County Attorney Stephen DeMarsh, whose overly narrow legal opinion saying this arrangement is OK is cited by Robinson as her primary defense, apparently holds the same contempt. Her failure to acknowledge the validity of this serious "perception" problem demonstrates contempt for her employers, the county taxpayers. Robinson is an attorney, and she knows better. It is simply not credible to argue that Commissioner Robinson's employment by the Argus Foundation does not convey the appearance of a conflict of interest! We learn about the substantial local political and policy influence of the Argus Foundation in the frequent coverage it receives in this newspaper and other media outlets. More than one speaker emphasized that a true understanding of "conflict of interest" includes even the appearance of a situation involving compromised or conflicted loyalties. They argued compellingly why Robinson's holding both positions simultaneously is unacceptable. Many of them addressed the board and asked Christine Robinson to resign from either her commission seat, or from her job as executive director of the influential lobbying organization, The Argus Foundation. On Wednesday, more than 100 people from all walks of life rallied and took their protest into the Sarasota County Commission chambers. For shame! Who do the Gang of Five represent? What do you think?įrom today's Herald Tribune Letters to the Editor: They are apparently content to give the Argus Foundation a seat at the Commission table. Not one of them has had the gumption to declare her dual role to be illegal (which, I submit, it is) but, in any event, in the final analysis, to be unquestionably wrong. What is more disturbing, however, is the fact that all of the other four commissioners have by silence blessed Commissioner Robinson’s conflict. Indeed, when called out on April 1st at a public protest by sign-wielding critics, numerous speakers at the Commission’s open meeting and 600+ petition signers offended by her conduct, she “shrugged off” her critics and declared they were not really protesting her conflict, but, rather, her “growth stance.” That she chose to overlook the obvious conflict between her Commission seat and her paid job as executive-director of the Argus Foundation lobby demonstrates her to be lacking a moral compass and, thus, not to be trusted to further serve on the County Commission. It is stunning that Commissioner Christine Robinson expected to get away unscathed with her brazen affront to the basic demands of good government.
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