize they’re caught and can forget a political career and possible legal action.
I would like to leave a reply with my story of how El Paso District Attorney Esparza and Sheriff Sameniego unfairly based on no evidence convicted me of a “felony” and forced me to spend 15 years in prison, also w/o a fair trial in a court of competent felony jurisdiction, for my possessing 0.47 ozs. of marijuana. No one in a position to help expose this miscarriage of justice and truly long false imprisonment has volunteered top step up to the plate and help expose this truly interesting expose of corruption in El Paso County criminal law enforcement, to date. Maybe you will be the one to do so? See: http://www.writeaprisoner.com/inmate-profiles/pr_LegaL.aspx?i=z-1039181, for the basic facts.