Listening to the Victoria Taft program on Portland’s KPAM 860 AM radio this evening, I was somewhat surprised to hear a comment made by Washougal’s city council member, Jon Russell complaining about the lack of transparency in government.
Surprising in that the dust has yet to settle in Washougal after the scandal broke of a State Audit announcing unaccounted for funds in the city.
Russell was fast to distance himself from the scandal, pointing fingers at the mayor, Stacee Sellers and the rest of the city council in not properly performing their oversight duties.
Several releases to the Columbian had him saying he saw troubles some time ago, but could not rally support “amongst the Progressive majority” on the council who were loyal to the mayor.
Clark County Conservative has written on the shortcomings displayed previously at Russell Shows Lack of Experience on City Council and Jon Russell Says, “The People Deserve To Know The Truth.”
Russell was instrumental in censuring mayor Sellers and bring about her immediate resignation under threat of impeachment and ever since I have been critical of comments left on the Columbian articles by the former mayor and brother of mayor elect Sean Guard, Jeff Guard.
Jeff has been commenting constant criticism of Stacee Sellers specifically and occasionally council members in a more general sense. On the surface, since Russell has been less that forthcoming on his inability to properly provide the oversight he was charged with by Washougal voters, I assumed Guard was displaying sour grapes since Sellers defeated him in 2005.
Then, it dawned on me, sour grapes or not, Russell’s finger pointing towards other council members didn’t add up with what Jeff Guard says of the council during his time in office.
Russell claims these same council members would not support his efforts in correcting the actions of mayor Sellers due to their loyalty to her. Stacee Sellers, although a Republican, was said to have a “Progressive” council.
Jeff Guard said, “I can 100% guarantee nothing even remotely close to this ever happened during my term,” in response to my saying a deeper investigation was in order.
That’s when it dawned on me. The council Russell pointed fingers at is the same council that Jeff Guard had, some of them still sitting on the council today.
Are we to believe this city council that worked well with Democrat Jeff Guard switched loyalty as soon as Republican Stacee Sellers assumed office?
Or, did Russell level the accusation to distance himself from the scandal and his own failure to perform his duties in oversight?
Little doubt that Jon Russell is a very ambitious young man.
Yet, in his lengthy list of accomplishments and business ventures, he makes no mention of his company, Northern Concepts LLC that not long ago campaigned for one of the largest tax increases ever seen in Clark County.
But, he readily boasts of a one percent cut in Washougal property taxes.
That’s not transparency; it’s politics as usual for the ambitious.
Before Jon calls for transparency from others, shouldn’t he man-up and stop pointing at everyone else?
Jon, a leader doesn’t blame everybody else for their own shortcomings. They accept responsibility and correct things.
As I learned long ago, when you point a finger at someone else, Jon, you have four pointing back at you.
Finger pointing is not transparency!