Mayor's press barrage criticized by federal prosecutors
The Chronicle's Kristen Mack reports that Mayor White is under fire from federal prosecutors in Ohio for releasing excessive information about an ongoing bribery investigation that has already nailed one Houston-area official:
The city of Houston has received a harsh letter from federal prosecutors in Ohio scolding Mayor Bill White for releasing subpoenas in a bribery case to the media after the prosecutors asked the city not to.
The prosecutors acknowledged that the release was legal, and a White spokesman said the mayor released the information in the interest of open government.
[snip]
The prosecutors' letter says the city was informed ahead of time, in writing, that the subpoenas were sensitive and that "public disclosure of these materials at this time would not be advisable."
The prosecutors said disclosing the information would "inform individuals under investigation ... unknown details regarding the focus of the investigation, the progress of the investigation and the sources of information obtained to date."
The mayor's office defended the release of information as reflective of White's belief in transparent government.
Former Mayor Bob Lanier weighed in, with a quote that is perhaps more revealing than intended:
"They have one set of needs in the U.S. Attorney's Office in Ohio and the mayor has another set of needs in leading the city of Houston," Lanier said.
The most Machiavellian mayor in Houston's recent history surely must be taken seriously on such topics, and we have no doubt this release of information was intended to satisfy the current Machiavellian mayor's political needs.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 12/17/04 10:34 PM | Print |
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