When you enter into politics, you better be ready to slide under the microscope to be looked at close up. Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tom "Tommy Boy" Leighton has avoided the petri dish of politics for several years, but the bulb is hot and a fungus has stared to grow. It appears that Mayor Leighton is being investigated (preliminarily) by The Pennsylvania Ethic's Committee for hiring his children and other relatives to summer positions. Don't get too excited here, its only a preliminary investigation to determine if a full blown one is needed. Anyway, Mayor "Tommy Boy" hired his daughter, niece and nephew to part time summer positions with the city. Since they were hired, all three have resigned their positions. In the past Leighton has hired his other children to similar jobs. This type of hiring practice has gone on forever in our area especially with part time summer jobs. On October 3rd, "Tommy Boy" received a letter from the Pa. State Ethics Committee stating that there was going to be a preliminary investigation into his hiring practices.
Let me tell you folks, I have a few problems with all of this. I bet you think I am going to say that he should be ashamed of himself for hiring his relatives. NOT! To that I say hire away "Tommy Boy"! If you or I were in his position and our daughter, niece and nephew needed a summer job we would all give them one. Hell, it's only a summer job! It's not a $70,000 a year position with the city! Grow up everyone and get with the program. This stuff has been going on in our area and every other area since people were elected to positions in government. I also have a problem with the name of the person who filed the complaint being blacked out on the letter. Mayor Tom has a right to know his accuser as does anyone who is going on trial or being investigated. Remember folks, its election time and there are a few people who want to be Mayor of this god forsaken city. If I was the mayor and they were investigating me I would demand to know who filed the complaint. I would have lawyers on them like "stink on a monkey"! By the way, I hate monkeys! To get back on track, no one has come clean as to who filed the complaint. To that person I say come forward you gutless bastard! If you want to run with the big dogs, you better be ready to get off the porch. I hate anonymous crap, especially around election time.
As far as I'm concerned, if Mayor "Tommy Boy" wants to hire a few relatives to part time summer jobs more power to him. Leighton has been accused in the past of hiring neighborhood people and relatives to 4% of the open positions. No one talks about the other 96%....96%! I think those numbers speak for themselves. It's time to put away the microscope for now and let "Tommy Boy" alone. Let's stop the petty political posturing and get on with it! Let's run a clean election to see who comes out on top....or is it the bottom? Every year I get to toast St. Patrick's Day with the Mayor at Senunas' after the parade. There is no other politician in our area who has bought me a cold one except Mayor Thomas M. Leighton. The fungus growing in the petri dish of politics is not Mayor Leighton, but the gutless, anonymous accusations that usually pop up right before election time.
When you enter into politics, you better be ready to slide under the microscope to be looked at close up. Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tom "Tommy Boy" Leighton has avoided the petri dish of politics for several years, but the bulb is hot and a fungus has stared to grow. It appears that Mayor Leighton is being investigated (preliminarily) by The Pennsylvania Ethic's Committee for hiring his children and other relatives to summer positions. Don't get too excited here, its only a preliminary investigation to determine if a full blown one is needed. Anyway, Mayor "Tommy Boy" hired his daughter, niece and nephew to part time summer positions with the city. Since they were hired, all three have resigned their positions. In the past Leighton has hired his other children to similar jobs. This type of hiring practice has gone on forever in our area especially with part time summer jobs. On October 3rd, "Tommy Boy" received a letter from the Pa. State Ethics Committee stating that there was going to be a preliminary investigation into his hiring practices.
Let me tell you folks, I have a few problems with all of this. I bet you think I am going to say that he should be ashamed of himself for hiring his relatives. NOT! To that I say hire away "Tommy Boy"! If you or I were in his position and our daughter, niece and nephew needed a summer job we would all give them one. Hell, it's only a summer job! It's not a $70,000 a year position with the city! Grow up everyone and get with the program. This stuff has been going on in our area and every other area since people were elected to positions in government. I also have a problem with the name of the person who filed the complaint being blacked out on the letter. Mayor Tom has a right to know his accuser as does anyone who is going on trial or being investigated. Remember folks, its election time and there are a few people who want to be Mayor of this god forsaken city. If I was the mayor and they were investigating me I would demand to know who filed the complaint. I would have lawyers on them like "stink on a monkey"! By the way, I hate monkeys! To get back on track, no one has come clean as to who filed the complaint. To that person I say come forward you gutless bastard! If you want to run with the big dogs, you better be ready to get off the porch. I hate anonymous crap, especially around election time.
As far as I'm concerned, if Mayor "Tommy Boy" wants to hire a few relatives to part time summer jobs more power to him. Leighton has been accused in the past of hiring neighborhood people and relatives to 4% of the open positions. No one talks about the other 96%....96%! I think those numbers speak for themselves. It's time to put away the microscope for now and let "Tommy Boy" alone. Let's stop the petty political posturing and get on with it! Let's run a clean election to see who comes out on top....or is it the bottom? Every year I get to toast St. Patrick's Day with the Mayor at Senunas' after the parade. There is no other politician in our area who has bought me a cold one except Mayor Thomas M. Leighton. The fungus growing in the petri dish of politics is not Mayor Leighton, but the gutless, anonymous accusations that usually pop up right before election time.
cheers to the mayor! i say hire away. everyone else would hire family to summer jobs.what the hell are we supposed to do send our kids to another town for a job ?
ReplyDeletethat would just raise more flags.sign your name or are you afraid? gripe on my friend; r washney a loyal gripe follower
In the same way that Barletta kept repeating "Illegal is illegal", Wrong is wrong. Otherwise, why would we need laws? Other people's children have had to leave to area to seek work. What makes the Mayor's kids different?
ReplyDeleteI don't think people's kids have left the area because they couldn't find a part time summer job. I would be the first one to rip Mayor Leighton a wide one if he hired his kids to a full time, high paying position that they were not qualified to handle. As for part time summer jobs, you can't tell me that you would not hire one of your kids if you had the chance. As for Barletta, every time he opens his mouth, nothing but shit runs out of it.
ReplyDelete