If, as appears likely, however, today's detailed and highly educational examination of Pat Risha's friends-and-family approach to
nections between a Republican bundler and the Democratic Party's lawyer, the curiouser case of the approved-without-approval Carson Street strip club, and a series of extraordinary contracts and coincidences -- is merely the beginning of a series of reports from Rich Lord's enterprise assignment, the Post-Gazette picked an outstanding leadoff hitter.Patrick Risha is not a big hitter (his influence on public affairs has been limited to the backwaters of the Mon Valley), and is past his prime, but he can work the count (an uncanny knack for 5-4 votes), get on base and set the stage for the sluggers at the middle of the order. Some of the names and themes from today's story may reappear as Rich Lord and the P-G wade past the small-timers and into the heart of the order.
12 comments:
Actually, I think Rich's Grattan expose a few months back was the lead-off.
More like his ticket to the show.
A number of likely targets had grown complacent, even to the point of telling each other lately that 'he got nuthin.'
Wonder how they feel today?
This was a well-done expose by the PG, and I know it has at least a few people in the South Allegheny School District looking forward to what comes next. There's still a great deal of resentment there toward Risha, his building spree and his severance package.
The Risha saga merits a few more installments, but let's hope Lord came back with bigger game (figuratively, of course, not literally) from his hunting expedition.
It appears the county Democratic Party website no longer identifies Ed Grattan as finance director. Coincidence, or fallout from Lord's story? No successor is named, so we'll go with door number two.
Any chance Rich Lord's reporting could cause another name to leave that list?
Patrick Rish'a son is the bozo who is trying to operate the West Carson Street strip club. The same strip club that was mishandled by the city law department.
A fair percentage of that material was old news, albeit nicely arranged. Just sayin'. I doubt if any of the complacents are now quaking in their boots. Because, and this is honestly the key and most troubling question: WHO CARES?
I care Bram. You care. Lots of people care. The real, and more troubling, question is: if we won't step up to eliminate these thieves from our body politick, who will? Most people don't follow politics, especially local politics, exactly because these kinds of shady figures dominate. They pull the strings. Most regular people therefore throw up their hands, stop paying attention, and say all politicians are corrupt. So, because we've made the convenient conclusion that "nobody cares", we should just let enitre disfavored neighborhoods in this City continue to rot, and leave a whole generation of young Pittsburghers without any hope or leadership? Don't convince yourself that nobody cares. There are truckloads more of us than there are of these thugs. Ask yourself whether the people who say they "care" (primary anonymously on these blogs, as I am) are doing enough, running for office, supporting the right candidates who will change the corrupt status quo, regardless of the consequences. Plenty of people care, but those who do tend to sit on the sidelines, unfortunately. Unless more of us get on the field, get used to more of the same.
Yeah Bram, Pat Ford it ain't, but still ...
No Anon 9:46, I wasn't suggesting that. Whatever this is is bigger, only it's far, far more diffuse, more institutionalized and more in keeping with what we think of as professionalism. Which brings us to Anon 9:10's change-at-the-ballot-box rally cry, which is well taken as always ... only I can't help but think it needs work already. Something's missing, or broken.
There were some fresh and intriguing angles to the story, I'll grant you. The burgeoning wastewater management sector is fascinating, as is the wide-angle picture of the role attorneys play in civic life. And if I'm Tom Corbett I really hope there's not a follow up article or further questions anytime soon, particularly if the DA denies jurisdiction or otherwise becomes involved.
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