Shocked, I Tell You, Shocked and Astounded

Some folks have been waiting for years for this shoe to drop. U.S. Attorney Max Wood sent a love letter to the City of Macon inviting indicating that the Ellis administration misused money and made false statements to the feds in connection to grant money-money they allege the City spent in ways other than intended. It may take months before we all recover from our astonishment at the allegation that Ellis would've done such a thing. But, the feds just might want their money back, and my question is-is the City of Macon really going to be the only entity punished here?

Does Jack walk away? With him being the only City Official named, and with the language "making false statements to a government official" floating around, I'm guessing Jack better be hiring a lawyer, booking a trip or both.

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Shipp Said It

Others have thought it, but Shipp said it. And you can read it here.

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Oh, Good Lord

I hear things. Yesterday I heard that Mayor Ellis is having a luncheon at the City Club on Monday-his last day as Mayor. Some of the leaders in the local business community are invited, including folks from New Town, the Chamber and others. The purpose? To make sure his initiatives continue after he leaves office.

Speaking of his initiatives, how much is it going to cost to take his name off all the city limits signs?

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Mayor Ellis Has Signed the Hotel Documents

After much bluster, I'm hearing that Mayor Ellis has signed the hotel documents.

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Is Ellis Using City Resources for Ramadan Event?

The Macon Telegraph is reporting that tomorrow, Macon Mayor C. Jack Ellis will help lead a Ramadan forum and feast, and the event will be held at City Hall in Council Chambers. After an informational session, the community is invited to participate in a "feast."

What???

I have no issue with Ellis converting to Islam, but I would have issues with him converting City resources for personal or religious use. This is a religious ceremony, so unless the City intends to make this public property available to other faiths that wish to use the facilities, then this crosses the boundary between the necessary separation of church and state-and maybe this incident makes it a little more clear why such separation is needed.

Here are my questions:

1) Has the Mayor used City resources to advertise this event? Someone obviously sent out a press release, and I know from several sources that council members got an email invitation. Apparently other clergy were also invited. Was this done through his office, during work hours, using city equipment, and done by an employee who was on the city's payroll at the time?

2) Who will be paying for the "feast?" I assume that it is the Macon Islamic Center, but I think it's a question worth asking.

3) Will city employees have to work late to provide security or otherwise "cover" the event? If so, who foots the bill?

It costs something to keep the building open after hours.

The problem here is that this is a slippery slope. I don't know what the current city policy is about groups using City Hall for religious events, but the Mayor may be setting a precedent that Macon will have to live with long after he leaves office.

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I Knew He Liked Islands...

Today, Mayor Jack Ellis issued a press release indicating that he has been appointed to serve on the advisory committee for the Jekyll Island Revitalization Group, one of the three entities considered to be "in the running" for the controversial development contract for the island.
The release claims that this "further solidifies Ellis as a pivotal and progressive municipal leader." I don't know about pivotal or progressive, but if they wanted a board member with lots of experience with controversy, they picked the right guy.

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Promoted from Comments: "Easy Piety"

From Tina:

There's a lot of "easy piety" going on these days. Easy piety consists mainly of pointing a finger at someone else' or disapproving of someone's lifestyle. Although I don't agree with cozying up to Hugo Chavez, I agree that being AGAINST cozying up to him is definitely easy piety.
More difficult piety involves actually doing something that improves the human condition whether it happens to be popular or not, and whether it happens to line your coffers with $$$ or not.
Our country is now in a situation where health care is neglected, border security is neglected (except for pompous statements about building The Great Wall), food safety is neglected, product safety is neglected, the Geneva Convention is neglected and diplomacy is a forgotten word. And not only all-of-the-above, but the stock market is low and gas prices are high. American men and women are dying in an ill-planned war that shows no progress.
And yet we still have politicians who are humming "holy, holy, holy" as they plan new ways to neglect both the poor AND the middle class.

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Whew! That's a Relief!

Thank God Sen. Cecil Staton and Rep. Allen Peake called a press conference so they and other Macon officials could stand in solidarity against the Mayor's statement of solidarity with Hugo Chavez. Before their press conference today, I was certain that Staton and Peake were co-signers of Ellis' letter (after all, they're all BFFE) and wanted nothing more than to invite Chavez to be honorary emcee for the Cherry Blossom Pageant. Glad they've clarified their position.

Seriously, how hard is it to call a press conference to stand up against something so ridiculous? How about a few press conferences to stand up for our children's health? Or for fully funding their schools? Or maybe to call for some ethics legislation that might address excessive lobbyist spending? Here's what Shipp had to say:

Georgia's vision of a prosperous future is based on attracting rich geezers and importing young adults who grew up somewhere else. As you can see, the current crowd certainly has no interest in investing in the well-being of Georgia children here and now.

But, never fear. They ARE opposed to Hugo Chavez and Jack Ellis.

Me, too.

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Hugo Now at Category Two

It looks like Hurricane Hugo has grown to a category two storm with sustained attention from local media, bloggers and now, none other than Fox News. Residents are encouraged to board their windows and stay inside to avoid the flying garbage.

Yes, reaction to Mayor Ellis's statement of solidarity with Hugo Chavez has now blown a news crew into town. We will, apparently be featured on Brit Hume tonight and have already been the subject of a morning news cast on the network. (City Councilman Rick Hutto "reluctantly agreed to be interviewed.")

Don't you love it that this is the news the world will hear about out little town? Did I mention that Mayor Ellis has endorsed Barack Obama for President? I hate to break it to the Mayor, but I think that any hope of a foreign policy post in an Obama administration just blew out the window.

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Hurricane Hugo?

The Telegraph, again today, reported about Mayor Ellis proclamation of solidarity with Hugo Chavez. Johnny Floyd, founder of The World Conference of Mayors, said the group had not sanctioned the Mayor's actions, but Floyd has learned too late that Ellis seldom waits for or feels he needs anyone's sanction. Giving the story a national audience, Neal Boortz picked it up for his radio program, calling the Mayor "a blithering idiot." The only question now is: will this story grow or die?" Those of us who have lived through the Ellis years in Macon know that this is just Jack being Jack. He doesn't speak for most of us, and never will.

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Ellis Declares Solidarity with Chavez

From Matt Barnwell at the Telegraph, it appears that Macon Mayor Ellis has gone and done it again. Just when you think he cannot possibly do anything more ridiculous, he does. Mayor Ellis, in his capacity as Mayor and Macon and as Vice President for Tourism for the World Conference of Mayors, has sent a declaration of solidarity to Hugo Chavez. Chavez read the declaration on his weekly radio show.

Only four more months, folks.

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