I was disappointed to read the article in the Times the other day about our former commanding general of Fort Bliss being accused of wrong-doing in a purchasing process.
We do not know what he did or did not do. We do know that the Times, through reference to a Washington Post article, told us:
Pittard was not accused of financial gain but was reprimanded by the Army for his “excessive involvement” in awarding the $492,000 contract and for “creating a perception of preferential treatment,” the Post reports.
Further from the Times article:
An Army review board is also considering whether to strip Pittard of his rank as a two-star general before he is allowed to retire later this year, according to the story posted online Sunday.
Perception
We should compare that to what is going on in El Paso. We have seen time and time again that not only is there a perception of preferential treatment, there is in fact preferential treatment.
The difference is that here in El Paso we tolerate it and whenever someone raises an objection the various local government officials circle the wagons to protect the culprits. Vendors that file open records requests are considered to be the enemy. Major contracts are cancelled and awarded to cronies. The public loses.
We deserve better
Brutus
elpasospeak 
Great point, Brutus. Our City has for way too long disregarded its own rules about where to purchase things. But, I suspect it goes along with that all too frequent urge to hire from outside the community rather than promote from within at the local school districts, hospitals, and many other agencies.
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The problem with promoting only from within is that you just recycle the retards who created the problems you’re trying to fix. New blood is good for geriatric organizations. Then there is Engineering…
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Jerry – Welcome back! I was worried that you had left town without saying goodbye.
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We lose local businesses and locally created jobs as a result of some of the City’s actions. Only a select few win where city government is involved. Oftentimes, the winners seem to be those in city government and their friends and benefactors.
The City has also become very litigious on various fronts, including going to great extremes to hurt some local businesses. If a business objects to the City’s actions or attempts to protect its own interest, the City uses taxpayer dollars to bury the company with legal actions intended to further hurt the business.
Someone should also look into the connections between the City Attorney’s office and certain law firms. There should be full public disclosure of relationships that might represent or be perceived as conflicts of interest.
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Remember Hardrick Crawford head of the local FBI? El Paso is corrupt from top to bottom and one of the reasons I left.
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EVERYONE. . . in local government and Ft. Bliss. . . has relatives and cousins in every major business that they have “Over to the house” and to “Backyard Drinking Parties” and “They helped you move” and “They lent you their pick-up truck” . . . so, yeah, the pressure is on to do business with them.
They are all related somehow.
Very difficult situation.
At one time those people could have Lent Them Money or something and now they owe a favor or two.. . . . or three.
What CAN they do?
– – – the pressure is on – – –
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And even worse. . . when those relatives KNOW about secret infidelities and that time you went to Vegas and. . .
. . .or they made you a fake Insurance Card when you were younger. . . . And your company trade secrets.
Many skeletons in everyone’s closet.
It’s not right, I know . . . . But, What can they do?
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It’s never too late to DO THE RIGHT THING.
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This is one of the reason El Paso has so many problems selling itself as a city of the future and a strong reputation for unscrupulous politicians who implement policy and make decisions in accordance with personal taste without regard to the will of the people.
We now know that a General, born and raised here, a West Pointer. A man that sworn to obey and issue orders that are legitimate and set the example.
In typical El Paso fashion, he sees nothing wrong with his actions and even portrays them as a decision that required boldness. Hasn’t it occurred to him that the reason he is being considered for demotion is he committed a crime, broke trust, dishonored his status. At the very least the action was unethical.
His career has ended, a reprimand and his commander losing confidence in his ability to lead is very serious. Because he is an officer he is being allowed to retire. A brilliant career destroyed because he thought it was ok to “hook up” his buddies. What a waste.
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Many people in the goverment, including military officers and local politicians like city council reps, do favors with the intent of being rewarded after they leave office. They are promised deferred reciprocity … a future board seat …. a future consulting contract … an unspoken guarantee of a job. They think that protects them against prosecution and for the most part it does.
Pittard’s statement about “boldness” is pure egotistical BS.The sad truth is that local, state, and federal politicians engage in these same kinds of things on a daily basis. They are influence peddlers who expect something in return. It is crony capitalism fueled by a sense of entitlement.
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