Let’s be clear: to wish ill for Mayor Lovely Warren now — regardless of whether or not you supported her election — is to wish ill for the City of Rochester. And that’s inexcusable.
But more than a few people have been waiting for Warren — even willing her — to screw up. So she has to know that hiring her uncle to lead her personal security team — even if it is temporary — plays right into their hands. Social media is ringing with I-told-ya-so’s.
Warren should explain why she feels she needs a personal security team — without, of course, divulging information she ought not to — and why she’s not using Rochester police officers. She also needs to divulge their duties, salaries, and benefits. After all, I assume taxpayers are footing the bill for this unprecedented move; no other Rochester mayor has had personal security.
The uncle hire is another thing. The word around city government is that Reggie Hill is a good guy and more than qualified as a former state trooper who has provided security for some of New York’s governors. But Warren can hardly say that he is the best person for the job when, as far as anyone knows, she hasn’t interviewed anyone else. It just looks bad.
Warren made transparency a major issue in her campaign. She’s got to live up to that. She’s in the big chair now and will have to get used to the increased scrutiny.
This article appears in Jan 1-7, 2014.
Warren is clearly demonstrating that she is unqualified to be mayor. Every day brings a new problem. First, she tout her police chief candidate would come for a 25% salary reduction and higher taxes. A little naive? Now we have an appointee that did not bother to tell her that he had a DUI charge just last year, a lawyer appointee with conflict of interest problems, and on the same day, evidence of nepotism. I guess she thinks Rochester is going,to be her personal piggy bank. I guess she learned from Maggie. What’s next? It would. E best if she resigned now instead of subjectingmthemcity to another incompetent mayor.
City Newspaper and the rest of the Warren haters need to get a life.
“It just looks bad.”
Are you kidding? Does it look any worse than the hundreds of cousins, nieces, nephews, brothers, sisters, aunties, uncles, sons, daughters, and mother-father-sister-brother-in laws who have been hired by family members, and/or friends (pre-Lovely Warren Era) within the Rochester Police Department, Rochester Fire Department, other City Departments , and in the Rochester City School District? If the charge is nepotism, and if it’s true, is this something brand-new, or is it as old as the city itself? Sounds to me like the topic would be great for some interested investigative journalist to look into. Perhaps you (Ms. Fien )and Rachel Barnhart could team up together, and take on what I’m certain would prove to be a very interesting assignment (to say the least), or are your printing presses only set to pump out super-sensationalized, yellow journalism about the Warren Administration? I’m just asking.
I see nothing wrong with her hiring her uncle. He has the qualifications . Why she needs personal protection? Have any of you guys ever been to her neck of the wood ?
I don’t see a problem here. Her uncle was a state trooper who has provided security for three NY governors. She is an African-American woman with a young daughter and there’s no shortage of possible threats against her. I would hardly expect her or her security to announce publicly when someone’s made a threat; security doesn’t do that. With the attempted assassination of Gabby Giffords three years ago on Wednesday, nine publicly reported assassination plots against the President in the last five years, mobs of so-called “patriots” heckling and threatening members of Congress at town hall meetings, over a dozen threats against members of Congress for their views on the Affordable Care Act (both Democrats and Republicans) and the general tenor of our culture, I think it’s a prudent step for Mayor Warren to employ close protection officers. Mayor Byron Brown of Buffalo has been protected by at least two police officers for the last four years. The mayor of Pittsburgh has historically had two police officers accompanying them and the mayor of Cleveland has three homicide detectives with them around-the-clock and a fourth officer at their home. All of these cities are close to the size of Rochester and their mayors have the same level of prominence the mayor of Rochester does. It’s necessary. Who pays for it is another story. But even if the public has to, it’s a good investment.
While there are a lot of questions here the one which I think is most interesting is why our Mayor feels she needs protection in the first place. For years our mayors have used security on and off. Other major cities have done the same. To date I can not think of any serious incident. Now either the security is perfect or there is no need for it. To date there has been no serious attempts on the safety of our mayors. During the election campaign Lovely Warren went all over the city without incident or security. So I wonder why is there a need now? I am not afraid to go anywhere in Rochester and in the last few years have been to many of the worst neighborhoods even holding a 10pm press conference at Joseph and Ave D. I am worried though when our leaders become so afraid of their constituents that they need protection. I hope this is not the case but feel actions like this need much better justification as we can not afford to have security just for show.
People will have something to say no matter what she does anyway. Rochester is in a state of continued emergency and has been for some time now…It will take more than being a lovely person to turn the war zones we call neighborhoods around. It takes courage to walk in the shoes of being a FIRST. Take it from Shirley Chisholm who received constant death threats!!! She can not share everything with everybody so thick skin is required…and by the way…in case some of forgot…we HAVE THE FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT OF THE US.
There is no question that hiring friends and relatives has a long political past and present. That of course does not automatically make it a good practice. The reasons include situations in which transparency and critical evaluation can be more difficult if it involves a relative. It can create competing interests. This does not imply that the relative is not qualified. It is valid to ask about whether any consideration was given to posting for the position and interviewing others. My strongest criticism centers around the lack of clarity as to why such a personal security service is needed and the fact that in the present economy spending money in this manner rises to a higher priority than meeting the many other needs in City neighborhoods. The comment made by another reader indicating that there is danger “in her neck of the woods” is insulting to the very people Ms. Warren indicated she wants to represent. Why would she believe she would require protection from them as implied.
I was considering moving back to the city in the next year. I have concerns that Mayor Warren presents an inconsistent image. In her inauguration speech (as reported in the D&C), the Mayor wants to “continue focused investment and also bring a balance”. I hope there is great care taken choosing the investors.
There seems to be a conflict of interest in hiring a family member as a bodyguard. If the Mayor is paying out of pocket, clearly not a concern. The examples cited by Sean about the need for personal protection miss a prime difference; those individuals were national figures, not Rust Belt mayors.
With respect to nepotism Mr. Eagle, how many wrongs correct a problem?
I have noticed she is black (like it makes any difference), I do know we have a black President (who’s ideas I mostly support), who has executed his vision poorly. My opinion is it is due to who he has chosen to advise him. My concern is the Mayor may be following that same course.
My hope is her actions (and execution) will be without reproach. Realistically, if she is not successful, none of us will be either.
This seems like a prudent move to me. I thought she made it clear that she asked the police about her security and they suggested hiring private security. She hired her qualified uncle.
Some people are bent on straining at gnats, but will gladly swallow a camel.
I have assumed that Ms Warren needs Security Services as she intends to open a big can O’ Whoop Ass on the street corner drug dealers, a segment of City Society known for shooting back.
I feel the need to address what Craig has written. Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Buffalo are all the heart of the Rust Belt. Byron Brown, William Peduto and Frank Jackson are hardly “national figures”. Again I don’t see the mayor having two private bodyguards accompanying her to public events should be an issue in this day and age. Someone defaced the Monroe County Democratic Committee building and someone threw a brick through Louise Slaughter’s Niagara Falls office. If the mayor of Rochester feels the need to be protected, that is up to her. How much outrage is there that Jeff McCann, having left the county legislature, is given a $90,315 a year job administering an economic development grant and regulating the water levels in Lake Ontario? Does that REALLY require $90k in TAXPAYER money? Wayne Zyra, the last county legislature President, was appointed to the Water Authority board at a salary of $51,106 in 2010. Or the ROBUTRAD scandal, where the Monroe County GOP executive director, the fundraiser and the former Deputy County Executive used taxpayer money to get donations for the GOP. Or former airport director David Damelio spending $21,000 on cigars and strip clubs and charging them as “business” expenses. Or his successor being found driving drunk. Gee, Republicans really can criticize Warren, can’t they?
Armed guards are driving her to work while taxpayers are paying?!! She can hire anyone she wants for personal protection as long as the money comes from her income. She earns enough and should spend her own money prudently. As far as the taxpaper money, it should only be spent with extreme caution. The mayor should not forget who she is working for.
Yes Lovely, there are two Rochesters. One Rochester can hire private security, while the other Rochester gets shot in their neighborhoods.
Bodyguards?? A water park?? Are you kidding me? Buckle up, Rochester. It’s going to be a long, bumpy, and expensive ride.