Ethics reform at City Hall losing steam?
Mayor Nutter is in danger of forfeiting his stature as the lead reformer if he doesn't take stronger steps to maintain the independence of the Philadelphia Board of Ethics.
The ethics reform movement at City Hall seems to be sputtering. Mayor Nutter, who was elected on a pledge to clean up City Hall, is in danger of forfeiting his stature as the lead reformer if he doesn't take stronger steps to maintain the independence of the Philadelphia Board of Ethics.
But in the last two weeks the mayor lent support to over-the-top criticism of the Ethics Board by City Councilwoman Marian Tasco and others. He previously slashed the board's budget by 20 percent - a deeper cut than most other agencies that will hamper investigative resources. Then Nutter caved on his preferred appointee to the board, replacing him with a candidate who appears to be a sop to his old cronies on Council.
Is this the same guy whose mayoral campaign ads talked of throwing the bums out of City Hall?
Read more on Friday's editorial page.