Rikki Spector’s Ethics

Mark Newgent at Red Maryland last week pointed out an Adam Meister blog post detailing ethical issues relating to Baltimore City Councilwoman Rikki Spector. Newgent also pointed to a City Paper piece that includes this tidbit:

So, Spector has an 1,100-square-foot, $360,000 waterside condo with a garage space to use for free for the rest of her life, all expenses paid. Taxes go up? Not for her. BGE raises electric rates? Rikki doesn’t pay. Comcast gouges city residents on their cable? How would Spector know—she never sees that bill! Stove breaks? Rikki gets a new one for free.

Newgent also points out a piece on Spector from the Examiner last week that I read and also heard discussed on the Ed Norris Show last Thursday:

Baltimore City Council Member Rochelle “Rikki” Spector says she was doing her civic duty when she complained to transportation officials who killed a ticket she received for “willfully disobeying a lawful order” during a downtown traffic stop last November.

[…]

The citation was supposed to end up on the desk of a city prosecutor, but the City Department of Transportation stepped in and had the ticket “abated,” which meant it was never entered into the electronic records system or slated for a court date, officials said.

But transportation officials said Monday they were now turning the citation over to prosecutors.

Spector said she gave the ticket to transportation officials not to avoid the fine but to report an abusive traffic enforcement agent.

Spector was ultimately found not guilty after the police officer mysteriously didn’t show up for court:

Baltimore City Council member Rochelle “Rikki” Spector said she was vindicated Wednesday from a controversial traffic ticket that disappeared — then reappeared — in court records.

Spector was found not guilty in Baltimore City District Court on Wabash Avenue, after the traffic officer who issued her the ticket for failing to obey a command didn’t show up.

“Wasn’t that a blessing?” asked Spector, known as the dean of the city council. “All along I said I was going to tell it to the judge.”

[…]

Only after The Examiner obtained a copy of the ticket four months later and published articles questioning why it had never been entered into court records did officials forward the citation to District Court.

Spector maintains that she merely complained to transportation officials that the officer behaved inappropriately and that she never asked them to quash the ticket outside of the legal process.

[…]

Records recounting the officer’s version of events indicate Spector failed to obey orders to drive straight through the intersection of Lombard and South streets. Instead, Spector tried to make a turn.

Fast-forward to today when state investigators showed up early this morning to search Mayor Sheila Dixon’s house. Guess who is quoted in the paper defending the mayor?

That’s right - Councilwoman Rikki Spector:

“I have never seen a mayor more focused and transparent in her mayoral position,” said City Councilwoman Rochelle “Rikki” Spector, the dean of the Council. “She is very clear to all of us that we are responsible for our own actions.”

Is this really the kind of support Dixon wants or needs if she wants to appear ethical and honest?

Shouldn’t Spector heed the words on personal responsibility she attributes to Dixon when it relates to her apparent belief that she doesn’t have to follow the instructions of police officers?

I will be forwarding the link to this article to all of City Council, including Spector. Any replies or responses to mail@insidecharmcity.com will be considered on the record and will run on this site unedited.