Buckelew bust may fell mayor

Daniel Sims, Columnist
Published On: 09/30/2008

Some stories won’t go away. Like an unwelcome house guest, they hang around and inject themselves where they are not wanted. So it seems the theme of corrupt leadership in our city and county simply won’t go away.

This is what I was thinking as I read the headline of the September 24 edition of The Birmingham News. The headline heralded the story of how former Jefferson County Commissioner Mary Buckelew admitted to receiving bribes in regards to the refinancing of the multi-billion dollar county sewer debt, and more interesting, her agreement to assist the government in prosecution of this case.

For those who are keeping score, of the five County Commissioners involved in the questionable financial arrangement surrounding the sewer system in Jefferson County, four of them: Jeff Germany, Chris McNair, Gary White, and now Mary Buckelew, have been found guilty of some form of criminal wrongdoing. The fifth person that sat on that commission as it’s president is no other than Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford.

Larry Langford, who in April was sued by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for accepting $156,000 in kickbacks for funneling Jefferson County financial business to the Montgomery-based firm of Blount, Parrish, and Company. With the agreement by Mary Buckelew to assist the prosecution, it may signal the close of Larry Langford’s controversial political career.

The question the residents of Jefferson County and the city of Birmingham should now ask, is that in the face of obvious and potential, criminal wrongdoing, what responsibility do we bear?

If the price of the sewer in Jefferson County — and the subsequent skyrocketing water and sewer rates — were the result of corruption, are county residents now simply left with the bill? The simple answer to this is yes. If Larry Langford’s current questionable dealings are also found to be criminal and corrupt are the city’s residents also left with the bill? Again, the simple answer is yes.

All of these people who serve do so not from divine right, as Kings or Emperors once did, but at the will and pleasure of the people. You and I. By voting and, just as importantly, by not voting we put these people in office. Once in office, they pursue the mandate we have given them. We are now getting a window into what our elected officials think of that mandate.

Ultimately those responsible for the failure of public officials in a democratic system aren’t the officials, but those who allowed those officials to come to office in the first place. In the case of Larry Langford, allowing him to maintain his position, even after it becomes apparent he has severely erred in his duty to the public, is a grave mistake. If the information coming forth from Mary Buckelews’ plea agreement indicates more wrongdoing on the part of Larry Langford, then Birmingham needs to take a cue from Detroit, where the mayor was recently impeached and imprisoned.

Living in a free democratic society does not simply mean floating around buying shoes and playing X-Box. It doesn’t mean we make decisions on how our country is run by listening to comedians on “The Daily Show” or “The Colbert Report.”

Living in a free democratic society means being aware of what our leaders are doing, reading, listening, and talking to others. Writing a letter or e-mail or doing anything to get involved, not just at a national level, but here locally where we live.

If we continue to disengage from the political process, we will eventually have a government that is democratic in name only.

Email: drake7@uab.edu