The Committee of 70 wants Council's ethics committee to investigate the relationship between Goode and Bryant. (Photos courtesy: myfoxphilly.com)
A call from the Committee of 70 for City Council to investigate one of its own members overtook a press conference today where Mayor Nutter introduced his new task force on ethics and campaign finance reform. Nutter, with the nine task force members behind him, repeatedly refused to take a position on Councilman W. Wilson Goode Jr.'s relationship with his controversial chief legislative aide, Latrice Bryant. Council President Anna Verna would not say if she would convene the Committee on Ethics to investigate that relationship.
Bryant burst into the news on Sept. 18 when she held up signs in Council calling Fox 29 News racist for investigating whether she was attending to personal issues while logged in as working at her $90,000-a-year job. The station took it a step further last week, broadcasting photographs of Goode and Bryant looking cozy while on a 2005 vacation in Jamaica. Goode has said a problem with hour Bryant's hours were logged has been fixed. He has also said he has only a "social relationship" with Bryant and declined to comment on the photos.
Pressed to take a position, Nutter said: "I don't think there is anything I can do about a staff person in a separate branch of government or about another elected official." Nutter added that while he had seen some of the reporting on Bryant he didn't have all the facts to make judgment.
Verna at first refused to say if she would convene Council's Committee on Ethics but then partly relented, adding, "We will definitely look into it. I will talk to [Council's] leadership and see which direction they would like to go." Verna also acknowledged that Council rarely takes such action. "I can't remember the last time that Council ever investigated one of their own," Verna said.
And there is the problem, said Zack Stalberg, president and CEO of the Committee of 70. "There are 16 other members of City Council who can and should have a point of view on this," he said. "They're choosing a cowardly way out, which is to stay away from it all."
Posted by Chris Brennan @ 4:30 PM
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80 comments
What's the matter...the rest of City Council have the same thing going on in their own offices that they are afraid that they will be exposed too????? LOL!!!! This City is a JOKE!!!
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As a New Yorker from Philly, it's comical to see these things still going on in Philadelphia politics. That city is a laughingstock.
Why hasn't this women been fired yet???
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because no one from philly or any other city for that matter, can fire a black woman.
Our city council is the worst in the history of the free world. Its a political nightmare.
Nutter is just another Dem pol joke just like the rest of the city it seems, it's dissappointing, meanwhile we want to elect a chicago pol as president?!?! Do we want to see the entire country look like this?
"I can't remember the last time that Council ever investigated one of their own," Verna said.
as if their morals have been so above standard that they never needed an investigation...what a shame
it's not just philly, and it's not just black, white, democrat, republican....everyone if effed up.
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AH!!! what happened to my beloved philadelphia(west philadelphia high school: class of 1969) the inmates are running the asylum. that's another reason i moved away/out of philadelphia 10 years ago. the unprofessional behavior is shameful. philadelphia has turned into a third world dictatorship. poverty, poor schools, unsafe neighborhoods, no tax base and no industry. the folks that are gentrifying philadelphia need to run for political office. PLEASE SAVE MY BELOVED PHILADELPHIA FROM THE HOOD. THANK YOU. where's mayor/police commisioner FRANK RIZZO WHEN WE NEED HIM!!!!
beisarius, by the look of things, Goode has "sacked" his aide on more than one occasion.
flersgal, you are spot on -- they all prob have unqualified staff members who are over paid and wasting taxpayers money. I still would like to know why the city doesn't use electronic time clocks? Seems like a simple fix.
And I really want to know what Ms. Bryant's qualifications are for this $90k a year job, and how her qualifications and pay compare to others in the same role. Why does it take City Council to investigate that? Don't we have a controller's office?
where are all the liberal slobs now? a bunch of democrats playing graba** in council and the mayor and city council prez can't seem to want to do anything about it.
don't you ever disrespect a black mayor like that again!!
I mean what do you expect if you work for the city it is impossible to get fired I mean they hire people who are incapable to do the job, people who come late to work, people that take payoffs for illegal activity, people with some of the nastiest attitudes in the world that are supposed to provide customer service. It just funny how people can be surprised about this crap. Thank God I am an over the road truck driver and don't have to deal with them as much as you may do. As a black man I am real close to voting for McCain for the simple fact ever since I was born in 74 Democrats have done nothing at all but talk a bunch of crap and don't do anything. The only person I have respect for are the firefighters and the Commisioner Mr. Ayers who you never hear about screwing something up. The rest of you city employees you all need to be fired not suspended for your worthless effort to make Philadelphia to be a better city
Philadelphia is a political cesspool, corrupt to the core, just like Harrisburg and the entire state of Pennsylvania. Half the payroll is people related to pols and their cronies.
What's wrong with this picture???
At a meeting to present his ethics board, the mayor refuses to consider an ethics question???
And these are the people supporting Barack Obama???
Meet the new mayor... same as the old mayor.
What a spineless wuss of a joke Nutter has turned out to be. First he can't stand up to his old buddies on City Council on the ethics bill earlier in the year, now this. Just goes to show, you really shouldn't elect someone from a legislative body that he will later have to work with. Knox was no choice, once he got into bed with Janney Blackwell in order to get elected. Next time, even if Bozo the effing clown is running as an R, I must vote for him.
Huh? What the heck does City COuncil have to do with Nutter? Are ya'll nuts? This has nothing to do with Nutter, nor should he make a comment. This indeed may be the worst newspaper/online community ever.
I'm sorry but....I agree with flyersgal517 The behavior on the Police and Fire Department, when it comes to their fun on the side!!!
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She will keep receiving her 90,000, because she is earning it. But not the way other city employee's earn theirs. And nothing is going to change that. Remember, The "Brother's and Sister's are running the city" If you don't like the way things are going vote the RIGHT way on election day fools!( or may-be it's too late for that, the deck is stack against the good folks in that cess pool of a city) So happy I made it OUT. Oh-Hum!
what a shame, philadelphia is a beautiful city, we could be a first class city but not with the mind set that currently runs the city.why do you think there is not 1 high end department store in the entire city? you could never hire qualified help to work in the store'''
Yo' Ron, was-SUP, wit that
fly girl you left the jam with?
She's stickin' closer to you
Than the bread on the meat of my sandwich
I know you rock a beach, cuz
It's ok because the brothas and the sistas are running the city, shooting cops, and calling everyone else racist!
Hey scrumptious --- maybe you should start reading some New York papers. Does the name Spitzer ring a bell? IDIOT.
The guy responsible for all of these clowns (including those bozo Judges), Congressman Bob Brady, head of the Democratic Party in Philadelphia, must be in hiding.
I agree...no one in City Hall wants to tuch this because they've ALL been scr**ing the people of Philly for years. anyone interested in trding Goode and Bryant for Robert Mugabe and Running Back (hey, the Iggles need all the help they can get) to be named later....
In any typical corporation, if you are dating your supervisor/coworker on party needs to be transferred or let go. This woman should be removed from Goode's office or transferred to another office. Better yet, it would be wonderful to get rid of Goode. Just hearing his last name reminds me of the awful job his father did in office.
The guy responsible for all of these clowns (including those bozo Judges), Congressman Bob Brady, head of the Democratic Party in Philadelphia, must be in hiding. Unfortunately, in the upcoming election, the "Night of the Living Dead" zombies will continue to obey the commands of their incompetent leadership and pull the big "D" lever.
So, a news conference about an ethics task force is over taken by a call to investigate a breach of ethics? And there is resistence to this investigation?
Is this a Monty Python skit?
Unfortunately, it's just another day in Philly politics.
To Dan19148 and Arizona: Both of you are the reasons why America can't and probably won't get back to it's original standing as the best country in the world. Dan with your comment about "the entire country looking like this" and Arizona with your comment "save Philadelphia from the hood". Arizona you are just plain racist, ignorant, and uninformed. I hope you are also up in age so that your ignorance goes with you. Hopefully, you've moved to Arizona with so many others who feel the same way - namely the presidential nominee from that state John Mccain. Talk about the blind leading the blind. I don't agree with how the city is being run either, but I also don't agree with how the country has been run under Bush. I'm not making racist remarks. You guys are why the middle class no longer exists. Ignorance and racism are so out of vogue.
To Mr. Goode: You are an absolute disgrace to the City of Philadelpia, and are showing the whole world how far Philadelphia has sunk into the bowels of civilized society.
To the Mayor & the President of the City Council: You are also a disgrace to the people of this City. You are helping to reaffirm how you can "talk the talk", but NOT "WALK THE WALK". At face value, everything that Goode and Bryant have done STINKS, yet you remain silent. Did you ever REALLY wonder why more and more people no longer call Philadelphia their home? Shame on you!! And shame on us if we ever re-elect any of you. THROW THE BUMS OUT.
You get what you vote for. Philadelphia Democratic politics at it's finest! People, you will not do anything about this so just shut up and go back to taking it like you have in the past.
The brother and sisters are in charge yes they are ...YES THEY ARE
And I don't think the former mayor was referring to clergy. And then just because you are called on the carpet by someone for shoddy ethics, you get to claim that they are members of an organization that kills people for their race. And keep your job and escape all punishment.
But race doesn't factor into this at all. Understood.
This is a disgrace... Nutter/ Goode prob think this will get brushed under the carpet in a few days.... it wont go away until they are fired.
Anyone that thinks something will come of this is delusional.There are two standards in this city.Black and white and city council members and the dumb taxpayers that keep voting them back in office.
Good citizens of Philadelphia - do not let this get brushed under the carpet.
Is there any formal complaint that can be filed by the people (TAXPAYERS) of Philadelphia to let Nutter/ city council/ etc know this will not be / can not be tolerated and we want results???
So he could do something about another elected official's ethics when it was an unpopular elected official that he could build himself up by kicking, but not when it's one he doesn't want opposing his agenda? Profile in courage Mike!
Ohplease I think you are the one making assumptions, racial and otherwise, look in the mirror. This city is a great example of a corrupt dem system much like in other cities, you say you disagree with how the city is being run but one from a likeminded chicago pols is different?!?! You also I hope can admit that McCain and Bush are most definitely different, so which is more change? For you to immediately insult and make claims of racism is more of the same. Ohplease you are the same as Latrice Bryant even if you speak/type better, you disagree with my opinions so you pull out the 'dan19148 = kkk', you do realize this don't you???
I echo the statement made by belisarius! How crazy it is that such a thing can go on without any reprisals, that City Council and the Mayor look the other way is disgraceful. THey look the other way while people abuse their position and responsibility to the citizens of Philadelphia!
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Comically Ohplease you don't share your frustration or outrage over the Goode incident, doesn't this bother you?
She is a black woman. No one will touch that subject. Anna Verna fears she will be called a racist and Mayor Nutter an Uncle Tom.
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i said it once, ill say it again...take a long look at mr. goode...we are getting a bargain at 90k to "service" his "constituency"
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What one Democrat is going to investigate another? C'mon, get real.
what's to say? She's a pig with no shame!
Nutters ethnic reform is a joke
We the taxpayer can send Mr goode a message when he runs again and believe me he has no shame he will run.We can send willy boy and his concubine looking for employment
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The only way this city council, mayor or commission for ethics will ever take action is for the Citizens of Philadelphia to take back the city from these crooks, liars, and cheaters. Demonstrate civil disobedience, Get a thousand people to sit down in the middle of Broad street during rush hour, picket Goode's office, harass Latrice Bryant till she breaks, attend City Council meetings and hold up derogatory signs, put her picture and those signs she held up on billboards on 95, write letters and email to the mayor and his commission on ethics, file a complaint with the city's commission for human relations for racial intimidation. Civil disobedience will bring the world media into it, then the city will have to act or lose where it will hurt them the most..in the $$pocketbook$$.
nutter just lost my vote for reelection. can't wait to see the ads in 4 years reminding the voters how Nutter really took action on this. nutter/city council is so lame. i wonder if they are afraid Goode or Goode Jr will bomb them? as many have said, in what job can you consistently lie and cheat on ur timesheets and not be fired? or right, the city of philadelphia. can't wait to move out of here. Obama lost my vote. goodbye Mayor NONutters
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I don't live in Philly anymore... and am a Conservative Republican. However, even though I don't see 'eye to eye' w/ Mayor Nutter. I think he's doing a good job and believe it's completely understandable that he say nothing about Goode. City Council must clean up this mess... he's one of them!
question: does anyone else see the irony in Nutter announcing ethics and reform, but not having anything to say about this? Nutter, WTF???
Can we hear some real news.....Apparently the writers of this paper can not, or refuse to look for real news or real interest stories ....Outside of the world news, the only thing that this paper reports is murders!!! Is this paper on the verge of extinction????? I have a bachelors in Journalism......Do you need any writers?????
ant wait for Goode to be mayor in 7 years
It's a love thang!
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Scrumptious-as a New Yorker who loves Philly, you should take a look at NYC before calling any city a laughingstock. NY is just as bad. City Council is a joke, and is also a "Good Ol' Boys" network, who, once elected, can't seem to get along. That and a mayor who is reversing term limits (that were only set by the previous mayor), to suit his greed and feed his ego. Don't think for a minute that this doesn't go in in New York City politics. You only have to go back to last year where a Queens councilman was caught in the same position, sleeping with a high paid aide, arrested for sexually harassing another...and, unlike Goode, he had a wife.
Those who don't speak on it such as the mayor probably approves of it. Any other time he speaks on everything else none someone cheating the city out of money and conflicts of interest just aint that important to talk about. That's why I wanted Chaka Fatah to win, I truly believe he would of been best for Philadelphia.
I just wonder if a white woman held up a sign that had KKK written on it.. just how fast would the city act and how fact would she be fired and how fast would Jessee Jackson and the Rev. Sharpton be here. Talk about double standards... that's NO standards...
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90K a year to bang that fat Goode. Nutter looks the other way, of course. No, he cant directly do anything (thats Vernas job).. but he can publicly reprimand City Council. Thats his job. He allegedly ran on platform of reforming city gov't HAHAHAHA what a joke Nutter is. Great job with the murders too. Go buy another sweater.
Hey MCaesar: Ole Uncle Jesse Jackson took $ from his own Rainbow coalition years ago. So, I guess top, organization leaders who are scumbags arent all white You racist freak.
This should not be allowed to just "go away". Even if Nutter has no control over Council, that doesn't stop him from expressing his outrage. However, politics being what it is.. I wonder if any of the principals see or read any of these comments? We should all print this comments and send them to all those concerned in City Council.
Ha ha. The start of Nutter's fall has now started, how long before he is a lameduck mayor?
While I supported Mayor Nutter from the beginning, he has turned out to be a huge disappointment. What a lack of leadership!
It's why I voted for Al what's his name from the northeast...
Why hasn't Latrice been fired? Because the girl is certainly working: http://www.philebrity.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/latricegallery.jpg -- you guys just have to upgrade and enhance your definition of work to include Philly style work. We have some of the hardest working girls in politics.
Come on Nutter and Verna. Doing nothing is in no way reflective of who you are as public servants. Even Bruce reminded us at the Philly rally to "dream of light" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gngtCwKkxlY and watch him sing it out like an angel.
Latrice is working so hard the girl has to take antibiotics. And yes, 19146, of course the mayor has the authority to convene a committee on ethics. to fast track nepotism legislation, or to order a review of all of the time sheets of Goode's office to see if they are in order. There is more he can do, even, and should do, or frankly, I can't see voting Obama in office who'll just let this kind of thing go on unabated, sending federal funds to Philly with no strings attached. That would just cement the status quo here of pay to play and pretend you can't see or do a thing.
Pay to play. I pay you, I play you.
Knox is the only one who has the stones to face the corruption in Philly. Fattah would be even weaker then Nutter. Fattah would be playing the race card right now with Wilson, who are you kidding, like he did during the election. We have to elect someone not of the party machine as mayor. Philly is just that close to being a world class city except for the people in power who are really like lead paint babies who grew up downwind of the refinery. Can they pass ethics reforms? Can they even pick their noses, much less pick good laws?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gngtCwKkxlY and maybe listen to the advice of Bruce when he says "let's build that house" at the end, right Nutter? Verna? Build the house meaning pass ethics reforms that prevent abuses like this, convene a cttee on ethics, investigate Goode's office for time and wage fraud and abuse?
The idea that mayor nutter "won't coment" on a CITY EMPLOYEE is a total crock!!! I understand that he can not fire her, but he SHOULD AT LEAST CONDEM her acts.... Oh, and that human relations office is............... lol
Maybe someone should dig a little deeper and find out why Mayor Nutter is a little wary about pushing too hard ... maybe a "those who live in glass houses ..." scenario.
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