Has Cranial Rectosis Hit John Brown?

Cranial rectosis is common among elected officials

I've been supplementing a story that first broke in Friday's Express Times. It concerns a bizarre week of unprecedented abuses of power by Northampton County Executive John Brown. He removed a link for online fraud reports that Controller Steve Barron wanted posted on the county webpage. Then when Barron sent out an email concerning that fraud tool and other matters, Brown actually blocked all group emails from an independently elected official, outside of his own office staff.  Brown also lashed out at Council in a statement he robotically read to the press, using goofy words like "craven".  Then, he strangely walked out of his own office without answering questions. He posted armed guards outside his office, to keep both the public and members of Council away during his news conference. Brown reportedly reversed course on Monday, but I happen to know he hasn't learned a thing.

Brown had a minor surgical procedure on Friday. According to some of my readers, he was suffering from cranial rectosis, a very common ailment among elected officials.

He needs to have the procedure repeated before his health plan reductions go into effect.

Though he reversed course, Brown is telling his supporters that Barron should thank his lucky stars. Brown claims that Barron's Friday mass email was illegal. What really is illegal is obstructing a governmental function. That is what Brown did. He interfered with an independently elected official. It's true that part of Barron's email was nutty, but Brown has no right to censor another elected official. Also, IT operator Al Jordan works for Brown, but he also works for Barron, the DA and the courts. He needs to listen to them all.

Brown reportedly is also considering attacking Barron because our full-time controller does some part-time work as a referee.

The Exec really must have a bad case of cranial rectosis. His head is so far up there that his voice echoes.

Let me tell you about Barron and Lamont McClure. I know them better than most.

Barron von Footinmouth

The transformation of Barron and McClure   

If you ever have a chance, ask Barron who has been his harshest critic over the years.

C'est moi.

I have nailed him repeatedly as a political Controller. Instead of acting as a fiscal watchdog, he's been more of a union agent.  I hammered his extortion at T-Mobile and his witch hunts. I happen to be the person who broke the story that he was spending a good 12 hours every week, during the work week, away from his office. I even won an investigative journalism award for that report.

I've also been somewhat mean. Though I did not invent the name "Barron von Footinmouth", I sure as hell ran with it. I even snapped and published a photo of him outside a yogurt shop this summer, which drove him nuts.

It's been fun.

But John Brown is ruining everything,

Same thing with Lamont McClure. I've been hammering him since I started blogging. But thanks to Brown, McClure has transformed from a lazy and mean-sprited partisan to an indefatigable advocate for both fiscal sanity (he spoke against these consultant contracts) and the downtrodden worker. An asbestos lawyer whose most noteworthy contribution to council has been his record absences, has changed from contrarian to a powerful voice for those who have none. He's even calling in at committee hearings. 

This really pisses me off.

Brown has been such a disaster as County Executive that he has made two of my usual targets look good by comparison. He may have guaranteed theur victory at the polls next year.

Was Barron's Mass Email Illegal?

Without question, Barron's Friday email was a bit over the top. That's because, in addition to discussing his fraud link, he went on to gossip about incoming employee Nancy L. Jones, disclosing what her job would be and how much she would be paid. This was an outrage to a secretive Executive. But is it illegal?

Of course not. While his Jones' comments certainly had nothing to do with the Controller function, Barron only revealed information that already was in the public domain.  Jones herself made her new job known when she notified Bangor's Mayor and council of her new job. Her salary and job classification are public information.

In fact, Brown should probably announce hires like these instead of trying to keep everything hushed up. The public does have a right to know who is working for us and how much they are paid.

He may not like that kind of exposure, but as one of his consultants says, "Nobody subpoenaed you to work here."

Barron von Footinmouth, Referee 

An angry Brown has reportedly told insiders that they're going to come after Barron because, though he's our full-time Controller, he also works as a referee. This is something I wrote about last year. It did not bother me then and does not bother me now.

Barron, who is paid $65,000 a year, is bound by the County's Home Rule Charter.  It clearly states that the Controller "shall devote full time to the office, and shall not actively engage in any other business or occupation."

I seriously doubt anyone but a rank partisan would consider a part-time job as a ref on weekends the active pursuit of another business or occupation.

Neither Barron Nor Council Work For Brown

The message Brown needs to learn is that the Council, Controller, DA and Judges are all separate branches of county government. None of them work for him. In fact, Brown's HR Director and IT Director work for them.