Just when you think the ethically-challenged members of New Castle County Council can’t look worse than they already do, they prove that you thought wrong.
According to Associated Press, WPVI-TV, and WDEL (anyone missing there?), New Castle County has voted to allow paid advertising on the Council website.
The story is sketchy. ‘Bulo tried in vain to check the minutes from the May 13 meeting, but they are not yet up on the site. Bob Weiner, with whom El Somnambulo usually disagrees, cast the lone ‘no’ vote. It was the right vote. Maybe, just maybe, there are restrictions on who can advertise. Otherwise, can you just imagine? Comcast, Verizon, Building & Construction Trades, whatever outfit Pam Scott shills for? The list of advertisers with potential conflicts of interest is far longer than the list of those w/o such conflicts. Not to mention, of course, the conflicts of interest for council members.
The Beast Who Slumbers hopes that the minutes will be made available to the public on the website before the ads are. It would at least give the false impression that Council has its priorities straight.
Which reminds El Somnambulo…in these tight fiscal times for government, ‘bulo is relieved that County Council has found time and the funding to prepare and put online (‘bulo is not sure whether printed copies are also distributed) campaign propaganda masquerading as a County Council newsletter. Basically a lot of pictures of oversized checks being presented and the like(PDF format).
Maybe Council hopes to recoup the costs for this disgraceful misuse of public funds through advertising. To which ‘bulo replies, two wrongs don’t make a right.
A Major El Somnambulo Tip of the Sombrero to the Person Who Tipped Us Off to This. He would be delighted to thank the person by name here should the person want him to.