by Jay A McCalla

A hallmark of organized crime is its usual ability to adjudicate family disputes behind closed doors. Imagine their business-like efficiency and secrecy as they decide who gets to sell cocaine where and for how much. How much is too much to pay as a bribe? Is it cliche’ to dump bodies near the airport? While we live amidst the influences of organized criminality, those criminals - thoughtfully- never let us see how their “sausage” is made.

Politics has always followed the example of organized crime in that the public is usually just allowed to notice outcomes. We get to see the smiling faces and cheery press releases that follow nasty, backroom brawls.

Like siblings hiding something from mommy and daddy, pols secretly agree on patronage, favors and other little gems that would only worry the pretty little heads of the Philadelphia public. Such is the penchant for secrecy that laws in almost every jurisdiction have been enacted mandating “sunshine” and open access to records. Without those laws, we wouldn't know nuthin’.

With this secrecy we are spared any glimpse of the true nature of our politicians and the things for which they grasp. But January and February have treated us to a rare look at “Deals Gone Wrong” – backroom bargains that exploded in public.

The overwhelming majority of city employees are governed by union or civil service guidelines, and it's been that way since 1952 with the re-creation of our City Charter. The terms and conditions of their employment are predetermined and standard. But, there's another category of employee who is appointed, which suggests political relationships. Appointees almost always have sponsors who recommend and push for their appointment.

Desiree Peterkin-Bell, Mayor Nutter’s communications director, was such a person. She had served for less than five years but would be qualified for a pension if she could be credited with a full five years. So, Nutter asked Kenney to let her hang around until she qualified for a pension. They struck their secret “backroom deal.” Peterkin-Bell would stay on, with no responsibilities, until she qualified for a pension.

This clandestine compact became public when there was a dispute over how long Peterkin-Bell would actually collect a salary for no work. The dispute spilled out into the public (gasp) revealing the dirty deal and the facial egg everyone shared.

Another rare glimpse behind the curtain involved our controversial Chair of City Commissioners Anthony Clark.

It seems Democratic Party Chair Bob Brady had grown sensitive to media attention focused on Clark’s habit of not coming to work or voting in public elections, despite his role in supervising them. So, privately (again, with the backroom stuff) Brady met with Clark to secure his resignation as chair. Clark agreed. Brady thought he had his bets covered by bringing a witness and mutual friend -- Ward Leader Sonny Campbell. Politicians live and die on their personal word, but an attestant is sometimes useful.

On the day of the vote to determine the next Chair, Clark suffered amnesia (what else could it have been?) and voted for himself. His vote, plus the Republican's, made Clark chair for another four years.

With his public explosion, calling Clark a “disgrace” and a “piece of work,” Brady goes on to reveal that Clark had privately agreed to vote for Lisa Deeley to be the next chair.

Currently convulsing in the media is the reaction to a recent vote by the School Reform Commission to give Wister Elementary to a charter school provider. This has me scratching my head because the SRC is committed to creating charters and this would just be one more.

But with this decision, the winds began to howl and the earth began to shake. Mayor Kenney, Council President Darrell Clarke and Councilperson-at-large Helen Gym all screamed “bloody murder.” Kenney has even promised an investigation of this routine decision.

The teachers union and a usually somnambulant NAACP are also seriously riled. Why are so many very powerful people agitated with how one single elementary school will operate?

None -- apart from the teachers – have flat out opposed charter creation. So, that isn't the reason.

Apparently, Superintendent William Hite had promised some parents, based on improving test scores, that Wister would not be converted to a charter. But given that it's an SRC decision, Hite should not have made that promise. In the end, SRC did what it was lawfully empowered to do and has been doing for almost 15 years – it created another charter.

Each politician is complaining about “process,” which, for me, is a red flag. Politicians don't care about “process.” They only care about outcomes, and it’s apparent Wister going charter was the wrong outcome for the very powerful. My question is simply “why”?

What does the public not know (like the real cost of the Papal visit or that “brownouts” don't save money), that would help us understand why, with over 120 charter schools in Philly, Wister is so very, um, sensitive. Given the unashamed embrace of secret agreements and backroom blather, it's not reasonable to think we've got all the facts.

With the recent trend of dirty deals coming to light, Philadelphians can cross their legs, sip some Earl Grey and trust that all will be revealed.