Statement
from Hon. Adrian Mapp, Mayor of Plainfield, NJ on GWB Closing
January 9, 2014
I
find the closing of the George Washington Bridge as a punitive political
measure incomprehensible and unconscionable. It’s a clear example of the
worst that can happen when elected political officials and their staffs lose
sight of the reasons why they were elected, and instead act out
of arrogance and spite.
The
incident points out the need for elected officials to be “hands-on” with
their responsibilities, and that is why I have selected key staff who share my
beliefs and who are qualified, competent professionals. Ultimately, I am
responsible for all that happens in my administration, and I can assure every
Plainfield resident that my response to a crisis of this magnitude will never
be “I wasn’t aware of what my staff was doing.” That simply will not
happen in my administration.
Unfortunately,
this incident will give many Plainfielders, as well as many
New Jerseyans, more evidence for the charge that politics is a
dirty business. However, I choose to believe to the contrary, and I
hope that every elected official runs for office because, at
some level, they believe they can make a positive difference in the
lives of their constituents.
I hope that all elected
officials will learn from this episode and pledge a renewed
effort to restore our citizens’ faith in government by acting from the highest
and best levels of integrity and decency in all our actions.
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