The World According to Oatney

Harbergate: One more step to investigation

The Intergovernmental Affairs Committee of the Knox County Commission voted yesterday to recommend an investigation into the Tyler Harber Affair to the full County Commission. The resolution was sponsored specifically by Commissioners Moore (R-Chairman), Lambert (R-a Commissioner who was endorsed for election by this website and who made the formal request for the probe), and Cawood (D). It is fitting that the formal resolution should be brought forward by two Republicans, the effective leader and a freshman Commissioner, and seconded by a well-respected Democrat.

From the News-Sentinel yesterday:

Earlier, Dwight Van de Vate, spokesman for Ragsdale, said the mayor's office has "no problem" with the commission looking at the mayor's office or his employees.

That's good to know, because that is all anyone who ever pushed for this investigation was asking for: If Mike Ragsdale is innocent, let his office be opened and the proof be given.

It would seem to me to be accepted political wisdom that those with nothing to hide submit freely to such probes, sometimes even as a matter of public routine. With that in mind, here is some sage advice to Team Ragsdale: If you don't want to be suspected of wrongdoing, do not act in a way to make people be suspicious that you may, in fact, be doing wrong.

I heard a quote from Commissioner Greg "Lumpy" Lambert this morning on WIVK: "Someone [in the County Mayor's Office] must be doing something wrong, or they wouldn't be trying so hard to leave doors unopened, but surely no one is guilty of everything that [Tyler Harber] alleges." I don't know, Lumpy-it doesn't look good to me at all when Ragsdale is continually trying to dodge being investigated by using the old "move forward" line. Rumors now abound that people close to the investigation, such as former GOP Chairman Chad Tindell, have been threatened will more embarrassment. Just a week ago, Ragsdale denied he was under investigation...now that it is ubundantly clear that he is, he is trying to dodge the truth by accusing investigating Commissioners of "playing politics," and calling the actions of the Commission "distasteful."

Apparently, anything that might make Mike Ragsdale look bad is distasteful. I wonder what propaganda Joseph Goebbels Dwight Van de Vate will spew today?

Ein volk, ein Reich, ein Ragsdale!

Labels: Local politics

posted by Deacon David Oatney @ 7:13 AM