NEW ORLEANS - As former New Orleans City Councilman Oliver Thomas resigned after admitting to accepting bribes, Robert Cerasoli, the city’s first inspector general, began planning to ensure similar backdoor contracts do not reoccur.
Cerasoli said he is shocked the city has nothing in place to prevent corruption in awarding city contracts. The inspector general’s role is to prevent and detect corrupt and unethical practices in city government, Cerasoli said.
“It’s real simple. There should never be one person who decides who should get a contract,” Cerasoli said. “Corruption in other cities is so sophisticated (because of their rules) you wouldn’t find briberies. It’s very unusual you’d find someone passing money in an office somewhere.”
Ed Blakely believes contracts should be meted out by a "coterie of people" with "emergency" powers who don't have to listen to "all these other groups". Maybe that will sophisticate up the corruption a bit.
Note: Title edited slightly post-publication
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