Wherein the “nothing to see here folks, move along now” defense run into actual journalism.
While Wilmington officials used taxpayer money to help cover police expenses and other services at a concert last weekend promoted by a top city employee’s son, organizers of other events that weekend found themselves paying for their functions’ security.
Mayor Dennis P. Williams defended using public money to pay for some costs of the all-day, hip-hop Foxtail Fest, arguing that other events last weekend also received city services. But organizers of three other events made clear Thursday that they were not treated the same, particularly when it came to security.
Whoops.
The Hispanic Festival paid $7,000 to $8,000 for its police coverage last weekend, said Jorge Pizarro, vice president of the non-profit Nuestras Raices, which puts on the event. Councilwoman Maria Cabrera noted the event was canceled last year because of funding deficiencies and might finish in the red this year, too.
So Cabrera was upset after she found out Williams’ administration picked up the bill for cleanup, emergency services and 20 police officers for security at Foxtail Fest, an inaugural concert organized by What Scene?. The company’s founders include Brandon Potter, the son of Williams’ chief strategy adviser, Velda Jones-Potter, and state Rep. Charles Potter Jr., the mayor’s cousin.
Total coincidence probably….
“You can imagine how this sits with people in the community and others who have begged the city to help them with their events,” Cabrera said, later saying of the Hispanic Festival, “instead of getting a hand from the city, they get a slap.”
[Added by Delaware Dem]. Allan Loudell’s take is really good here (emphasis mine):
Mayor Williams appears to be trying to distance himself from this latest example of apparent nepotism in his administration. What is it about the Potters? Governor Markell felt compelled to name Velda Jones-Potter to fill out the remainder of his term as state Treasurer. She enjoyed a lucrative contract with the City of Wilmington – at a time of austerity – and ran a glaringly inept campaign to win the state Treasurer’s office in her own right. (Including exceptional obfiscation in agreeing to any debates.) Brandon Potter took a newly minted position in marketing at the start of the Williams Administration, then abruptly gave his two weeks’ notice after four months on the job.
It seems to me Mayor Williams has a choice. Either cut a check to Hispanic Festival and any other festival that was required to pay for their own security, or have Brandon Potter reimburse the city immediately. And Mr. Mayor… perhaps it is time to cut all the Potters loose.