While the very public family feud between aspiring Baltimore mayoral candidate Keiffer Mitchell Jr. and his father, Dr. Keiffer Mitchell Sr., may fascinate ? in the way car wrecks do ? it also speaks volumes about the junior?s management style. And nothing good.
Forget about his policy proposals. Would you want someone who can?t keep track of thousands of dollars overseeing a $2.6 billion city budget?
To recap, the bizarre antics on each side of the family story about who owes what to whom began in August, when the elder Mitchell resigned as the campaign?s treasurer. That followed accusations that he expensed items to the campaign that should have been paid for personally, including a $14,000 charge for a hotel room and $19,000 in checks written for cash.
The story turned even weirder earlier this week when the elder Mitchell kicked his son?s campaign from his office at 120 Druid Hill Ave. for nonpayment of rent and utilities.
“The campaign?s attitude and actions regarding its obligations to me have been most disturbing,” Dr. Mitchell wrote in a letter to his son?s campaignTuesday.
Perhaps even worse than the campaign woes is the decision by both Mitchell and his father to turn to the media to broadcast what could have been resolved at least partly in private. If a city department head upsets him if elected, would Mitchell leak it to the media ? or hire people who think that?s a good idea ? before discussing it with the person in question?
The court of public opinion is important, but it is no replacement for leadership.
Besides, how does Mitchell Jr. expect to tame Baltimore City?s rising murder rate if he can?t manage a campaign?
We do not revel in personal destruction, but in this case, maybe it?s the best way for the younger Mitchell to assess whether public office is for him. Working in the private sector would be no blot on his famous family?s legacy. Turning the city into a Jerry Springer talk show topic would be.
