What's in a name?

What's in a name?

Saturday, March 24, 2012

What's in a name? Did our councilmember forget who she is?

Not only while on Council business,  but now in the Ward as well.  Councilmember Bowser has refused to turn over her cell phone records pertaining to the recent article about council excessive cell phone bills.
It was appropriately noted that Ward 4 Councilmember Bowser has racked up the highest usage of any councilmember.  Her extensive call log now proves that she isn't just doing council business but also making personal calls on her District of Columbia Government issued cell phone.

While Ward 4 Councilmember Muriel Bowser was too busy to show up at a senior candidate's forum,  and too busy to care about Ward 4 constituents, she clearly had time to dial up her Campaign offices and inquire about how she was looking in the eyes of voters.

What is it about an elected official that proclaims to have good judgement, and to be engaged on the issue of credibility and transparency that they just don't get it.  Residents of the District of Columbia should not be forced to foot the bill for her use of a government issued cell phone for personal gain.  Personal gain of seeking re-election.

Muriel Bowser made a tragic mistake and took a call from her campaign office and then subsequently picked up her government issued cell phone and called her campaign offices. Wonder what that conversation was about?

Perhaps it was about her decision not to attend a Committee hearing held on the Committee of the Judiciary in their oversight capacity when Fire and EMS Chief Dennis Rubin was brought before the committee to discuss the Fire Department's performance.    This committee rubber stamped Rubin's confirmation hearing just over a year ago for the public now to learn that there was 6 counts of personnel related complaints in his personnel fine from 6 different women at the Sarasota Florida Fire Department.

Maybe Councilmember Bowser could have used her government issued cell phone to call Sarasota Florida and inquire about then Chief Ellerbe's history there during his short tenure as their Chief.

She clearly didn't.  She clearly failed this city,  and the residents of this ward when she did nothing to assure us that we were getting the best possible Chief of our fire department.

She failed every senior citizen in this Ward when she failed to show up for the Senior's candidate forum earlier this month and stand face to face with many and answer their questions.  Instead she sent a young and inexperienced staffer Brandon Todd,  although on leave he as served the councilmember in the past as nothing more than a constituent relations liaison.  Don't get me wrong Brandon is probably one of the best on her staff.  At least offering a polite mannerism and an approachable personality.

Fact is,  there may have been a violation of the Federal Hatch Act by him standing in front of citizens talking about the Councilmembers accomplishments while in office.  For the most part, Brandon Todd failed to answer the final two questions asked about the Councilmembers failure to show up at the committee hearing, and again for the Senior Forum.

We know she likes to talk on the phone and that she doesn't care enough to show up in public unless perhaps there is a ribbon to be cut,  and a celebration to appear to offer up her accomplishments for all those attending to see.

Let's move beyond this style of "not caring" and beyond this style of "not showing up" and let's elect someone that cares.  Someone that will offer us a truly transparent approach to our District government.  Let's elect someone that will not sell out to pay for play developers,  and corporations seeking favors so that they can get rich off of their relationships and favoritism from our elected in Ward 4.  

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