The firebugs at Grady were clear since 1998 when Senior Grady Vice President Joyce Harris blew the whistle, and showed that politicians and other good old boy relationships were getting secret, no-bid contracts. Grady was being robbed.
The Grady coalition has put in more than 50 open records requests regarding Grady over these years. Not a single one has been answered. Fulton and Dekalb commissioners, DeKalb District Attorney, the Grady trustees, Emory all stonewalled. Not a single ethics complaint has been acted on. The old boys apparently know a better tune and pulled platinum strings everywhere.
What is at stake is even larger than Grady. Will Georgia abide by its own open records laws? Do we have a government "of, by and for the people?" Or will Georgia forever be run by back room oligarchy?
The one voice that stood up for Grady against the old boys was trustee William Loughrey. Loughrey even went to the suburbs to ask them to pay their fair share. In return, Fulton commissioners ousted Loughrey, at least in part in retribution for his campaign to clean up Fulton politics and end government by secrecy. Who's next?
Do we wait for someone to yell "fire" before we fix anything in Georgia? Already, the same old boys from Grady are appearing at other Georgia institutions, like MARTA, PDK and at DOT.
Anything supported by taxpayers deserves open representation. Now Grady itself is sick, and I want to help, who else wants to help? Emory University, partner of Grady, where are you?
The only solution for Grady is open, democratic government. The people must be told what went wrong, and who is responsible, first. Grady, and other public institutions will not release documents that will show who are the firebugs, who spreads the fires, and who covers them up?
Open records are the "sinews of democracy."
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