More Unfinished Business

The Interbranch Commission on Juvenile justice released its report last week.  The commission was formed to study the "kids for cash" scandal in Luzerne County.  There are no surprises in the report.  There are no surprises in the reaction, either.  The people who should have been keeping an eye on things, the ones who should have made sure constitutional rights were guaranteed, the ones individuals who should have spoken up when they saw laws broken, still do not accept responsibility for their ineptitude and laziness.  For me, that's the saddest thing to come out of the report.  Excuses.

Luzerne County Clerk of Courts Bob Reilly has "retired."  He was recently charged with taking bribes.  Reilly has been taking government paychecks for decades.  Why have so many of those snared in the corruption investigation have been career courthouse and city hall types?

I had a feeling something was going to happen.  The feds had been quiet for a while.  Last week, Wilkes-Barre businessman Thom Greco was charged with knowing about a crime, in this case, a bribe, and failing to report it.  I've always had mixed feelings about Greco.  He has big ideas.  He's made a lot of money, and has started a lot of businesses.  Unfortunately, things always find a way to get off the track.

They are their own worst enemy:  The Joe Sestak/White House job offer thing has gone on far too long.  Why have all parties involved struggled to get out in front of this?

I'm not a fan of prime time on MSNBC, but I stumbled on a Rachel Maddow segment the other night that was fascinating.  It was about an underwater oil leak in 1979.  It was in only 200 feet of water, and it took months to control.  All you had to do was change the dates and location-- and it was identical to the current BP leak in the Gulf of Mexico.

I hope you had a good Memorial Day weekend.