As I started to write this blog, a few gray cells kicked over in my gray-haired head reminding me that at one time in the history of our nation Trenton, New Jersey was a pretty special place. It was; George Washington won our nation’s first military victory in Trenton. You might also like to know that for a brief period of time, Trenton was the capitol of our nation.
I don’t wish to imply that from 1776 to the present that Trenton has accomplished nothing else. People from Trenton have distinguished themselves in virtually every field of endeavor you can imagine. For example, although I’ve never met the man, I just learned that professional baseball player Thomas Gallagher was born there. Given my questionable baseball skills, I doubt that we’re related. In fact, I’d be more inclined to believe that George Washington and I are more closely related.
But the point of this blog isn’t to talk about anyone famous; maybe more along the lines of infamous.
According to writer Bill Chappell, writing for NPR (February 7, 2014):
“Mayor Tony F. Mack of Trenton, N.J., (was found) guilty of six charges ranging from extortion and bribery to fraud. Mack’s brother was also convicted of conspiracy and bribery charges in the case, which involved plans for a parking garage.”
The article also goes on to say:
The Justice Department announced…In a news release about the verdict, (that) U.S. Attorney Fishman said that Mack and his brother, Ralphiel, had schemed to use the influence of the mayor’s office to extract money in exchange for easing development on city-owned land. Their trial lasted five weeks.”
Weaving its way around the case are numerous other charges. The mayor was involved in wire fraud, extortion and of course, bribery. The scheme used intermediaries to serve as “runners” for handling bribe money between people trying to buy favors and the mayor’s office. In fact, Mr. Mack’s brother apparently served in that capacity along with other city officials.
Is Washington’s Spirit Dead?
The fact that a political scandal of this magnitude happened is no surprise to me. If we look behind the curtain, we will understand that no true ethical balances and no ethical oversight had been put in place. The proof of that statement was the fact that Mr. Mack’s brother had “free access” to Trenton City Government and that Mack’s underlings were in on the deals. In fact they used code names for money understanding that someone might be listening to the business deals!
We don’t fully know who might have been intimidated, who might have been paid off to shut-up (even to this day) and how the bidding process had been so crooked that the politician was able to extort money out of contractors.
In case after case, especially when smaller municipalities are involved in these scandals, (Trenton is not a tiny village by the way, about 85,000 people live there), city officials always appear dumbfounded, as though they could not understand how such a thing could happen.
There is the thought that when crimes of ethical “opportunity” occur in smaller communities that “no one is hurt.” I beg to strongly differ. The backbone of our country is made up of smaller communities that are close-knit and struggling for survival. When bribery cases of this nature occur, the shock waves are felt by everyone. I know for a fact that Trenton has had its many problems. This scandal makes everything worse and it leads to nothing but cynicism.
I believe that when cynicism builds on the local level it moves up the ladder. As I write this blog as well, I am reminded that the confidence Americans have in Congress is now at a pathetic 10 percent. The lack of confidence doesn’t start with our view of Washington, D.C., but of how we view politicians in general. Thank you, Mr. Mack, for absolutely nothing.
Someone needed to talk to Trenton about ethics; the talk needed to be refreshed every year. I doubt anyone paid much attention to ethical thinking.
There was a time, on a cold and icy morning, when George Washington crossed the Delaware into Trenton to make a stand for America. Trenton again needs to stand for something; maybe it should start with ethics.
