Wednesday, June 25, 2008

McGee and Aldermanic Privilege: Mayor Barrett Speaks

He didn't want to do it.

Just this morning, Mayor Tom Barrett's spokeswoman Eileen Force "indicated the mayor is not likely to have a comment today. She noted the mayor's office is not involved with licensing matters."

It turns out Barrett did comment. He also sent a letter to the Common Council.

Text of Barrett's letter:

Dear Council President Hines and Alderman Bohl:

I am writing today to reiterate my commitment to working with you on drafting and implementing reforms to (the) Common Council's licensing procedures.

I want to be clear; I will sign a real reform ordinance and I offer my assistance in drafting such an ordinance.

Barrett is a man of few words.

The Journal Sentinel did manage to get an interview with Barrett on the McGee verdict and fallout from the case. As usual, his silence prior to this interview was deafening.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett this morning called on aldermen to reform the way liquor licenses and other matters are handled, saying the case of former Ald. Michael McGee showed the system as it stands is open to abuse.

...In an interview with the Journal Sentinel, Barrett said "there is no place for corruption in the city, certainly not in City Hall" and called on the Common Council to review how other large cities handle license matters.

"This is a test for the council," Barrett said. "It has to respond. It can't just simply say this never happened. It happened."

...As it stands now, the council has sole discretion over liquor licenses and related matters. Barrett's office is not involved, and he did not call for his office to be involved in the future. Rather, he said, a "best practices" review should take place, considering such options as the licenses being handled by an independent commission.

"This is not something we have to reinvent the wheel on," Barrett said, later adding: "This office has no involvement in the licenses. Whether that becomes part of it will follow an analysis of what (other) communities are doing."

..."I think it will be up to the public to pressure them," Barrett said, when asked about the possibility of reluctance from aldermen.

He added: "I think when you have a trial like this, it creates a community confidence problem, because people don't know whether it's widespread or not. ... I adamantly disagree with those who say (aldermanic privilege) doesn't exist, when you had a trial based on the fact it does exist."

Hey, Mr. Mayor!

I think it's up to YOU to pressure the aldermen.

Sure, the public should contact their aldermen about their concerns regarding corruption, but you're the mayor!

Is it too much to ask for YOU to take more interest in the matter and be an advocate for YOUR constituents?

This is a test for the council.

It's a test for YOU, too.

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