Comments (0)Cardin: Debt Paid
September 4, 2009Andrew A. Buerger
Publisher
Del. Jon Cardin (D-11th) is guilty of a lot of things.
It starts with abusing taxpayer resources. The man who represents a largely Jewish district also is guilty of being a hopeless romantic, who so wanted to be married acted very unromantic in stealing a TV show plot and believing that having his now-fiancée arrested would be romantic.
He’s also guilty of a terrible lapse in judgment for the stunt, especially so soon after a gang shooting in Harbor Place, 100 yards away. (What was he thinking of in diverting police resources just after this incident?) And he is guilty for not coming back from vacation when he was featured on the AOL homepage.
Finally, let’s not forget his guilt of providing assignment editors with a gift in a slow news cycle. Yes, sandwiched between the deaths of Michael Jackson and Ted Kennedy, there was little else diverting media attention. Thus, Cardin’s mug was on CNN with the caption “To Protect and Propose.” The Baltimore Sun played it for days on their front page. But the coverage doesn’t fit the crime, and I use the term “crime” loosely. He is not charged with anything but poor judgment.
Now for the counter-argument: I know Jon well. He made a huge mistake and is trying to apologize for it. He paid for the resources the City Police Department said he used.
I also know and like City Councilman William “Bill” Cole (D-11th), yet we disagree that Cardin owes more than the $300 he paid for the 5-minute ordeal. That’s an hourly rate of $3,600 for the policemen and boat, an adequate sum for those who protect and serve us and our city.
And the police helicopter? Cardin was surprised, because he didn’t request it. He shouldn’t need to reimburse the city for that expensive resource.
In following the Jewish legislator’s tribulations in the media and on the blogs, most of what’s being written is unfair and inaccurate, especially the parts about him feeling entitled and his abusing power.
My sentiments are best explained by a prominent Jewish Baltimore businessman, philanthropist and political junkie. He’s no fan of Cardin, he told me, but knows that Jon, like all human beings, is not perfect.; and if we wanted only perfect people as public servants, no one would serve.
I think that’s true. After all, state delegates are paid about $43,000 for their work. They are full-time-and-a-half for the 90-day session, and are then on the job year-round. The position was created for farmers whose livelihood was not so interrupted from January to April. Today, the elected officials put full-time careers on hold to serve for three months, then on and off all year. How many of us would work that hard and take that much abuse for $43,000?
It’s ironic that this issue began playing out just before Ted Kennedy’s death. One political commentator remarked that when it came to the late Senator’s foibles, he was publicly humiliated in the worst way as his presidential brother simply got away with similar things. The rules changed on Ted. Now, with the public scrutinizing politicians’ every move, the career is harder than ever.
As Baltimoreans know, Jon shares something else with Kennedy: a famous family. Both were lambasted for exploiting their last names. To what end? To become a public servant and make way below market wages, to subject yourself to endless scrutiny and to be beholden to the public every four to six years to keep your job?
Jon’s family name helped put him into the State House, but give him credit for working hard to stay there. He doesn’t act entitled or rest on his name. The word is that he cranks out needed bills for important causes such as the Chesapeake Bay and our children’s education.
I’m not condoning his HarborPlace behavior. I’m condemning it. I am saying that it’s time to give the guy a break. He paid his debt and wants to go back to serving the public. We all deserve that.