Our Ethical Former Governor.
You remember our former governor, Jim McGreevey?
Sure you do.
No?
Aw hell, I know he’s been gone for a while, but you must remember him.
He’s the guy who threw a lavish family reunion in Ireland at taxpayers’ expense.
He’s the guy who accepted a speaking engagement vacation in Puerto Rico, which was paid for by the Longshoremen’s Association, an outfit with ties to organized crime.
He’s the guy who surrounded himself with crooks and who may himself been directly involved in a “Machiavellian†scheme.
He’s the guy who put his profoundly unqualified, non-American boyfriend in charge of the safety of the citizens of New Jersey by naming him the Head of the Department of Homeland Security.
He’s the guy who, likely on the verge of being indicted, decided to resign, on the stated grounds that he is a “Gay American”.
He’s the guy who submitted his written resignation to take effect sufficiently in the future so as to prevent the citizens of New Jersey from voting for a replacement in a special election
He is the guy who made New Jersey the laughing stock of the country.
Remember him now?
I thought you might.
Now, it seems that this very same Jim McGreevey has accepted a teaching post at Kean University, a state university, where he will be teaching … hang on to your chair … ethics, law and leadership. In addition to his taxpayer-funded salary (modest thought it may be), he will also be earning credits towards his taxpayer-funded state pension.
I had hoped I was finished writing about this creep, and I damned sure hoped I was done paying for this creep, but this is New Jersey, and the creeps are in charge.
Frankly, I’m fresh out of outrage.
Not “will be teaching,” he IS teaching and I believe actually started at the beginning of the first semester in September. He’s making about five times what an adjunct professor earns. It’s disgusting, and apparently Kean is rife with this kind of crap. I’ve been hearing about it on 101.5 for a few days.
Comment by Shamrock — April 20, 2007 @ 8:39 pm
Ladies and gentlemen, “Your tax dollars at work!”
I wanna puke.
I’d say something about a former student telling me about a year before he “came out” that he was gay, but I won’t.
Comment by RT — April 20, 2007 @ 8:50 pm
Man, that Cristie guy is doing a hell of a job as an investigative prosecutor.
(Kean is not know for hiring the brightest bulbs in any subject area of the curriculum.)
Comment by joated — April 20, 2007 @ 8:52 pm
…the guy who made New Jersey the laughing stock of the country.
Heh.
I hardly believe one man, alone (girly, though he may be), could be solely blamed for making Jersey the laughing stock of…the country, you say? Not…the world?
[/ducks onslaught of Jersey tomatoes]
Comment by Erica — April 20, 2007 @ 9:17 pm
Just. Wow.
Maybe when Ted Kennedy retires, he can come on board and teach auto safety principles. Or perhaps water rescue.
Comment by Craig — April 21, 2007 @ 8:44 am
I don’t understand the problem, Jimbo. I’ve been away from Jersey for quite a few years now but presumably they still have both rope and lamp posts up there. Yes? Well, what exactly is stopping you?
Comment by zonker — April 21, 2007 @ 8:51 am
Zonk —
The rope would be subject to a 7% sales tax, and if the State Lawmakers got wind of the plan, they would hold a special session to create a lampost use tax and a hefty hanging tax. Probably wouldn’t be worth it.
Besides, the New Jersey Supreme Court has chosen not to enforce the state’s capital punishment law against murderers — even cop killers, and our recuperating governor is also opposed to the death penalty.
… and the beat goes on.
Jimbo
Comment by Jim — April 21, 2007 @ 9:27 am
My condolences. We have our fair share of creeps too and unfortunately they’re growing in numbers.
Comment by Craig's Spousal Unit — April 21, 2007 @ 12:13 pm
Obviously not a *how to* course.
As in: How to be ethical…
It’s a *what not to do* course.
Do as I say, not as I have done…
ish
Comment by Christina — April 21, 2007 @ 2:59 pm
“Silly gooses, I just love mentoring your children!”
…my condolences, as well.
possibly, there is a teaching post for Harry Reid as well, in Kean U.’s College of Treason and Surrender?
Comment by everydayjoe — April 21, 2007 @ 3:03 pm
Jim,
The head of the “Center for Ethics and Public Service” here is a guy who turned a blind eye toward cheating on his final examination, who encourages suing the guy with the deepest pockets (regardless of whether you have personal jurisdiction or even if there’s any liability), and whose class taught me, basically, that FRCP 11 is just a challenge to be avoided creatively.
Needless to say, I’m skeptical of “ethics” departments.
Comment by Vernunft — April 21, 2007 @ 3:28 pm
The only way this story could have possibly been better is if he was now teaching at Duke – that bastion of progressive thought. Geeze.
Comment by Teresa — April 22, 2007 @ 10:57 pm