A Journal Sentinel editorial:
Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker should fire John Chianelli immediately as part of the effort to eradicate problems at the county's Mental Health Complex.
But Walker should not stop there. He should insist that any Mental Health Complex employees who knowingly falsified documents or otherwise failed to do their jobs be shown the door. Their failures allowed a known predator, Omowale Atkins, to viciously sexually assault patients and impregnate one of them.
Even though the Journal Sentinel Watchdog team has shown a pattern of neglect and mismanagement at the complex, it appears very little discipline has been meted out. Heads need to roll, and that should begin with Chianelli, administrator of the Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Division. He is in charge of the Mental Health Complex.
But it should not stop there, either. Walker, who points fingers in every direction but his own whenever there is a problem in county government, owns this one.
He needs to take some responsiblity himself for allowing this to happen. It did not happen overnight, but after an extended period of neglect on Walker's watch. And he has defended the decision-makers.
The idea that he is running for governor on his record as county executive should make people laugh -- or perhaps cry.
His record on how he treats some of society's most vulnerable speaks volumes about his priorities and his character.
Shame on Scott Walker.