There's really not much news here other than some transcription we already know . . . The KCATA has spent nearly $3.3 million on liability settlments in the last five years.
The behind the scenes is more interesting . . .
The Kansas City Area Transportation Authority CEO Robbie Makinen is a man without a country and he's on his way out via a smear campaign pitched to newspaper hacks. Mr. Makinen was a proponent of "Team Sanders" and now those days are history. Ergo, he's an easy and deserving target.
His failings in a job that he was never qualified to do are provide ample fodder and this report rounds-up bus stop arguments:
The behind the scenes is more interesting . . .
The Kansas City Area Transportation Authority CEO Robbie Makinen is a man without a country and he's on his way out via a smear campaign pitched to newspaper hacks. Mr. Makinen was a proponent of "Team Sanders" and now those days are history. Ergo, he's an easy and deserving target.
His failings in a job that he was never qualified to do are provide ample fodder and this report rounds-up bus stop arguments:
KC's bus agency says it's above the law, can keep secrets from taxpayers
When an internal investigation found that employees of Kansas City's RideKC bus system were stealing parts, tools and supplies, the transit authority's human resources director appealed to the system's CEO: Bring in the FBI, he said. Instead, Jimmy Fight was disparaged and fired for raising the issue, he alleges in a little-known lawsuit filed in late 2016.
Makinen was a Mike Sanders' sleaze ball when he "worked" at Jackson County, and going blind didn't change that. He's grossly unqualified and unfit to be leading any organization that's taxpayer supported. And remember he hired Frank White's son too, giving him a cushy job he wasn't remotely qualified for. Being unqualified seems to be the key to getting ahead if you're Makinen, Frank White or Frank White's son.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if Robbie Makinen didn't want the FBI poking around the ATA because he was worried what they'd dig up. This looks like, smells like and sounds like a cover-up.
ReplyDeleteWhy are the representatives on the ATA board from Platte, Clay, Johnson and Wyandotte counties letting scumbags from Jackson county use the ATA for their own scummy and corrupt purposes?
ReplyDeleteMy guess is they are getting kickbacks.
DeleteWasn't the head of the ATA a few years ago an engineer or urban planner, a guy with advanced degrees who, you know, might actually be qualified to run a mass transit system?
ReplyDeleteLove how The Star article makes no mention of Makinen's close ties to sleazy Mike Sanders. Then the Star hasn't ever asked why Sanders wanted Frank White to replace him as County exec. Makinen and White have three things in common: they're unqualified, they both owe their six-figure salaries to Mike Sanders, convicted felon, and one hired the other's son.
ReplyDelete@ 7:25 If the FBI can read, you would think this article in The Star and Makinen's close association with Mike Sanders would get them starting an investigation. Why Makinen wouldn't want the FBI to investigate this situation the HR director uncovered ought to sound alarm bells?
ReplyDeleteSo, the person doing the right thing by reporting the misconduct (Jimmy), gets fired. Shitty treatment of whistle-blowers within their ranks is exactly what some FBI personnel have been citing as blocking them from notifying about serious dirty deeds at the bureau. Senator Grassley and others are endeavoring to have the already lawfully enacted whistle-blowers' protections enforced for all agents and everyone else notifying on wrongdoings.
ReplyDeleteSee these recent posts:
Senate.Gov/Grassley/News Releases Whistleblowers...
Whistleblowersblog.org/Senator Grassley Reminds FBI Agents Of Their Whistle-blower Rights...
Makinen is a sleaze ball in a league to himself.
ReplyDeleteMaybe its now time for the FBI to take a look at how Frank White's son got a cushy $120,000 "no-show" gig with Makinen, in return for Frank supporting Makinen himself getting a $200,000 salary. Guy has a high school diploma, has no business running anything buy a Jiffy Lube.
ReplyDelete8:36 Frank White unqualified to be county executive + Robbie Makinen unqualified to be ATA CEO + Frank White's son unqualified to do whatever it is he's supposed to be doing + Mike Sanders pulling strings to get the first two their jobs. Shouldn't that all equal an FBI investigation + a state investigation?
ReplyDeleteSleazy Robbie is lucky his wife doesn't know about all of the women he hits on and tries to sleep with. He always jokes about how "being the blind guy" lets him get away with "accidentally" groping and touching women. He's a complete scumbag.
ReplyDeleteRobbie has always been a slime ball. He is a good con man though. Gotta give him credit for that.
ReplyDeleteRobbie is a very dark person, his blindness was karma.
ReplyDeleteMackinen is pure Eastern Jack: stupid, misogynist,and crooked.
ReplyDelete@ 7:30 I live in Clay County and want to know why we are supporting this kind of nonsense. I got to find out who is representing Clay County on the ATA board and ask them why they aren't doing something to get this Jackson County slim booted out of the top job at the ATA.
ReplyDeleteI suppose Robbie's wife can go back to stripping? That's where he met her.
ReplyDeleteBag man for Sanders? What did we expect?
ReplyDeleteI remember going to some events where Sanders would give one of his notorious fast-talk speeches. I thought this guy, Makinen, was Sanders' bodyguard. He's now running the transit company? What a farce.
ReplyDeleteRM used to work at a Casino with me. He was assigned to Sanders by the management to help hide Sanders' gambling, while encouraging it.
ReplyDeleteNo, Robbie "managed" Calvin's $500,000 gambling habit. It's one of the reasons why the FBI started looking at him.
ReplyDeleteI hear Mike gambled on Calvin's casino ID card? That way Mikey could hide how bad his addition was.
ReplyDeleteCould this topic and the wastes of life who have commented here, be any more boring? Don't answer, we'll see in the next comment. God, you people really need a life.
ReplyDeleteI know you have a clear agenda here, but unfortunately for you the feds have pretty much annihilated your premise that Sanders was a gambler. Calvin on the other hand was in for $500k and all of his "youth work" in Guatemala where he slung around thousands of dollars to do "youth counseling."
ReplyDeleteDuh, why else do you think Calvin turned snitch and said whatever he could come up with about his former BFF. The dude is a pedophile and a turd.
ReplyDeleteGeorgia Sanders and her Jack Cardwell should be locked up too. Corrupt beasts.
ReplyDeleteAlso Mirriam and Kevin Hennosey who cut a deal with the feds not to go to prison for all of the money they stole. Good people right there.
ReplyDeleteI worked with Jim Fight for several years, and know him to be a standup guy, of the highest integrity, and hard-hewn to the rule of law and doing the right thing. Believe him.
ReplyDelete6:27 ^^^ I worked with Robbie Makinen several years and know him to be a low-down lying sack of crap. I wouldn't believe him if he told me water is wet.
ReplyDelete