Passenger Trains > DC Metro: Is this a clown show?

Former chairman of the DC Metro Board Jack Evans is now engulfed in another controversy about failing to report clients paying him for services which appear to conflict with his government role(s).  Evans, also a District of Columbia council member, left his post as chairman of the DC Metro board after a scathing review of ethics violations.  Among other things, he was accused of sending the Metro inspector general in pursuit of competitors to his clients.  Now, he is accused of similar violations in his role as a DC council member.

The Washington Post articles on the DC Metro mess (from June), and the council mess (now) make it clear there is little oversight on these elected and appointed officials. Evans was both, in his various and well paid roles.  It would seem difficult to oversee a complex transportation system, and reach equitable contracts with employees when top managers are doing side hustles to enrich themselves on the company's dime.

Here's the scatching article on the DC Metro Mess.  The guy claimed a report vindicated him when it did exactly the opposite.  https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/contradicting-jack-evans-metro-legal-memo-says-panel-found-he-violated-ethics-code/2019/06/19/f90a7a08-92bf-11e9-b58a-a6a9afaa0e3e_story.html

Here's the current DC Council mess, where they can't even censure the guy, in spite of ovewrhelming evidence.  https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/lawmakers-urge-jack-evans-to-resign-from-dc-council-after-report-of-ethics-violations/2019/11/05/7513f760-ff7a-11e9-9518-1e76abc088b6_story.html

Of course. The curse of being involved in North American rail transit is at work here. Anything to do with steel wheels on steel rails seems to be cursed with ineptitude since about 1955.

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In D.C. the local government and Metro is merely an employment system.  You do not go to work for the local government to provide services to the citizens, rather the government will permanently employ you, with full benefits.  And it will be almost impossible to fire you from your job.  It is an entire mindset of the D.C. community.  Government takes care of me permanently.  The only way to be fired is to be caught in gross theft, child molestation, or something particularly odious.  But ethics violations are small stuff.  

I watched the D.C. government function (pathetically) for 25 years.  

I watched it 50 years ago and left 30 years ago and never looked back. Best thing I ever did in my life. 

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
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Re: DC Metro: Is this a clown show?

Yes. Yes it is. It's sad to watch WMATA go from a world class transit system to the clown show it is, but here we are...

More WMATA board clown show:  Christian Dorsey, the Chair of the WMATA Board's finance committee failed to disclose a $10k campaign contribution from ATU Local 689. (It was in his campaign finance filing for the month of July.) Union matters come before the Finance Committee--so it's a pretty glaring conflict of interest. For that he was forced to return the money, and was kicked off the Finance Committee. All rather conveniently timed to happen exactly two days after he won re-election to the Arlington County Board. His opponent tried to make it a campaign issue, but having the requisite "D" after your name on the ballot is all that's required to win an election in Arlington County.

Today's Washington Post further revealed that Dorsey also filed for personal bankruptcy... back in October. Owes $27k in back federal taxes, $86k in credit card debt, defaulted on a mortgage, and other sundries. Democracy DOES die in darkness apparently.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/arlington-county-board-chair-christian-dorsey-files-personal-bankruptcy-petition/2019/11/07/caccd748-0197-11ea-8bab-0fc209e065a8_story.html

Paul Wilson
Arlington, VA