Is a "small opposition group" in O'Fallon conspiring to get rid of Lowery?

In our last post, Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends, we reviewed the show put on by O'Fallon Mayor Donna Morrow, CA Bob Lowery and councilman Pierce Conley at the March 12th city council meeting. The 3 act rehearsed play was an attempt by Lowery and his supporters to make the council look bad in how they handled Lowery's recent suspension. So what did Lowery have to say at the meeting? Here are some of the highlights with our comments;

• “Since my reinstatement, questions continue to linger regarding my reputation..." "This is not only disheartening for myself and my family but I also believe that the public has a right to know what transpired and what’s contained in that report.” We agree with Lowery on this one. The public does have a right to know and the council should hold a public hearing in which Lowery is questioned under oath about the allegations against him. We posted a small sample of some of the questions we would ask in our last post.


• “Never did I believe that volunteering my time to assist a nationally-based group that would help endangered children would become an issue...” Lowery was talking about his involvement in a group called Global Training Partnership (GTP) and the issue is whether this constituted secondary employment which is a violation of the O'Fallon ordinance governing the CA. Lowery's statement implies GTP was a non profit organization founded to help find missing children and Lowery's role was simply as a volunteer. The evidence contradicts Lowery's claims. First, even Lowery admits GTP is intended to become a for-profit group. In a statement to the Post-Dispatch on January 26, 2009 Lowery stated if the partnership does become a for-profit venture in the future, he would petition the city council for a waiver allowing him to hold secondary employment. While most people would call their initial start up time setting up a company an investment Lowery tries to spin this as volunteer work. Sorry Bob but this one is to easy to see through. In addition, before this story broke the web site listed GTP as a private partnership "organized to provide law enforcement officers with training that will enhance their investigative performance and skills." The web site listed Lowery as a "principal" in the partnership. No mention was made about missing children or that this was anything but a for-profit company. As soon as the story broke the web site went down and has undergone several changes to fit Lowery's story. It's ironic how Lowery handled this because any good cop knows the cover up is usually the surest evidence of guilt.


• Lowery went on to claim he had “an impeccable and unblemished record of accomplishment” but that his “name and reputation was run through the mud.” Earth to Bob, no one has an impeccable and unblemished record...at least not in the last 2000 years or so.


• Finally, Lowery lays all the blame on this to a “a small opposition group” that he doesn't identify. O'Fallon's version of a "vast right wing conspiracy" we guess. However, when 75% of the current council felt Lowery should be suspended, numerous former members of the council wanted Lowery fired, the Mayor wanted to fire Lowery at one time, ex employees have sued Lowery and we are told a large majority of current employees want him fired we think the "small" is more wishful thinking on Bob's part than reality.

In truth, Lowery's statement was filled with many of the attributes one might argue are the reasons he should be fired; duplicity, the willingness to exploit whatever good he has done to his own advantage, paranoia and his incredible egotism. Let's hope the council has the resolve to end this show once and for all.