Corpus Christi Caller-Times, Nick Jimenez

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Nick Jimenez

Sunday, June 17, 2001

A question of trust

Perhaps Abe Saavedra just had the bad luck to be the first in what is turning out to be a long list of ethical question marks.
   The former superintendent of the Corpus Christi Independent School District endured months of controversy and public scrutiny, not to mention an indictment, trial and finally an acquittal of charges that, basically, he took advantage of his office.
   A jury decided that Saavedra did nothing illegal. Nevertheless, his career in Corpus Christi was finished and he decided to change scenery by moving to Houston.
   Long list of ethical problems
   Saavedra's problems were mostly ethical. But that's been the problem for a growing list of people and institutions around here lately. Let me count the ways:
   ? George Moff, the former chief appraiser, is under indictment for theft and abuse of official capacity. But leave aside the legalities of the matter. Why would a public official, and in this case one of the prime public officials in local government, allow $42,000 in purchases with public money, a veritable hardware store of items, to be in his possession, in his home and in his auto? Moff says he always meant to return the items. Where is the line crossed when a public servant no longer believes he fills an office, but instead thinks he is the office?
   ? Ken Berry, the port commissioner, introduced a prospective buyer to the real estate agent for a piece of underwater land that was also sought by the port. Coincidentally, the buyer also handles Berry's blind trust. After the meeting was publicized, Berry scrambled to bring forth a port administration memo that Berry said cleared his name. Let's take Berry at his word, that he never meant to take advantage of inside information. But if a public official believes something looks bad under public scrutiny, why would that official put himself in that position in the first place?
   ? Employees of the Driscoll Foundation set up a friendly financial deal for themselves. Mortgage loans with money from the foundation, money meant to help heal sick kids, were given to two employees, including Executive Director Ted Daniel, with the blessing of trustees. Trustees say there was nothing illegal about the loans. But illegality is not the point; was it good stewardship to provide the loans? The word "trustees," after all, derives from the word "trust." ? The city police department discovered that a Thompson machine gun, a rare and thus valuable, not to mention powerful, weapon was missing. After an investigation, the weapon turned up in the home of retired police Capt. Jerry Mathis. Mathis said that another cop authorized him to take it home when display space was no longer available. A grand jury no-billed Mathis. Mathis said the machine gun was never missing; it was always right there in his house. There's just one question to ask: If the property belongs to the public, why was it in private hands?
   The standard of conduct that South Texas seems to have arrived at is this: If it's not illegal, then there's nothing wrong. Take the matter to the grand jury and they'll tell you if it's wrong, as if we didn't know what was wrong to begin with.
   But legalities are changing things: In any given year, the Legislature adds hundreds of new laws to the books, making more things illegal. Some acts that used to be illegal, say, driving over 55 mph, are no longer illegal.
   A standard above reproach
   But ethical conduct never really changes. It's about adopting a standard of conduct above reproach, the kind of standard that prompted Harry Truman to use his own stamps for personal letters sent from the White House because they weren't government business. Perhaps that kind of standard is now thought of as old-fashioned.
   Everybody seems to need a lawyer now to tell them what's wrong, or to parse the legalities to such a fine point that principles become so much mush. Saavedra paid a high price for his ethical problems. But he seems to be the exception.
   Nick Jimenez can be reached at 886-3787 or by e-mail at jimenezn@caller.com.

Nick Jimenez can be reached by phone at 886-3787 or by e-mail at jimenezn@caller.com

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