Reader DP brought up a really interesting point that I’ve been thinking about. The City Council members implicated in the Kroll report are in a tough spot: Can they ever be outspoken on anything in the future?
I made the case that the Kroll report pulled a punch. But the punches they landed may pave the way for the mayor to have his way.
Think about it. What if one of tainted council members sees something terribly wrong with a deal or proposal that the mayor brings up? Can they really challenge him as openly and bravely as they might if they weren’t so vulnerable to the attack about their own past actions?
Aren’t they resigned to being a very weak group on the City Council forever? All the mayor has to do is bring up the Kroll conclusions to completely undercut – rightly or wrongly – whatever they are complaining about.
It’s like the silver bullet: “don’t oppose me on this or I’ll call for you to resign…” That could be a brutal negotiating stick. Not saying he would use it. But it might be in the toolbox.