Ben Konop had a press conference earlier today at One Government Center, where he reminded voters of his earlier ethics pledge:
Edmund Burke once said that the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. The recent wave of scandals at all levels of government has decimated the public trust. Citizens have come to recognize a culture of corruption that has been shaped not only by officials who were complicit in criminal activity but also by those who were complacent when confronted by it.
It’s time for a change. It’s time for all of us to become better role models and better citizens. And it’s time for our leaders to commit to holding themselves to a higher standard.
In February I stood here to take a pledge of ethics and good government to the citizens of Lucas County. Today I have returned to reaffirm that commitment and challenge my opponent to join me.
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Today I have returned to reaffirm that commitment and challenge my opponent to join me.
I am not one bit worried about the ethical character of George Sarantou. Not at all.
I am terribly worried, however, about the ethical character of those running the Lucas County Democratic headquarters.
And as Mr. Konop gets his support and advice from this group, I will be astounded [and pleasantly surprised] if he is not tarnished by the thugs therein.
Ben does not get his support or advice from those running the Lucas County Democratic Headquarters. That I have to really disagree with you on. I realize you are not going to be a Ben supporter but to try to imply that he is somehow involved with all of that mess isn't accurate.
As far as George's ethical character I'd feel a bit better about it if he would have actually gone public with what he knew about the whole McCloskey situation.
The truth of the matter is that Konop has not been here long enough to get involved in any bad stuff like his Aunt Sandy.
Thurber then campaigned that she was going to be ethical. One major federal scandal showed us that she was a huge hypocrite.
All "new" candidates campaign that they will be ethical, but soon don't.
We need to look no farther than Wade K., who campaigned that he was going to clean up Kest's mess and railed against Noe and the coins. At the very same time he was doing this, he was LYING to the people of Toledo about the incident with McCloskey (he said it didn't happen) and keeping his mouth shut. After this, Wade K. talking about ethics is a joke. This is how Konop will turn out too. Just wait and see what he'll do and say to get elected.
The one pledge that should get signed by all candidates is this one. I was registered to vote in Lucas County for the last presidential election. Konop won't sign it -- he didn't even live here. Now he wants to tell us what to do.
I'm sick of all of this.
That is a good point. Did Ben blow the whistle on Isenberg's free roof? I bet he knew and like everyone else kept quiet about it.
Let's not get silly here. Was Ben an elected official then? No. I don't excuse any of those who were elected. I'm not going to be selective because I prefer one or the other, I'm going to demand the same behavior from all of them.
If my anonymous posters are going to support George? That is your choice, but I'd appreciate things here being based on fact rather than fiction.
Angela I feel the same way, thank you.
:-)
Ben's pulling this stunt because he has no past to stand on.
After the campaign for the primary's, I'd be curious how Ben defines Ethics.
This Ethics Pledge is sooooo tired. You can do it once in the primary but to do it again in the general makes you look pathetic.
Dave Schulz
I believe this is a legitimate question for Ben:
Is he asking Pete Gerken and Tina Skeldon Wozniak to sign the same pledge?
I don't think it's pathetic to re-affirm what you said in the primary.
As to the other two commissioners? I have no idea if Ben is going to ask them or anyone else. The only one running against him is George.
:-)
This Ethics Pledge is sooooo tired. You can do it once in the primary but to do it again in the general makes you look pathetic.
Thanks, Dave. Dave ought to know a thing or two about the ethics issue as he has been tirelessly hounding McCloskey [D] and Shultz [R]about ethical behavior.
I agree also that it looks like a tired, old publicity stunt, which is why I question the advice he is getting.
While I understand the rampant cynicism being showcased in some of these comments - politicians and ethics, sort of like oil and water, right? -- is it really so much to ask to keep an open mind and think that maybe, just maybe, there could be one politician out there who is going to strive to be ethical and keep his word?
Would it be so tough to be somewhat positive about this ethics statement?
Or has our political system turned everyone into complete cynics, so much so that they believe something like an ethical challenge is a "stunt" to garner more publicity?
I may be going out on a limb here, but I'm going to guess that somewhere out there is a politician or two who really has ethics and is not swayed by what is "popular" -- if I'm wrong, then we are all, in a word, screwed.
Thank you, T.L. for posting that. I was beginning to think I was alone.
:-)
somewhere out there is a politician or two who really has ethics and is not swayed by what is "popular"
Sure, but many are doing other things now because they were defeated at the polls.
Since Ben signed that pledge, I guess that he will have report all of Aunt Sandy's dirty little secrets over the past 30+ years.
The pledge is for the future from my understanding so even George should be able to sign it.
:-)
I have a little different take on this ethics issue.
I'm using my own evaluation of each candidates ethics in deciding whom I will or will not be voting for.
Those with no known track record in politics will not be discriminated against until they earn it.
If not totally new to the political arena, I look at what political history they may already have.
To me their history matters.
Because people do change, it is at best a crapshoot.
I also withhold judgment till a day or two before an election. Prior to that, I'm still gathering information, reading and learning.
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