Colin Responds To The "Deborah Edgerly" Issue

I appreciate that you are friends with Deborah Edgerly, and take your comments with that grain of salt. I also agree that there is no doubt more to this story, and it may play out in her favor. We will all have to see what happens, and I for one await further insights and will suspend judgment.

However, 2 thinhttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifgs regarding her being a scapegoat for nepotism:

1. Just because it happens a lot doesn't make it right. You know this, as does everyone who's made it out of the 3rd grade.

2. I'm trying to think of anyone else who could or WOULD call the OPD repeatedly to make sure that their child gets preferential treatment. Can't think of anyone. Certainly no elected official would risk that - assuming that they carried that much political weight. And certainly only a few appointed individuals have the clout to force something like that. So to suggest that everyone does it strikes me as a bit of a mis-characterization.

At least you're not arguing that it was somehow appropriate for her to get preferential for her family members.

Deborah Edgerly Is Scapegoat For Common Council Practice Of Influencing City Staff

What I find so "funny" -- and by that I mean strange -- about the entire rush to oust Oakland City Administrator Deborah Edgerly, is that she not only does have the City Charter-endowed right to impact what City staff -- including the police department -- but she'e being scapegoated for an action that certain City Council members have been known for: calling city staff to have them act on something. The difference is that Miss E can do that, but City Councilmembers can't do that.

But it happens on a regular basis. I think this is a real flaw in the City Charter in that Councilmembers should be able to have some sway over what is done by City Staff, but only to a certain extent. But the fact is that at least one Councilmember was known to call city staffers and push through contracts for relatives. That's a fact.

The East Bay Express, and some other bloggers just don't know Oakland at all.