Statement from Hon. Adrian Mapp, Mayor of Plainfield, NJ on GWB Closing

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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