Monday, March 10, 2008

Mayor Alvarez Chooses William Sancho For Citizens Independent Transportation Trust, by Geniusofdespair

Doesn’t anyone understand what INDEPENDENT means? Sancho is Regional Marketing and Sales Director at the law firm of White & Case. I wonder if he has ever used public transportation while working for this "leading Global Law Firm" (their words not mine) with 1,800 lawyers on staff.

White and Case in South Florida does litigation with federal agencies under NEPA, the Endangered Species Act, and related federal environmental statutes. Usually they are on the side of Big Business, such as Rock Miners, trying to “navigate” the rules and regulations. White and Case counts Rock Miners among their many, many clients. White and Case are currently involved in a case in Federal Court against Environmental Groups trying to protect our well fields from contamination, alleged by the non profits, due to Rock Mining.

The law firm is involved with protection of property rights. Also involved in regulation of activities on federal lands. They work on Air and Rail deals, especially in Europe. From their website:

12/26/06 "This year's award brings up a quadruple for White & Case at the Jane's Transport Finance awards, with the Firm having been named road, rail, shipping and aviation law firm of the year in the last three years."

Strange choice to represent "citizens". Maybe Alvarez knows something I don't.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nice find. Some of this stuff reads like a bad novel. You just can't make up stuff this crooked.

Anonymous said...

That's what happens when we elect someone with no real platform or vision. He won on the, "I am a cop, and as such, I will not stand for corruption." Sure, that's why your only real accomplishment is passing a strong mayor initiative at the behest of a powerful lobbyist.. That's why you leave the incompetent George Burgess in a position that you worked to eliminate in the County Charter, at an expense of $500K a year... that is why you have not done one thing to increase the standard of living of County residents... Mayor Alvarez, your tenure at worst has been a complete disaster, and at best, is a complete waist of time!

Anonymous said...

I think you guys try to hard to find a conspiracy in everything.

Appointments to the CITT are made following specific guidelines laid out by the Board of County Commissioners. They made the rules. The rules established a pool of possible candidates based on who submitted their names.

In reading Mr. Sancho's bio, he seems to be interested in furthering his civic involvement, United Way, Leadership Miami, etc...

I mean, get real people. Now you're trying to equate picking someone who is not one of the "Usual Suspects" with some sort of Illuminatti scheme.

The Mayor could have chosen Pope John Paul (rest his soul) to the CITT, and some nut job on this blog would have bashed the Mayor for chosing someone who's previous employer supported the haulocost.

moderate

Geniusofdespair said...

not a moderate - another case of someone on too many boards. Citizens....not professionals, not warmed over politicians, spin-meisters etc. We wanted regular people on this not big corporate people. Sorry....we didn't see his bio, we just saw the blurb in the paper. However, from what you have told us, he is on too many boards. That is what leads to poor oversite and poor attendance.

Anonymous said...

so G.O.D. what if a person were say, a member of the Urban Environment League, South Dade Watershed Study Advisory Board, Virginia Key Preservation Committee, etc..?

Would that be the type of "citizen" that would be worthy of an apointment to the CITT?

moderate

Anonymous said...

Oh and by the way, you seem to be pretty plugged in to the political goins on in this County, had you ever heard of Mr. Sancho before this?

I didn't think so.

I think a little new blood on some of these boards is good for the County.

Let's look at some of the current, and past,members of the CITT:

Rep. John Cosgrove
Rep. Mike Abrahms
Rep. Luis Norse
Rep. Jorge Rodriguez-Chomat
Whatever the Zilber lady's first name is
Mayor Rietter
Dr. Anna Ward (Doctor of what)?

Given that list of politicos, I'll welcome someone no one has ever heard of like Mr. Sancho with open arms.

moderate

Geniusofdespair said...

I hated the choices. Did you know not a moderate that Natacha Seijas was the ONLY commissioner to go to the selection committee to complain about the choices be given her. She asked for x politicos etc. and told the selection committee who she wanted...they had not selected that person (they choose 3 out of all submitted for the commissioners to choose from). Natacha wanted someone like John Cosgrove. Mike Abrahms was surely conflicted, luckily they either croaked or got bored and resigned. Advising the commission is a thankless job. Ask Victor Diaz.

Anonymous said...

Wonder how much a sucessful public service on this board will increase his hourly rate and who will want to hire him for his new expertise. Remember his service is a public service not for personel benifit, because he is good hearted.