Political scandals undermine trust

Ask any reporter who's been in the game long enough to cover more than a handful of arraignments and you'll find that we've all heard the classic sidestep: "We're not going to try this case in the court of public opinion." The point is to evade a reporter's questions or to deflect the glare of publicity on what is usually an egregious act allegedly committed by a lawyer's client, the kind that gets a community buzzing like a hornet's nest kicked by a steel-toed boot. I suppose if you're a politician all you do is plead your case in the "court of public opinion." What the public thinks of you is all that matters, and I think you'd be hard-pressed to find any American left who doesn't have a jaded view of politicians of any stripe these days. What voters "think of you" is relative. What the public "knows of you" is what ought to matter and so seldom does. And then there is what you know of yourself. I've been thinking of this a lot this lately, as I've been struggling with some health issues that have compromised my ability to do my job to the degree it deserves. When I knew I could not do it with a clear mind and well-reasoned thinking, I had to make the decision to skip writing a column. Imagine how much higher the stakes would be if there were people working under me, entire departments dependent on my actions. Counties, or cities, that ran by my authority. Whenever The Chronicle-Telegram runs articles about law enforcement officers charged with crimes, such as the Elyria police officers facing charges of domestic violence and drunken driving, there is always a reaction from the public, which can chip away at the public's trust. The bigger the impropriety, the bigger the talk. The higher the authority, the bigger the chip. I'm telling you from the street level there is little to zero confidence in local government right now and I'll give you two reasons why. Let's start at the county level. In less than a year in office, Lorain County Commissioner Michelle Hung has steadfastly refused to step down from her seat as the most controversial commish in recent history. Hung and fellow Republican David Moore ran together to victory and when they came into office they fired at will and filled key positions with their own handpicked people, which is the right of any board of commissioners. But then things got sticky and Hung abstained from firing county 911 Director Harry Williamson when Moore and Commissioner Matt Lundy, a Democrat, voted to do so on Aug. 3. Two days later, Moore and Lundy said Hung admitted to an inappropriate relationship with Williamson — after a video surfaced of Hung and Williamson kissing inside county offices. Since then, more firings (and some re-hirings) have followed, but Hung has remained unmoved, despite now being sued, along with Lundy, by former county Administrator Tom Williams for his abrupt firing in August. The legal fight could be expensive. Williams' contract guaranteed he would receive 18 months of pay if he was fired without cause. So far, neither Hung nor Lundy have given a good reason for the firing. Moore voted against it. Even when Moore called for her to resign, even when the Wellington Area Central Committee of the Lorain County Republican Party asked her to resign, Hung stayed defiant. If you want to zero in even closer, let's look at Elyria City Councilman Mark Jessie. Jessie, running next month for reelection as 3rd Ward Councilman, was arrested Sept. 30 in Elyria after allegedly arranging to meet a prostitute. He agreed to pay $60 and brought a condom, police said. Jessie has apologized for his behavior, unlike Hung, and has since lost his part-time job as choral director at Lorain County Community College. His arrest has brought at least one got Jessie's fellow Elyria Council Democrats and the Elyria Republican Party to both agree he should resign. Jessie says otherwise. He told Chronicle reporter Dave O'Brien he's never quit anything in his life and resigning would allow "this one act of incredibly poor judgment to define me," and while I can give him credit for acknowledging the lack of judgment what I cannot understand is the defiance involved. In that same interview, he also said: "I have never quit anything in my life. I have never backed down from a fight. In fact, my resolve increases when faced with adversity." This defiance doesn't ring with grit and determination, however, when the "adversity" and "fight" you're talking about is your own self. Who is fighting you? An anti-human trafficking police action? Jessie has said he will let the voters decide his future come Nov. 2. Lorain County seems stuck with Hung a lot longer than that. She isn't up for reelection until 2024. Maybe Lorain County voters should take a lesson from both of them this election season. Know your candidate. Know who can say "no." And know who can say "I'm not fit to represent you." Contact Chronicle-Telegram columnist Rini Jeffers at rinijeffers@gmail.com.