Ferguson city manager out after Justice Department report

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Washington Post (AP)

By Associated Press March 10 at 8:50 PM

FERGUSON, Mo. — The Ferguson City Council on Tuesday evening unanimously approved a resolution to remove City Manager John Shaw following a scathing Justice Department report that already has led to a Missouri appeals court judge being tapped to overhaul the local court system.

The City Council in the St. Louis suburb, beleaguered by unrest since a white police officer fatally shot 18-year-old Michael Brown last summer, held its first public meeting since the U.S. Department of Justice last week accused its police force and municipal court system of racial bias.

A news release handed out at the meeting said the Council had reached a “mutual separation agreement” with Shaw.

The statement also said a nationwide search for Shaw’s replacement would begin immediately.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/ferguson-city-manager-out-after-justice-department-report/2015/03/10/0607afb2-c788-11e4-bea5-b893e7ac3fb3_story.html

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Just saw the breaking news (also NYT since it is AP).

That little town is slowly self-destructing.

[Baitball Blogger]

1. So, that's what it takes to oust a city manager.

[calimary]

2. How about the police chief?

He needs to go, too. OUT THE DOOR.

[bigtree]

7. this is the first step

...the city manager has the power there to hire and fire the police chief.

This is a very good sign that things are changing.

The City Manager can be removed from office by the City Council and has the power to hire and fire the Chief of Police. Obviously, the council couldn't find the will to do the job. Kudos to the Justice Dept.!

[davidpdx]

12. The half-wit mayor as well

[calimary]

17. And he's a white guy. I don't know why a community that's mostly African American

can't have an African American mayor. If Ferguson had a majority Anglo population then it'd be easier to understand. But it DOESN'T. The citizens certainly have NOT been well-served by the white power structure there!

[davidpdx]

25. I think it is because voter turn out is dismally low especially among AAs

Hopefully what has happened will motivate them to turn out in droves and vote him out the next time around.

[calimary]

26. Indeed, davidpdx. If they don't get it by now...

I would hope (actually, I hope rather desperately) that these citizens get out there and use their vote. With the CONS up to what they're up to these days, trying to make it harder especially for minorities to vote - the old cliche "use it or lose it" takes on PROFOUND new meaning. The less you're committed to voting, the more the OTHER side gets to speak - because you've essentially stepped to the side and allowed them to take the microphone and the podium and spout what THEY want to say, while you're shoved to the side in silence. Then you DON'T get heard. And if these assholes have their way, you WON'T EVER get heard. They're not interested in your ideas or your agenda. It's probably completely counter to what they want. You want THEM deciding what's good for you or you want YOU deciding what's good for you?

And because you never turn out to vote and MAKE yourself heard, then NOBODY CARES what you think or what you want or what you need! Nobody gives a damn. And that's not how it's supposed to work.

I hope to God the people of Ferguson finally get that. If you don't vote, and don't use that power, there are people who will take it away from you. Because they really never agreed that you deserved to have - or share - that power in the first place. And these are the same people who genuflect to jerk-ass selfish "philosophies" like the ayn rand mentality, who never wanted to share anything, and never thought they should have to share anything.

[BumRushDaShow]

20. Looks like your wish may have been someone's command

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/12/us/ferguson-police-chief-thomas-jackson-steps-down-michael-brown.html?ref=us&_r=0

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10141036591

[calimary]

21. Then in that case, I wish for chocolate truffles, SERIOUS world peace, the GOP shrunk down so small

they'll never be able to make trouble again, and big album sales and a good tour for the band! (There's a new CD coming out and the single's already at radio in some cities!)

[whereisjustice]

3. It is difficult to believe that no crimes were committed and that the perps will walk free

with far more freedom than any of their victims will ever know.

Without criminal prosecutions, those removed will simply take up shop the next town over.

[PSPS]

4. "mutual separation agreement" = golden parachute

[sheshe2]

5. Thank you BRDS.

We need to clean house in Ferguson. Then we need to rebuild from scratch.

[Sherman A1]

23. Well,

there is an election for Ferguson City Council Members in Wards 1, 2 and 3 on April 7th. I assume you are registered and will be voting in one of them as you stated "We need to clean house".

[sheshe2]

24. Wish I could,

but I am registered in MA.

[Cha]

6. Mahalo BRDS! Some heads are finally rolling in ol Ferguson, MO.. Thanks DOJ/Holder and Obama!

[bigtree]

8. this is ALL Justice Dept.

...Obama's Justice Dept.. He and Holder deserve a huge heap of credit for the heads rolling in Ferguson right now.

NOTHING significant was changing until that report came out. More to come...

[Cha]

9. Yes they do!

[BumRushDaShow]

14. The people of Ferguson are finally getting the foot off their neck

And I also expect that the very public manner in which these changes are being announced, has probably caused thousands of other municipalities to re-think their own functions. The most egregious perpetrators may pause their illegal practices whereas others may try to hide it better... But the pot has been stirred and hopefully this will serve as a deterrent.

[Cha]

15. Yes! It should be making others who have been behaving like those in Ferguson think twice about

their attitudes towards others.. one can certainly hope!

Thankfully we have President Obama and AG Holder at the helm since this had to all explode in Ferguson, MO.

Michael Brown

[pscot]

10. Mike Brown didn't die in vain

if that mess in Ferguson gets cleaned up as a result.

[Comrade Grumpy]

13. I think that's right. The reverberations have gone far beyond Ferguson, too.

This stuff has been going on for a long time and seems to have been getting worse. His death was the straw that broke the camel's back.

We still have a long, long way to go, though.

[rickford66]

11. Why " a nationwide search for Shaw’s replacement" ?

I'll bet there's more than one person of color in Ferguson who is qualified.

[calimary]

18. You'd certainly think so.

[Nitram]

16. The little town already self-destructed.

It's going through a painful healing process now.

[geek tragedy]

19. Now the people there need to VOTE to

keep this crap in the past.

[KamaAina]

22. "a nationwide search for Shaw’s replacement would begin immediately"

Anyone here interested in building the new Ferguson?