Tibbs Whiffs One

The Statesman has reported the details on mayoral candidate Jim Tibbs' effort to make an issue about Mayor Bieter's involvement with the Gallatin Group. Tibbs is alleging a conflict. However, as Randy Stapilus points out, there is no conflict.

An internal problem with the release (apart from proofreading - we reproduced the text here verbatim) is that it doesn’t indicate a conflict. A conflict of interests might occur if, for example, Bieter were being paid by Gallatin for outside contracting work and then proposed it receive a city contract. That could be a conflict between private interest and public responsibility. Instead, in this case, he spent campaign money with Gallatin, and also recommended it for city work. That indicates some closeness, perhaps; but where’s the conflict?

The Statesman makes that case that Tibb's handling of the alleged conflict went contrary to the way he's selling himself for mayor; "relationship repairman."

Meanwhile, we're troubled that Tibbs politicized this issue, holding a news conference to announce his ethics complaint. ... If this is really a blatant case of "political payback and graft," to quote Tibbs, he should have made his case in a proper forum and in a professional manner. Tibbs, the self-styled relationship repairman, sandbagged council colleagues who aren't even the target of his ethics complaint.

As you'll see from the articles, Tibbs made a cheesy effort to gin up this controversy by keeping his mouth shut at the time he should speak up, and then absented himself from the vote. By missing the vote he didn't have to state reasons for voting against it, and probably thought he was preserving the issue to use against Bieter.

A good mayor will have enough political savvy to balance the many interests affected by city government and will get along with the city council, or at least have a good working relationship with it. With this episode, Tibbs cast doubt on his judgment because he alleged a conflict where there was none. He alienated the city council. He subjected himself to widespread criticism but didn't really score a hit on Bieter. In fact, Bieter's conduct in disclosing and abstaining from voting makes him look good, and that has been highlighted by Tibb's attack.

I think Tibbs has shown that he doesn't have the sound judgment, nor the political acumen, to be mayor. He swung for the fence here but struck out instead. Keep him in the minor leagues.