[Homey]

While listening to WEFM's saturday program at Ryan's, I heard Sammie Phillips, an employee at city hall, suggest people get in contact with her at City Hall to get information regarding John Jones's platform, and campaign information. This is an absolute no-no regarding work done at a government office. Tax payers are paying for the City's work to be done...period. In some situations, government officials have been convicted regarding campaigning and using employees to work on their campaigns during office hours.

This same employee advertised her work phone number in an advertisement for the NAACP's gala to purchase tickets.

Is Mayor Oberlie allowing this? Is the Mayor condoning Ms. Phillip's private use of city's property for personal interests?

I wonder if Mayor Oberlie will address government accountability at last and put a stop to his free wheeling staff from ruining his reputation any further by standing by and not doing anything. If he doesn't, I guess it is business as usual and we can all get the shaft.

Mr. Jones...you should know better as well. As far as I can tell, the cycle will continue under Mr. Jones regime via the supporters who surround him are the same players currently in place.

I may be wrong, but if this is swept under the rug, what else will the public tolerate while "they" thumb their noses at us the voters and tax payers?

[Ecotourist]

While listening to WEFM's saturday program at Ryan's, I heard Sammie Phillips, an employee at city hall, suggest people get in contact with her at City Hall to get information regarding John Jones's platform, and campaign information. This is an absolute no-no regarding work done at a government office. Tax payers are paying for the City's work to be done...period. In some situations, government officials have been convicted regarding campaigning and using employees to work on their campaigns during office hours.

I attached a mailing from the Jones' campaign that was dated before he quit his federal job. He also had his website up and running in January. These are violations of the Hatch Act.

Jones claims to be the candidate of change, but I'm only seeing more of the same.
 JJones.pdf ( 974.7k ) Number of downloads: 447

[JHeath]

I attached a mailing from the Jones' campaign that was dated before he quit his federal job. He also had his website up and running in January. These are violations of the Hatch Act.

Jones claims to be the candidate of change, but I'm only seeing more of the same.
 JJones.pdf ( 974.7k ) Number of downloads: 447

I'm not sure how or where you acquired this document, but it certainly is something.

[Homey]

Now that's revealing! I wonder if Sammie Phillips transcribed that for him at city hall?

And on another note...I understand times are tough, jobs are scarce and health benefits are raising, but I'm not so sure the city employees are hurting any more and are certainly not worse off than the private sector. My husband hasn't had a raise in years either. I hope Mr. Jones's plan to provide raises for city employees doesn't cost me more tax dollars. My husband doesn't get half the paid holidays the city employees get nor vision or dental like city employees get...and there is little recourse besides budget for those needs. At this juncture, city employees should have to withstand the economic times we all are going through and hope the economy improves...and the budget is met with constraints. JMHO

[Homey]

Where's our ND reporter....this is a scoop handed to you on a platter!!!!

[bandaid19]

I'm more concerned about the typo/grammatical errors in this letter! I want someone in office that knows how to use a colon.

Where's our ND reporter....this is a scoop handed to you on a platter!!!!

[Homey]

I'm more concerned about the typo/grammatical errors in this letter! I want someone in office that knows how to use a colon.

So, are you saying if Mr. Jones had a better handle on grammar he could get away with breaking the law and city employees can campaign on the tax payer's dime?

[Southsider2k12]

I attached a mailing from the Jones' campaign that was dated before he quit his federal job. He also had his website up and running in January. These are violations of the Hatch Act.

Jones claims to be the candidate of change, but I'm only seeing more of the same.
 JJones.pdf ( 974.7k ) Number of downloads: 447

This is HUGE. This is a big, big no, no for a federal employee. Have you forwarded this to the District Attorney for Indiana?

[bandaid19]

Not sure.. maybe? No, just kidding. I'd feel better about ANY candidate who could spell, write well, speak eloquently, etc.... over anyone who couldn't. Sad, but true.... it's the teacher in me.

So, are you saying if Mr. Jones had a better handle on grammar he could get away with breaking the law and city employees can campaign on the tax payer's dime?

[Homey]

Not sure.. maybe? No, just kidding. I'd feel better about ANY candidate who could spell, write well, speak eloquently, etc.... over anyone who couldn't. Sad, but true.... it's the teacher in me.

I was being facetious as well.
Really though, these disclosures as well as questionable intelligence shortens the list of possible contenders..in my book at least!

[Southsider2k12]

I attached a mailing from the Jones' campaign that was dated before he quit his federal job. He also had his website up and running in January. These are violations of the Hatch Act.

Jones claims to be the candidate of change, but I'm only seeing more of the same.
 JJones.pdf ( 974.7k ) Number of downloads: 447

One more thing, if you have an actual copy of the document, you should be reporting the violation.

[Homey]

There's most likely a lot of paper shredding and scurrying around to make for good cover-ups. And I am counting on the Mayor to pooh-pooh the whole city employee campaign workers for Mr. Jones. Gotta love city politics.

[Ang]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/articles/2011/0...2f472496497.txt

Jones has turned down pay since submitting resignation

By Matt Field
Staff Writer
Published: Wednesday, March 2, 2011 5:08 PM CST
MICHIGAN CITY — Mayoral candidate John Jones turned down pay for work he’s put in at city hall since submitting his resignation in order to stay on the right side of federal law.

Jones said he wanted to ensure he is adhering to a law meant to separate politics from government business by turning down the pay.

Jones, the former Emergency Management Agency director, a partially federally funded position, said in a message to Mayor Chuck Oberlie Tuesday that his time spent with the department since Feb. 17, the day he filed his candidacy, should be considered voluntary.

“I will not be seeking compensation for any time after the 17th of February in order to remain in full compliance with the Hatch Act,” he wrote.

He said his lawyer advised him to turn down the pay. By revising the details of his resignation, Jones said he is “playing it safe more than anything.”

In his original resignation letter, Jones said he would work until March 4 and remain on the payroll, using vacation time, until March 25.

“I want to be about ethics and integrity and want to dispel any kind of ambiguity,” he said.

Jones suggested a letter he wrote to city employees announcing that he would resign and file as a candidate for mayor didn’t constitute campaigning while on the job.

“I just wanted them to get to my announcement where I was going to officially announce whether I was running for mayor or not,” he said.

In the letter dated Feb. 12, Jones calls himself the employee candidate, writing, “I have heard various reports from employees about whom they believe will have their best interests at heart. That person is me.”

[Homey]

I'm sure he doesn't see any problem with what he does nor when he does it.

The article left out the other questions brought up here about his web page constructed early and his campaign workers at city hall. But, I guess if it's good enough for them, it should be good enough for us.

[Ecotourist]

Turning down pay does not change these facts.

The Hatch Act prohibits federal, employees from engaging in certain types of political activities.
See 5 U.S.C. §§ 7321- 7326 and 5 U.S.C. §§ 1501-1508.
Federal Employees are prohibited from:
1. Using their official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering with or affecting the result of an election.
2. Soliciting, accepting, or receiving political contributions.
3. Running for nomination or as candidates for partisan political office.
4. Soliciting or discouraging the participation in political activity of any person who has business before their employing agency.
5. Engaging in political activity while on duty, in any room or building occupied in the discharge of official duties, or while using a vehicle owned or leased by the United States government.

http://www.osc.gov/haComplaintsForm13.htm

Additionally, as a manager Jones should know that it is improper to solicit subordinates for any purpose. He should also know that after he resigned he became a private citizen and he should stay out of City Hall. There is no ambiguity, these actions are unethical.

[Southsider2k12]

Turning down pay does not change these facts.

The Hatch Act prohibits federal, employees from engaging in certain types of political activities.
See 5 U.S.C. §§ 7321- 7326 and 5 U.S.C. §§ 1501-1508.
Federal Employees are prohibited from:
1. Using their official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering with or affecting the result of an election.
2. Soliciting, accepting, or receiving political contributions.
3. Running for nomination or as candidates for partisan political office.
4. Soliciting or discouraging the participation in political activity of any person who has business before their employing agency.
5. Engaging in political activity while on duty, in any room or building occupied in the discharge of official duties, or while using a vehicle owned or leased by the United States government.

http://www.osc.gov/haComplaintsForm13.htm

Additionally, as a manager Jones should know that it is improper to solicit subordinates for any purpose. He should also know that after he resigned he became a private citizen and he should stay out of City Hall. There is no ambiguity, these actions are unethical.

Holding the evidence that you seem to hold, have you taken appropriate actions in reporting this?

[Southsider2k12]

Holding the evidence that you seem to hold, have you taken appropriate actions in reporting this?

Any update here?

[Ecotourist]

Any update here?

On January 31, 2011, ecotourist wrote the following in "Early 2011 Election Talk" - post #70:
"I was surprised to see that John Jones has started campaigning already. Check out http://jjonesformayor.blogspot.com/"
and southsiderMMX replied,
"You're surprised about Jones? I'm not at all. That might be the worst kept secret since Chuck decided not to run. Just because it doesn't make the News Dispatch doesn't mean people aren't talking about it."

Yourself, and others, knew that the JJonesformayor.com website was up and running long before Jones resigned.

The attached pdf file states,
"My name is John Jones and I am the Director of the Michigan City Emergency Management Agency. Effective this week I will be submitting my resignation and file as a candidate for Mayor." And, in the fifth paragraph, "I will be the Mayor who cares for his people." This was signed by John Jones.

The website and letter look and feel like campaign material and they both existed before Jones resigned from the federal financed Emergency Management job.

According to 5 U.S.C. §§ 7321,
"Federal Employees are prohibited from ... Running for nomination or as candidates for partisan political office."

At this web site,
http://www.osc.gov/documents/forms/osc13.htm
anyone may file a, "Complaint of Possible Prohibited Political Activity."

Now you know as much as I do.

[lovethiscity]

On January 31, 2011, ecotourist wrote the following in "Early 2011 Election Talk" - post #70:
"I was surprised to see that John Jones has started campaigning already. Check out http://jjonesformayor.blogspot.com/"
and southsiderMMX replied,
"You're surprised about Jones? I'm not at all. That might be the worst kept secret since Chuck decided not to run. Just because it doesn't make the News Dispatch doesn't mean people aren't talking about it."

Yourself, and others, knew that the JJonesformayor.com website was up and running long before Jones resigned.

The attached pdf file states,
"My name is John Jones and I am the Director of the Michigan City Emergency Management Agency. Effective this week I will be submitting my resignation and file as a candidate for Mayor." And, in the fifth paragraph, "I will be the Mayor who cares for his people." This was signed by John Jones.

The website and letter look and feel like campaign material and they both existed before Jones resigned from the federal financed Emergency Management job.

According to 5 U.S.C. §§ 7321,
"Federal Employees are prohibited from ... Running for nomination or as candidates for partisan political office."

At this web site,
http://www.osc.gov/documents/forms/osc13.htm
anyone may file a, "Complaint of Possible Prohibited Political Activity."

Now you know as much as I do.

This is almost getting funny, the campaign manager for the candidate that is running on the principle of doing what is right, no matter the retribution. Suspects wrong doing and wants somebody else to do the dirty job of reporting it.

[Southsider2k12]

On January 31, 2011, ecotourist wrote the following in "Early 2011 Election Talk" - post #70:
"I was surprised to see that John Jones has started campaigning already. Check out http://jjonesformayor.blogspot.com/"
and southsiderMMX replied,
"You're surprised about Jones? I'm not at all. That might be the worst kept secret since Chuck decided not to run. Just because it doesn't make the News Dispatch doesn't mean people aren't talking about it."

Yourself, and others, knew that the JJonesformayor.com website was up and running long before Jones resigned.

The attached pdf file states,
"My name is John Jones and I am the Director of the Michigan City Emergency Management Agency. Effective this week I will be submitting my resignation and file as a candidate for Mayor." And, in the fifth paragraph, "I will be the Mayor who cares for his people." This was signed by John Jones.

The website and letter look and feel like campaign material and they both existed before Jones resigned from the federal financed Emergency Management job.

According to 5 U.S.C. §§ 7321,
"Federal Employees are prohibited from ... Running for nomination or as candidates for partisan political office."

At this web site,
http://www.osc.gov/documents/forms/osc13.htm
anyone may file a, "Complaint of Possible Prohibited Political Activity."

Now you know as much as I do.

So you are in possession of actual materials that show Jones violated federal law, and you aren't going to do anything about it, hoping to get someone who saw a PDF on a website to instead make the report?

The rest of us have circumstantial evidence, while you have actual evidence. That is a BIG difference in a case like this. If you are afraid to step up and report it, give the evidence to someone who will.