What a week!
This past week was one of the most difficult ones for me. Between the council meetings that got me so insulted and preparing for Monday night’s debate at Lawrence High School, while trying to publish this week’s edition, it was pure chaos. To top it off, having Marcos Devers calling the editor of Commonwealth Magazine, the organizer of the debate to say that he didn’t want me as a panelist because he is afraid that I won’t be impartial, really got to me.
If anyone knows how impartial I am is Mr. Devers, as I well explained during my radio show on Saturday. If he is going to doubt my integrity and fairness, then he will be challenging me to speak up. I have been very careful during this ugly election process making sure that Rumbo will not influence voters in any way. We give information for those who choose to read it and come up with their own conclusions. I was highly offended by his call to the editor and no apology can now amend his mistake because I know that this is Mr. Devers’ modus operandi. Several years ago he went on the radio and said that Rumbo lied about an article written about him. When he listened to the recording and we proved to him that it was his own words I demanded he goes back to the radio and admit to making a mistake: that Rumbo did not lie! But admitting faults is not his style.
This time, trying to hurt my credibility and reputation at that level is unforgivable.
Welcome Chief Fitzpatrick
Recognizing that I have had an awful track record criticizing the former police chief, I wanted to get to a good start with Chief James Fitzpatrick and requested a meeting with him. He was very accommodating and granted us an exclusive interview.
We wanted to assure him our support for the Lawrence Police Department. The only thing I knew about him was that about 10 or 12 years ago I had to call him for something and I was told that he worked on the night shift. I left a message and when he returned the call, he left me with such a refreshing impression of someone professional, gentle, yet friendly. I never forgot his name and never heard of him again.
The Lawrence Police Department has had its share of troubles with officers but Captain Fitzpatrick has never been involved in any of them. Meeting him, what we found was a Lawrencian who is out to do the best job possible. He is well aware of the problems; he talked openly about what needs to be fixed and hopes to guide the department in the right direction during the next few weeks to prepare it for the next chief.
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