Tornoe’s Toon: The Treasure Of The Sierra Velda
“If you was to make a real strike, you couldn’t be dragged away. Not even the threat of miserable death would keep you from trying to add $10,000 more. Ten, you’d want to get twenty-five; twenty-five you’d want to get fifty; fifty, a hundred. Like roulette. One more turn, you know. Always one more.”
– Howard (played by the great Walter Houston ) in The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.
To a gold miner, enough is never enough. In the same way, the $100,000+ salary Velda Jones-Potter brings in as the state’s Treasurer must not be enough. That’s why she continues to moonlight as a “consultant” making $150 an hour for the city of Wilmington, even though it looks bad from all angles.
The News Journal ran an editorial making this very point:
Has she no concept of public perception on conflict, greed or double-dipping into government funds? (Even if she performed her consulting on a day off from her treasurer duties, she was receiving vacation pay from the state, unless she demanded a day off with no pay, which is doubtful.)
BTW- The money for the consulting gig is approved through the city’s operating budget, which is voted on by the same city council her husband sits on. Convenient.
As noted here by Unstable Isotope, her response to all of this is pretty weak:
Jones-Potter said she thinks someone sympathetic to Chip Flowers, her opponent in next month’s Democratic primary, leaked the news of the contract.
Of course Velda isn’t talking about this much, especially with a primary coming up. Which reminds me of another quote from The Treasure of the Sierra Madre:
“Badges? We ain’t got no badges. We don’t need no badges. I don’t have to show you any stinking badges!”
Tags: Jack Markell, Velda Jones-Potter
Good ‘toon. I hope you’re prepared for the deluge of emails a Treasurer’s primary post brings.
Haha great cartoon!
This is hysterical. Even though her gig may be legal, it cost her my vote. Pick one job or the other!
I should print this off and hand it out at the Democratic party lunch I’m going to tomorrow.
heh, too funny. SUCH A GREAT ARTIST! I wish I could draw like that. The WNJ is really hurting for an in house political cartoonist who isn’t a million years old…hint, hint. Rob’s got another 60 years in him.
the ‘badges’ lines were later used in Blazing Saddles
Nancy – Delaware Liberal has a binding contract with Rob that extends 60 years into the future. The News Journal can have him in April of 2070. 🙂
It is amazing how jealous people are of another’s success.
Sorry Liberal Geek, if Nancy can convince the News Journal to drop some dough on me, I’ll be out of here faster than a Muslim at a Tea Party rally.
I think the fallout for this wouldn’t of been so bad if she came out and declared it from day one.
“It is amazing how jealous people are of another’s success.”
Especially when it’s unearned.
No real argument that Velda didn’t earn her income. The real issue is her managing of perceptions, particularly in this environment.
I have noticed that local female politicians seem to get disproportionally more scrutiny and criticism than male politicians on this site.
Only Sarah Palin. She really gets under their skin. Otherwise, it’s a pretty fair balance of targeted attacks. Stick around–the targets keep moving. I know you said local though…..
Picking on local female politicians, hmmm — you’re forcing me to look for the similarities between Velda Potter and Chrssie O’Donnell.
There are none. Velda is much more intelligent, classy and competent.
And IronyLover, you are an idiot if you think we are picking on Christine O’Donnell because she is a woman. She is dangerous theocratic moronic Palin clone. That is why we pick on her. As for Velda, while I am personally a supporter of hers, others here are supporters of Chip Flowers, based on substantive policy issues. But rest assured, if she loses, I will support Chip, just like I expect ALL of Velda’s supporters to do.
D.D. “She is dangerous theocratic moronic Palin clone” She predates Palin:)
I’m sure poor Velda was only thinking ahead,wisely,and remembering THIS line from old Howard:
“Hey you fellas, how ’bout some beans? You want some beans? Goin’ through some mighty rough country tomorrow, you’d better have some beans.”
Belinsky: While I generally agree, she didn’t “earn” any $150 an hour.
JPConnor… true enough. Then Palin is an O’Donnell clone.
Issued by the City of Wilmington today (John Rago)
News Release
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Mayor Directs Cut in Government Spending and Warns of Layoffs/Service Reductions Unless City Unions Agree to Salary and Benefit Concessions
http://www.wilmingtonde.gov/newsroom/2010/0902_city_spending_cuts.html
Why doesn’t Velda show some leadership skills and become the FIRST Wilmington politician to give back money earned by “less than kosher” means in order to mitigate, if only slightly, the city’s budget situation?
Or better yet…maybe she should resign as Treasurer and give us back our tax dollars