City Hall to Tammany Hall? (From Times Series)
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City Hall to Tammany Hall?
5:41pm Sunday 9th March 2008
City Hall to Tammany Hall? The current shenanigans at City Hall from Dear Ken do no one in elected office any good. Mr Jasper is accused of funnelling monies to organisations he has an
interest in – either directly because he knows the directors or is a director; or indirectly because he is sexually infatuated with a senior manager at one of the organisations. Ken of course
denies Mr Jasper has done anything wrong as does Mr Jasper. Eventually the truth comes out and Mr Jasper departs – only for Ken to say he will take him back (if Ken is re-elected and
that’s a big if). My heart sinks to think that if Ken is re-elected we are going to get more of the same.
Now accusations fly all the time but when as serious as these, the Mayor should have had a swift, through and proper investigation. Mr Jasper should have been suspended and investigated quickly, the
death by speculation and eventual leaking of e-mails is corrosive. Oddly had he been a Councillor he could have been reported to the standards board and the issue dealt with quickly.
The fact is that public servants in the UK are remarkably uncorrupted and try to work for the good of the community similarly public sector employees are remarkably dedicated. The shenanigans at City
Hall diminish us all. London is a great City but London politics at City Hall is rapidly becoming like Chicago in its Tammany Hall fame. Not surprisingly I will be backing Boris.
