Corruption Exposed

The national press makes many comments about the need for media and a press corps. I agree that a free society needs a free press willing to expose corruption. My problem with much of the national press corps is that it has become so biased that it will let corruption fester so long as it serves the left, e.g., covering for President Biden and defending an economy that was actually very weak. See also the New York Times and other outlets censoring those who said COVID came from a lab in Wuhan.

A free press and a free people go together. This is especially important at the local level. Local governments, with local papers and news outlets either shuttering or reducing resources, are the most prone to real corruption. As a formerly elected city councilman, I can tell you local politics is far dirtier than national politics. A free press is really necessary at that level.

Witness the efforts of a local judge in Mississippi a few weeks ago to censor a local newspaper for accurately covering a local county government. That was wild.

Now, let me call your attention to another local newspaper that is exposing a story of corruption that should get national attention. The story is from the Monroe County Reporter in Middle Georgia, which obtained the applications for speed cameras in Bibb County, Georgia. As I suspected, the system is corrupt. I don’t care where you’re coming in from this morning, you’ve got to read this story — it will renew your faith in a free press at the local level.

This morning, before the Georgia Senate considers H.B. 225, which would kill the speed cameras, the local newspaper is uncovering just how much corruption there is.

Georgia law requires that local schools apply for the cameras. Multiple private school superintendents have gone on record saying they did not want the cameras but were given no choice. One local headmaster objected, and his signature was missing from the form submitted to the state Department of Transportation, but the local government forced a camera on the school anyway.

Multiple school headmasters say local law enforcement showed up to make the headmasters sign the forms.

“I was not interested,” Windsor Academy headmaster Jimmy Watts told the Reporter was his response in 2023 when Macon-Bibb County suggested the cameras.

Watts said Macon Mayor Lester Miller met with the heads of Macon private and charter schools in late 2023. The meeting was purportedly to drum up interest in that year’s Christmas parade. But Miller mentioned that they were installing new speed cameras in front of Bibb County public schools, and said that the private schools could too if they wanted. But Watts said that Miller and Macon-Bibb didn’t wait for an answer.

“Then … a deputy came to the school and said we’re gonna do it and had a sheet for me to sign,” said Watts. “He said it’s gonna happen; we just need you to sign it.”

Notably, the form related to Windsor Academy filed with the state is missing Watts’ signature.

Dr. John Patterson, [First Presbyterian Day School’s] head of school, told the Reporter last year that he was not given a choice either. That appears to conflict with the law, which says schools must choose to apply to the DOT for the cameras.

Also, despite being under contract for the cameras, the local government then turned off certain cameras at wealthy private schools allegedly after too many complaints. Coincidentally, those schools are the ones saying they never wanted the cameras, but law enforcement showed up and compelled the signatures of the headmasters.

In fact, said [Mayor Lester] Miller, after the cameras went into effect and people complained to FPD and Stratford, Macon-Bibb turned off the cameras at those schools so they no longer issue citations, and they remain off. Miller said while they’re not issuing citations, he left the FPD and Stratford cameras up as a deterrent.

“They got some grandparents upset ‘cause they got tickets,” said the mayor. “I understand how grandparents are.”

So, the schools did not want the cameras. Law enforcement showed up and told the headmasters they had no choice and needed to sign the forms. One headmaster did not sign the form, but his school still got cameras. Now, after the wealthy parents (donors to local politicians) complained, the local government has turned off the cameras — or we are led to believe the cameras were turned off because of donor class complaints and not because the cameras were forced on the schools against their will and it was about to be exposed by the local press.

The system is corrupt. That same local government generated $11 million from the cameras, including almost $1 million during summer vacation when they are legally required to be turned off.

This would not have been exposed without a free press and aggressive local media. Today, the Georgia Senate Public Safety Committee’s subcommittee on first responders is hearing H.B. 225, which would eliminate the cameras.

The Chairman of the subcommittee allegedly supports an effort by the camera companies to allow them to continue operating with “reforms.” But the heavy-handed tactics of local officials show exactly why that is a bad idea.

If you live in Georgia, call your State Senator and tell him to support HB 225, which would shut down this corrupt system. Click here to take action.