I’d like to pitch an idea for a new TV show. Let’s call it ‘America’s Dumbest Politicians’; where the malfeasance, ineptitude, greed and downright arrogance of local officials are put on full display for all the nation to behold.
And I have candidates for the first two episodes, namely The East St. Louis Housing Authority (ESLHA) and the East St. Louis Public Library because, clearly, the learning curve at these two political entities is as steep as Mount Everest.
Back in 2018, the former director of the ESL Public Library, Marlon P. Bush was sentenced to serve 12 months in prison for embezzling over $48,000, using a library credit card to purchase everything from sports and concert tickets (Bootsy was one of his favorites), clothing, jewelry (because you have to look good at the stadium and concerts), personal travel and weapons. Lesson learned, right? Wrong!
Fast forward to 2024, and we have a fresh federal indictment of Kenyada T. Harris, the most recent ESL Library director, who has been charged with five counts of wire fraud and two counts of theft, with prosecutors alleging that she “knowingly embezzled, stole, converted, obtained by fraud, and misapplied” over $16,000 in cash advances and automotive repairs (and not for their Bookmobile) over the past two years.
Meanwhile, former ESL mayor Robert Eastern as well as current ESL city council members Jo Anne Parks and Ryan Cason have all expressed disdain and outrage at the allegations against Harris, while the library board literally, dropped their books and lost the lessons of 2018, in failing to monitor the excessive spending and transactions of the indicted former library director.
It doesn’t get any better at the East St. Louis Housing Authority, which was under federal oversight by HUD for 32 years, the longest federal housing receivership in history. HUD took over operational control of the ESLHA on October 28, 1985, following a history of property deterioration, financial mismanagement, and poor leadership.
In September 2017, HUD Secretary Ben Carson announced the end of the receivership, requiring the appointment of a 5-person Board of Commissioners, appointed by then-mayor Emeka Jackson-Hicks, and under the guidance of an oversight administrator for 2 years. Think they learned anything?
Clearly not, because in 2024 HUD is back and threatening sanctions and/or federal oversight due to accusations of mismanagement of ESL public housing, including five changes in leadership (director, acting director, interim director, and board commissioners) since 2023.
One major concern has been ESL city’s random policies and procedures for replacing their executive director and replacing their Board of Commissioners.
One concern included ESL City Manager Robert Betts applying for the position of ESLHA executive director, only to withdraw his application after scrutiny of the process in an April 29, 2024 warning letter from William O. Dawson, the director of the Chicago regional office of HUD, to ESL Mayor Charles Powell III.
Additional concerns pertained to the appointment of multiple ESLHA board members who were not residents of ESL, a violation of state law.
Dawson went on to threaten the possibility of a takeover if board appointment policies are not corrected and in compliance with policy.
Betts, not one to refrain from putting his foot in his mouth, was quoted as saying that he did “not necessarily” agree with government policy that board appointees must reside in ESL, saying that “People live in multiple places. You can’t dictate where people stay and sleep at (sic).” “That’s all subjective. We don’t sneak around to see where people sleep.”
That is the epitome of arrogance and a pompous disregard for government policy, accountability to the public and a smug, self-serving attitude that only a public serpent would dare express in the face of government oversight.
This is why certain East Boogie politicians and their poli-tricks are worthy of their own TV show, because even the best script writers can’t make this up!
Email: jtingram_1960@yahoo.com X@JamesTIngram