Is the APP fair in its coverage of Joe Oxley? Example I

Is $60,000 too much to pay to get rid of a jail guard with a history of DWI, and for using his position to demand credit at a cash and carry convenience store?

That seems to be the point of an article in the Asbury Park Press today.

The APP story seems to be implying that Joe Oxley, while Sheriff, and his current partner, Matthew J. Giacobbe of the Scarinci and Hollenbeck law firm, were reckless with taxpayers money in this case. At least the APP had the decency to mention, at the end of the article for readers that made it that far, that Giacobbe is giving up his $300K plus contract as county labor counsel should Oxley become GOP chairman. That should have been the headline.

I share the APP's disdain for excessive legal fees, and yes, $60,000 is too much to spend to fire a bad employee, in this case a dangerous employee with an alcohol problem and a gun. But the problem here is not the Sheriff or the Warden who did the right thing, but the arcane civil service rules and/or union contracts that give bad apples too much protection.

There are bad apples and dead wood "working" for the government all over New Jersey. If you are reading this I bet you can think of two such people off the top of your head. Gannett should do a series on how the rules protect them, when, if they were in the private sector they would simply be escorted from the premises.

Can you imagine the story the APP would have written if James Keegan had killed someone with his car, or God forbid with his gun, while under the influence and employed by the jail. It is not that fair fetched to imagine that he could have done so. It is right that he was terminated and wrong that he was reinstated and given back pay. $40,000 of the $60,000 that the APP cites as wasted was for back pay ordered by an administrative judge. The judge no doubt is also protected by arcane employment rules.

In an online poll that closed last week, MoreMonmouthMusing readers predicted by a margin of 65%-34% that the Asbury Park Press would not be fair in its coverage of Joe Oxley. So far, it would seem MMM readers were on the mark.

Adam Puharic believes in the veracity of online polls and thinks The Lincroft Inn is a good place to have a County Committee Convention.