McWilliams: Escalate WBLS Investigation

Inquiries into payment of city funds to radio station WBLS for live broadcast of a "Call to Action" forum are now approaching the one-year mark without any answers, and Council President Annie McWilliams suggested Monday that the governing body could "escalate" to using its subpoena powers to get to the bottom of it.

From the City Charter:

Investigations; removals.
(a) The council may make investigations into the affairs of the city and the conduct of any city department, office, commission or agency and for this purpose may subpoena witnesses, administer oaths, take testimony and require the production of evidence. In addition to any other remedy, any person who willfully fails or refuses to obey a lawful order issued in the exercise of these powers by the council shall be adjudged a disorderly person, punishable by a fine of not more than $200.00, or by imprisonment for not more than 30 days or both.
(b) Council may remove any officer or employee, other than the mayor or a councilman, for cause, upon notice and an opportunity to be heard.

McWilliams mentioned the option after an update revealed that attorney Stephen Edelstein, representing Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs, had failed to respond to the council's special counsel, Ramon Rivera. Stonewalled early on, the council had first hired Jacqueline Drakeford to probe the matter. But Drakeford, a former city corporation counsel, declined to serve.

Rivera was hired in April.

By way of history, the Aug. 1 event was preceded by numerous paid radio announcements regarding Plainfield's troubles with gun violence, supposedly the reason for the forum with The Rev. Al Sharpton as speaker. My attempt to listen to the WBLS broadcast from home failed in part, as I fell asleep before Sharpton made his brief appearance. The next day, I filed an OPRA request for the following:

COST OF AUG. 1 TOWN MEETING, including school rental, speakers’ honorariums or fees, security, setup, including WBLS requirements,cost of videographing, food and supplies, plus any other incidentals.

According to information I received in a partial response a month later, WBLS was paid $20,000 through the Division of Recreation from various funding sources. Documentation enclosed in the response indicated that McWilliams had made a request to the City Clerk's office on Aug. 11 for a "review of expenditures" for the WBLS event as well as for the July 4 parade, for which the city paid WBLS $5,000.

At Monday's meeting, Councilwoman Rebecca Williams reacted to Edelstein's lack of response, asking, "Who is this guy?"

But Councilman Adrian Mapp said, "Responsibility should be placed where it needs to be, with the mayor."

Mapp suggested the mayor and Acting City Administrator David Kochel should tell department heads to turn over the information at once, saying Edelstein has no standing on the release of documents.

Councilman Cory Storch voiced hope that the process would not escalate to a subpoena and hearing.

Kochel, hired in acting capacity May 11, can only serve a 90-day term until Aug. 11, so will have just one month to do what he can to get department heads to cooperate.

--Bernice