While Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick takes to the airwaves — or at
least to the city's cable access — to move the city forward, as he
and his cronies keep saying, the city received yet another kick from
the media.
This latest minor blow comes in the final paragraph of a Tuesday
story from National Public Radio's Web site about a federal
investigation of Special Counsel Scott J. Bloch, who is in charge of
protection for federal whistleblowers. Bloch is in hot water as he is
being investigated for bringing politics into what is supposed to be
a politics-free zone.
What is most interesting in the story is in the detailed allegations
of how Bloch apparently retaliated against career employees —
including threatening to send them to Detroit.
According to the NPR, employees have accused Bloch of "creating a new
field office in Detroit and forcing them to accept assignments there
or relinquish their jobs."
Again: Ouch.
Mr. Mayor, you better get working to move the city forward. That is a
low blow, having people quit their jobs and surrender their careers
just so they don't have to move there.
Of course, I hope this doesn't get used by the city — promoting
itself as a place to open new offices so as to drive employees away,
especially with some companies looking for ways to trim their
workforces.