Blather and confusion from another Palmer puppet

Doug Palmer’s favorite shill set a new record for sucking up to the master Thursday during his radio show.

L. A. Parker opened “Straight Talk” on WIMG with a discussion of the Santiago residency issue. For five minutes, Parker took the party line to new lows. (Download it here.)

After proclaiming that the Trentonian “broke the story” of Santiago moving into the city, Mr. Objectivity and his female on-air sidekick state that if the opportunity presents itself through the former police director should be allowed to stay on. They demonstrate a complete lack of understanding and/or acceptance of the fact that four New Jersey judges have declared the office of police director vacant due to Santiago’s lack of residency. The only reason he is still “on the job” is because he was granted a 75 day time period to effect an orderly transition to a successor.

He goes onto state the matter was handled incorrectly from the outset and that if the job meant that much to Santiago he should have moved into the city and avoided all the expense and hassle of the court case. We can’t argue that.

Parker criticizes Council, notably Councilman At-Large Segura and the so called “gang of four” (Segura, along with Bethea, Coston and Melone) about changing their tune from ‘it’s about residency’ to ‘he’s (Santiago) not the man from the job.’

“It’s not fair,” L.A. says.

Parker actually says that it appears there is a way for Santiago to stay.

L. A. also says Mr. Segura “should have kept his mouth shut” but has “had a problem doing that lately.” (About 2:55 in) Maybe Parker should heed his own advice.

This again shows a refusal to grasp the most basic concept of the case…the position is vacant. Santiago’s relocation to the city doesn’t guarantee his approval by Council or anyone else.

Parker, ever the administration loyalists, defies anyone to tell him that Santiago has not done a good job in the five years he was Police Director. His blind allegiance to the Palmer throne prevents him from acknowledging the financial waste, blatant favoritism, the lack of public confidence in the level of overall public safety in the city that have marked the Santiago tenure.

Not a very good quality in one who purports to be a journalist.

Another indication of Parker’s lack of comprehension of the facts of the case comes at about 3:49 into the piece. Our intrepid reporter, so willing to offer his learned opinion on these weighty topics admits readily and clearly that he “doesn’t know how it was stated in the decision by Judge Feinberg.”

“If it says that he’s gone, than he’s gone,” explains our non-comprehending radio host. “But if there’s a way that he can stay, don’t change the debate now.”
Don’t know, L. A.? Then stop talking about it!

Perhaps the most telling and egregious statement in the piece comes near the end.

Mr. Parker brings up the fact that there are questions about Director of Communications Irving Bradley residency as well. Parker puts this on people who don’t like “Latinos” or “blacks.” As proof, he cites the fact that rumors have swirled for years about the true residency status of Business Administrator Jane Feigenbaum yet nobody has gone after her.

It is true that many have questioned just how much of a Trenton resident Jane is. It was pretty well known that she divided her time between Jersey City and her house in Mill Hill. Her frequent absences were marked by an increase in the amount of people hanging on her front steps; her often overgrown backyard. And it is right that her residency should be questioned.

But Mr. Parker, intrepid reporter that he is, again doesn’t know or doesn’t care that Ms. Feigenbaum owns her home in Trenton (something Mr. Santiago has yet to be able to say). Ms. Feigenbaum also is registered to vote in Trenton. Again, something Mr. Santiago never did.

Aren’t these two of the benchmarks used to establish “bona fide” residency? Since these two facts are public information that anyone can readily come by, why wouldn’t one assume that Ms. Feigenbaum has met a lot more of the legal standards used to determine residency than Mr. Santiago or Mr. Bradley, so maybe there is no point in pursuing any action against her.

But even that simple research is too much for Mr. Parker, an alleged reporter, to be able to carry out. It’s much easier and to his liking to call the motivations racist and leave it at that.

Prattle on Mr. Parker. You aren’t convincing anybody of anything other than your blind and loyal allegiance to Doug Palmer’s shrinking, sinking fiefdom.


*Edited to fix broken link to audio download. If it still doesn't work, try cutting and pasting this url into your browser: http://www.zshare.net/download/1742864254135b48/