The Ruins of Trenton

The more Police Director Joseph Santiago talks, the more it seems like he and Mayor Douglas H. Palmer have accepted the director's impending exit from New Jersey's capital due to violations of the city's residency laws.

Mayor Palmer's acceptance of the ouster of Mr. Santiago is the more peculiar of the two instances, given the mayor's power-obsession and constant efforts to get all things in Trenton done his way.

Old Mill Hill called Mayor Palmer a puppet master Friday on his blog, which is truly what Mayor Palmer has been, especially regarding the City Council that all of a sudden grew the cajones to go after Mr. Santiago for so blatantly breaking the law.

One would think that this political master and power fiend would do everything in his power to preserve Mr. Santiago's position within Trenton, but it seems both the mayor and the director himself have accepted Mr. Santiago's fate, either at the hands of City Council or those of a Superior Court judge, who will hear a lawsuit about the matter on Feb. 22.

So what gives?

Did all of City Council really stand up for the rule of law and the clear opinion of city residents on this matter?

The more likely scenario was that the rubber-stamp portion of the body simply got the mayor's blessing, and went along with the rest of the body in asking for Mr. Santiago's compliance and threatening him with dismissal.

Why take more political damage when you can cut your losses and begin anew, in a stronger position?

Just imagine, Mayor Palmer walks over to the council conference room in City Hall, and there is Cordelia Staton and Paul Pintella, and maybe some other council members.

"Well my servants, they got us this time, so we will let this go," says Mayor Palmer. "But we won't let this happen again. Once Santiago is out of here we will take care of that ordinance, and get one of you into the mayor's office."

"Yes, sir," says Mr. Pintella and Ms. Staton and the others in unison.

That scenario sure paints the Santiago affair and council's newly-found strength in a different light, but in the end, the result is that the law got enforced.

The end justifies the means, according to Machiavelli at least.

Whatever the case may be, if Santiago goes, score this as one point for the good guys. But the game is not over yet, and there is much more work to do.