By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist
The talker of the day at City Hall is the lawsuit filed by Ruth Bates against KC Mayor Mark Funkhouser and wife Gloria Squitiro. And no wonder.
Everyone knew Bates would claim she had suffered racial discrimination during her tenure in Funkhouser's office. And indeed that's in the lawsuit. Be aware; it contains graphic language.
But the part of the suit that's gaining lots of attention is the one we can't print a lot about: Allegations that Squitiro "constantly made crude sexual remarks in the office."
If the remarks were indeed made, Squitiro's involvement in the mayor's office will have proven to be a bigger embarrassment than almost anyone could have imagined.
To restate my long-held belief on Squitiro and Funkhouser:
It is tremendously unfortunate that the mayor -- who was a highly competent auditor and who has a solid desire to make Kansas City a better place to live -- has had such a blind spot when it comes to his wife.
Even putting aside the Ruth Bates lawsuit, Squitiro should not be and should never have been part of his staff, working daily at City Hall.
If Bates is successful with her lawsuit in any way, it will bring a tremendous amount of negative attention Kansas City's way. And that will all be laid at the feet of Mark Funkhouser.
Delicious
Digg
"I'm the only fun person around here"
Spoken like the old uncle just after he asks everyone to pull his finger.
That comment by Gloria, if true, says it all. She knew people found her comments crude and inappropriate and didn't care.
Funkhouser has some blame to bear here. He knew and chose to stand by her without censoring her it seems. If he tried and failed she needed to go.
I hope Gloria doesn't "throw spaghetti" at me for what I said. Is that funny Gloria? Maybe I am the only fun person around here.
Be fun somewhere else.
All Join In
"Mammmmmmy, how I love ya, how I love ya, my dear old Mammmmmy...."
Where's Al Jolson when we really need him?
Who's guilty here?
Let me see...eenie, menie, minie, moe.
Who cares?
bates v squitiro
Actually, yta, Ms. Bates named the Funk himself as a defendent as well. So again, you are not being accurate and sort of disingenuously trying to give Funk some disatnce from this ongoing debacle.
Be real and report accurately yael.
why? - the reply
Whereas I agree that overall, the former Lion of the Press Room, yael t abouhalkah, continues to give the Gruesome Twosome essentially a free pass, the Star did attach a pdf file containing the lawsuit. It is available for all to read.
In order for justice to get done here, Ms. Bates is going to have to go to trail and get a verdict. Without commenting about the merits of her case/allegations, it defies most logic and reason that the aforementioned Twosome would allow this to go to trial so as to avoid having anyone read the allegations which the Star must have known about for some time and had neglected to report on prior to the filing of the lawsuit. Once again, the have confirmed for all to see that they have no shame.
As an aside, I would be happier if the Star reported on the lawyer that either of the Gruesome Twosome has hired to defend themselves. And how is the lawyer getting paid would be nice to know as well... hope not to see the Funk go back to the formerly despised on the campaign trail Zoning and Real Estate lawyer buddies.
Workplace chat 101
Best to keep your mouth shut and professional face on. People stand around and talk trash or "share too much" with a sense of false security. Off color humor, private sex stories and potty mouth's abound in the work place. Sooner or later it bites you.
Why?
Why can't you print a lot about it? Are you suddenly under some journalistic standards? You guys seem to pick and choose when to apply them and when not to. If its part of the public record it can be printed in the paper and certainly on a web site.
aiding and abetting
If Bates is successful with her lawsuit in any way, it will bring a tremendous amount of negative attention Kansas City's way. And that will all be laid at the feet of Mark Funkhouser.
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Although for the most part it seems that the main villain is the Squid, whatever comes of this it is obvious that Funk A Dunk knew about this and at the very least aided and abetted the Squid's conduct.
He deserves no mercy and should be given no place to hide when this is all done and accountability needs to be placed/assessed.
My ironic thought for the day... maybe he can hire Clay Chastain's wife who I believe is a lawyer :) Worse, Mrs. Chastain can represent the Squid herself!
clause 39
Allegations that Squitiro "constantly made crude sexual remarks in the office." If the remarks were indeed made, Squitiro's involvement in the mayor's office will have proven to be a bigger embarrassment than almost anyone could have imagined.
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By the way, is it that much of a stretch that the Squid said any of the clause 39 words/phrases? Let us not foget that she is the penwoman and Matador of the now infamous "bizarre" (your word) Funkhouser Mayoral Christmas letter. And when wondering how this was permitted to go on, let us not forget that it was the Funk himself who intoned to all of us and perhaps all of the nation that the Christmas Card was appropriate and not only did he, the "Bull," see nothing wrong with it, but he in fact approved it.
Assuming this is true, WHAT SAY YE YAEL T ABOUHALKAH?
Or will your comments be confined to your lame and otherwise pathetic last paragrapgh?
I have not read through all of the attachment because my heart wasn't in it. That won't be the same for the lawyers who, as we know, have no heart.
By the way, Yael, who is represeting the Gruesome Twosome? One lawyer for the pair or each gets their own lawyer? And who is paying for this? Do you have any thoughts about the appropriateness of creating a legal defense fund to pay Mrs. Squitiro's personal bill?