The Metra board debacle and scandal has revealed Mrs. Mulder's style of crony politics that was evident throughout her long tenure as Arlington Heights Village President. As an example please read Pay to Play Park on this blog. An action by a public servant may be legal, but also unethical.
On August 27, 2013 the suburban commissioners of the Cook County Board, whom appointed Arlene Mulder, Don De Graff and William Widmer III to the Metra board, asked for them to resign in light of the Clifford severance scandal.
Their response was predictable:
Mrs. Mulder has no intention of resigning. She said "some decisions were not the best". She added, that she made the best decision based on the information at the time. (Daily Herald).
"We are not the problem", De Graff said, "There's nothing that was done unethical or illegal by any of the remaining six board members. It's very premature and irresponsible to make any kind of allegations, even in the form of a resolution." (Chicago Sun-Times).
Arlene Mulder has always had a difficult time differentiating between legal and ethical. A legal problem is generally easy to detect. For example there was nothing illegal in granting the lavish severance to Mr. Clifford. But ethically that is another issue.
Bring in the flip-flops
One can generally tell if there is an ethical problem, the story changes as time goes on. And with each change the story gets less plausible.
First, the reason Mrs. Mulder voted for the lavish severance package was that it was the cheapest of two options to hush-up Mr. Clifford. It would be the lowest cost way to get rid of Mr. Clifford rather than endure an expensive lawsuit. Therefore she was acting responsibly by choosing the least expensive of the two options.
Then the story morphed into Mrs. Mulder did not have all the information and just voted with the direction of Metra's legal council. She claims she was unaware of an insurance policy the agency had for such matters and the lawyers failed to inform her.
Again both stories fall way short of any credibility. First, squandering public money is unethical in the first place, regardless of how it is covered up. Second, if she was doing the job she was appointed for she should have been aware of alternate options.
Mrs. Mulder, it is time to go
If Mrs. Mulder has regained any ethical sense she needs to resign from the Metra board. Other board members have resigned at the request of those who appointed them. With the announcement by the Cook County suburban commissioners she should do the right thing and resign today.
On August 27, 2013 the suburban commissioners of the Cook County Board, whom appointed Arlene Mulder, Don De Graff and William Widmer III to the Metra board, asked for them to resign in light of the Clifford severance scandal.
Their response was predictable:
Mrs. Mulder has no intention of resigning. She said "some decisions were not the best". She added, that she made the best decision based on the information at the time. (Daily Herald).
"We are not the problem", De Graff said, "There's nothing that was done unethical or illegal by any of the remaining six board members. It's very premature and irresponsible to make any kind of allegations, even in the form of a resolution." (Chicago Sun-Times).
Arlene Mulder has always had a difficult time differentiating between legal and ethical. A legal problem is generally easy to detect. For example there was nothing illegal in granting the lavish severance to Mr. Clifford. But ethically that is another issue.
Bring in the flip-flops
One can generally tell if there is an ethical problem, the story changes as time goes on. And with each change the story gets less plausible.
First, the reason Mrs. Mulder voted for the lavish severance package was that it was the cheapest of two options to hush-up Mr. Clifford. It would be the lowest cost way to get rid of Mr. Clifford rather than endure an expensive lawsuit. Therefore she was acting responsibly by choosing the least expensive of the two options.
Then the story morphed into Mrs. Mulder did not have all the information and just voted with the direction of Metra's legal council. She claims she was unaware of an insurance policy the agency had for such matters and the lawyers failed to inform her.
Again both stories fall way short of any credibility. First, squandering public money is unethical in the first place, regardless of how it is covered up. Second, if she was doing the job she was appointed for she should have been aware of alternate options.
Mrs. Mulder, it is time to go
If Mrs. Mulder has regained any ethical sense she needs to resign from the Metra board. Other board members have resigned at the request of those who appointed them. With the announcement by the Cook County suburban commissioners she should do the right thing and resign today.
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