Duggan turns to cronies first.

**bailey** · December-30-13, 09:47 AM

Don't always agree with Finley... but in this case, I don't see how Duggan's actions aren't raising some serious red flags with this pack of gadflys. Not even sworn in yet and already doling out the patronage jobs.

Twice during this year’s Detroit mayoral campaign, The Detroit News endorsed Mike Duggan, recognizing him as the best choice for leading Detroit’s turnaround.

In both the primary and general elections, we cited Duggan’s forward-looking message and experience turning around other failing enterprises. But each time we also offered a caveat: We worried he would fall back to the cronyism that marked the Ed McNamara administration when Duggan was the late county executive’s right-hand man.

With the wounds still fresh from Kwame Kilpatrick’s friends and family plan, we were concerned about the image Duggan would send in surrounding himself with the old pals who followed him from the county to the Detroit Medical Center.

His first round of appointments suggest our concerns were well-placed. Duggan so far is building a team that looks like a set of retread tires.
.....

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...xt|FRONTPAGE|p

**Hypestyles** · December-30-13, 09:53 AM

Ike McKinnon is a surprise. He’s clearly retirement age. Wasn’t he teaching at a college?
Side note: what will Malik Shabazz’s role be,if any? He has been a staunch critic of the police department, but now that his candidate is the mayor, I wonder how this will play out.

**Gistok** · December-30-13, 10:06 AM

This stood out....

"Political machines can be effective in making a city functional. Duggan may get better results from a team that is fiercely loyal to him than Mayor Dave Bing did with a team so intent on sabotaging him."

**Dan Wesson** · December-30-13, 10:22 AM

Pragmatism first, Hope and Change later...

**Zacha341** · December-30-13, 10:34 AM

^^^ Just like what is going on in DC! --

-- Bring your support peeps along for the ride!

PS. The repubs do it too! Umm, got that.

**Dan Wesson** · December-30-13, 10:38 AM

First rule of leadership, surround yourself with people smarter than you.

**Zacha341** · December-30-13, 10:49 AM

^^^ Good point!

**Bham1982** · December-30-13, 11:15 AM

Duggan is a product of the Wayne political machine. He is the ultimate machine politician, reaching office through McNamara, gaining wealth through the DMC sale, and winning election in Detroit despite being ruled ineligible for ballot. He will fill ranks of deputies with his cronies.

**professorscott** · December-30-13, 11:21 AM

First of all, since somebody asked, Dr. McKinnon has been teaching at Detroit Mercy.

With regard to Mayor-elect Duggan's appointments, I understand Mr. Finley's concerns, but I think they are misplaced. That Mr. Duggan is a product of the aforementioned political machine is unarguable, but so what?

First of all, any executive is going to surround himself with people he knows he can work with, given the choice. Not every executive has the authority to choose a team; Mr. Duggan has, and is using it. But looking at the big picture, this is a very nitpicky thing to be fussing over right now.

Detroit needs streetlights that work, policeman that come when needed, buses that come at all, and an environment where one can open a dress shop without having to spend months careening from permitting department to permitting department. If Mr. Duggan can begin to deliver some of that, I don't care if he surrounds himself with devil-worshiping meth addicts.

**MikeyinBrooklyn** · December-30-13, 11:22 AM

I am not sure why this is a surprise. He graduated with honors from McNamara University. I don't have a problem with politicians bringing in people loyal to them provided, A) They are at least reasonably capable of doing the job they are assigned, and B) They are examined for ethical and conflicts-of-interest issues beforehand and periodically thereafter. As everyone should be. Zacha is right, this is standard for most political people. If you were a movie producer and hired a director to shoot your new film, I doubt you would assume the director would avoid hiring actors and crew that he has worked with before. You would think he would hire them, because presumably you liked his previous movies.

**firstandten** · December-30-13, 11:32 AM

Duggan is a machine politician, we all knew that. As long as his appointees are relatively honest and Duggan holds them accountable I don't have a real big problem with it. Remember the pool of competent political talent in Detroit is rather shallow to begin with.

**birwood** · December-30-13, 11:48 AM

"Same Circus" with a New Ringmaster.

**poobert** · December-30-13, 11:50 AM

I think it is a misplaced assessment [[less misplaced than most of what Nolan writes, but whatever). The difference is that with Kwame's choices the credentials were limited often to being related to him, fucking him, or having gone to Cass with him. Otherwise they were often totally incompetent and more often than not, criminals.

One last question: why do both papers have such a hard-on for George Jackson? George Jackson is left holding an empty bag for good fucking reasons, which have all been stated here hundreds of times over, not because Duggan wants "total control." Finley, Gallagher and the rest fall all over themselves for Jackson. So really, it goes to show you who the established cronies in this town are.

**Wesley Mouch** · December-30-13, 11:52 AM

Originally Posted by bailey

Don't always agree with Finley... but in this case, I don't see how Duggan's actions aren't raising some serious red flags with this pack of gadflys. Not even sworn in yet and already doling out the patronage jobs.

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...xt|FRONTPAGE|p

Cronyism:

Cronyism is partiality to long-standing friends, especially by appointing them to positions of authority, regardless of their qualifications. Hence, cronyism is contrary in practice and principle to meritocracy.

If we expect our leadership to be effective, they need to have their team in place. Finley proves they are his team. But he doesn't prove that they are unqualified. This story seems to be in search for facts.

Is it that Finley likes George Jackson? Often one can see a reporters motivation. Not so obvious here unless it was a slow news day.

Duggan promised fresh talent. Do we really want 100% fresh people who don't know how to get a political machine to respond? Do we think that somehow Detroit's administration is not a political place that requires political skills to control?

**MikeyinBrooklyn** · December-30-13, 12:37 PM

I had the pleasure of living in NY during a good chunk of the Giuliani administration. [[I am not attempting to start a conversation about his policies here). No one doubts he had effective control of the government, something which people had said before his arrival wasn't possible [["ungovernable" was often used to describe NYC in the 80's and 90's). Many of his key people were with him when he was US Attorney or the in the Justice Dept beforehand. Taking your key people with you can really help you govern. You know people's strengths and what projects they might be able to handle.

**bailey** · December-30-13, 12:56 PM

Originally Posted by Wesley Mouch

Cronyism:
If we expect our leadership to be effective, they need to have their team in place. Finley proves they are his team. But he doesn't prove that they are unqualified. This story seems to be in search for facts.

Is it that Finley likes George Jackson? Often one can see a reporters motivation. Not so obvious here unless it was a slow news day.

Duggan promised fresh talent. Do we really want 100% fresh people who don't know how to get a political machine to respond? Do we think that somehow Detroit's administration is not a political place that requires political skills to control?

Not really going to pick nits but c'mon "qualified'? Butch Hollowell... the guy who apparently couldn't count or read and has a penchant for prostitutes is a good non controversial hire? I mean is this bunch is "qualified" in any way OTHER than they've been shuffling through various offices in CAYMAC or Wayne County or the State Democratic Party?

They are very "qualified" as political machine hacks... looking around at what their particular machine has wrought, gives me pause.

I had, foolishly I know, hoped for better. What really is the difference at this point between what Duggan has appointed and what Napoleon would have appointed?

This really looks like, "new boss, same as the old boss". here's hoping the rampant corruption and patronage is handled like the Daley machine..as opposed to the kleptocracy of the Kilpatrick's.

**Wesley Mouch** · December-30-13, 01:04 PM

Originally Posted by bailey

Not really going to pick nits but c'mon "qualified'? Butch Hollowell... the guy who apparently couldn't count or read and has a penchant for prostitutes is a good non controversial hire? I mean is this bunch is "qualified" in any way OTHER than they've been shuffling through various offices in CAYMAC or Wayne County or the State Democratic Party?

They are very "qualified" as political machine hacks... looking around at what their particular machine has wrought, gives me pause.

I had, foolishly I know, hoped for better. What really is the difference at this point between what Duggan has appointed and what Napoleon would have appointed?

This really looks like, "new boss, same as the old boss". here's hoping the rampant corruption and patronage is handled like the Daley machine..as opposed to the kleptocracy of the Kilpatrick's.

Agreed as to Hollowell -- my point however was the Finley doesn't say that. He doesn't talk about lack of qualifications. He only says they're 'retreads'.

**bailey** · December-30-13, 01:14 PM

Originally Posted by Wesley Mouch

Agreed as to Hollowell -- my point however was the Finley doesn't say that. He doesn't talk about lack of qualifications. He only says they're 'retreads'.

Agreed.

I think however, when Finley uses "retread" it implies or assumes incompetence or machine hack or patronage hire. I mean, if finley thought ANY of them were good hires, he'd have said, "although a retread, he's proven his capacity to ...blah blah..".

I guess his point is that Duggan's message during the election was "new direction"...staffing your key first hires with retreads of questionable worth isn't sending a great message.

I mean who's next Turkia Mullen?

**bailey** · December-30-13, 01:19 PM

Originally Posted by professorscott

Detroit needs streetlights that work, policeman that come when needed, buses that come at all, and an environment where one can open a dress shop without having to spend months careening from permitting department to permitting department.

So how is staffing up your administration with folks that couldn't do it before, or had a hand in enabling the election of administrations before that couldn't do it, a good thing?

**professorscott** · December-30-13, 01:52 PM

Originally Posted by bailey

So how is staffing up your administration with folks that couldn't do it before, or had a hand in enabling the election of administrations before that couldn't do it, a good thing?

I didn't say he is going to accomplish these things; I merely said that if he does, I don't care who is assisting.

Unlike any of his recent predecessors, Mr. Duggan has had success in a challenging business environment [[the DMC). So I have some confidence he can pick a team that will work with him to get things done. It is also telling that Mr. Orr has sufficient confidence in Mr. Duggan to unload a good bit of responsibility, which statutorily he did not have to do.

I'm no Pollyanna; read any of what I've written here in the past several years. But I am guardedly optimistic.

**rb336** · December-30-13, 02:30 PM

Finley is an ass, and a half-assed reporter who would love to see Detroit go away completely

**bailey** · December-30-13, 02:48 PM

Originally Posted by rb336

Finley is an ass, and a half-assed reporter who would love to see Detroit go away completely

stopped clocks and all that.

**Schoolcraft** · December-30-13, 02:50 PM

I never understood why people thought this was such a big deal. Everybody hires their friends and backers... even outside the political circles. I don't see how this is any different than anybody else out there. If the NERD fund donors were exposed you'd see all types of cronyism at hand. As soon as the EM started, a bunch of Gov Snyder's friends like Nowling and Bonsall got jobs in Detroit. When whole consultant thing started a 22 year old fresh out of State that majored in finance was making $275 an hour in consulting fees. Gary Brown is getting $225,000 a yr to do a job that has yet to be defined and Finley didn't write anything about any of that. So I say let the man choose who he wants and judge him on if he gets the job done.

**professorscott** · December-30-13, 03:17 PM

Originally Posted by Schoolcraft

a 22 year old fresh out of State that majored in finance was making $275 an hour in consulting fees.

Let's be precise: that's the amount for which his time was being invoiced. I bet you fifty million dollars he wasn't making anywhere near half that much.