Politics, Crony-ism, and Conflicts of Interest....

There are many disappointing potential conclusions that seem to be indicated by today's New Haven Register article entitled "W. Haven staffer cites conflict in probe". This article discusses the "investigation" that the city is launching into Yvette Cintron's complaint of an alleged assault by Finance Director Nalini Srinivas.

The New Haven Register article explains that an August 28 memo to city employees indicates that he planned to appoint a team of three people to investigate the allegation:

• Carol Silverstein (City Risk Manager)
  
• James T Burns Jr. (Chief of Staff)
• Maguerite B. Showers (Homeland Security coordinator)
  

However, there are several potential points of conflicting interest in this team, particularly involving Carol Silverstein, who (rightly!) declined the post (Mayor Picard has incicated that the investigation will go on without a replacement for her). Carol Silverstein's husband is Richard Silverstein, the attorney who is representing Srinivas in the lawsuit brought forward by Cintron.

In a bizarre twist that Silverstein denies has any role in her decision to not participate:

... city records show her union steward, Thomas Reilly, filed a letter with the Personnel Department on May 2, stating Silverstein, who is based in the Pinance Department, was experiencing problems with Srinivas, allegedly belittling her work ethic.

"Carol has been having a hard and upsetting time with her supervisor," the letter states, noting that Srinivas allegedly criticized Silverstein’s dedication to her work.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Thomas Reilly the father in law of Mayor Picard??? That seems like a HUGE conflict of interest! How do you 'negotiate' union contracts if you are on the same side of the fence?

Cintron seems to indicate that she is happy that an investigation is taking place, but I don't understand why there isn't an indication that there is a police investigation in place:

No criminal charges have been filed against Srinivas, who has remained publicly silent since the issue surfaced last month.

This is all just plain weird, and raises a TON of questions:

• Why would Richard Silverstein represent someone who his wife has a complain lodged against?
• Why would union members allow there to be a union steward who has direct ties to the people they are negotiating with to be the union steward?
• Why would Thomas Reilly WANT to be put into the tough position of defending workers against his son in law?
• Why would Mayor Picard appoint someone who has a clear conflict of interest with the investigation?