No Accounting for Rudat’s Acts

* Re “Rudat Wants City to Pay Legal Bills,” March 20:

What is this madness? This request to pay legal bills makes about as much sense as Orange County paying legal fees for the county supervisors during the county bankruptcy fiasco.

Can anyone name one corporation that would pay the legal fees of an employee accused of taking kickbacks, payola, whatever? Or a corporation that would accuse an employee of incompetence and then pay his related legal fees? I think not, but Orange County did.

These people should be held accountable and responsible for their actions. Enough of billing the taxpayer for these litigated activities. Ethics and principles seem to be lost causes in all contemporary levels of government.

It’s time for the taxpayer to declare enough is enough.

GILBERT NIXON

Huntington Beach

* When we as a society excuse irresponsible behavior in any public or private figure just because we are afraid of what the consequences might be if we don’t, then we lose the ability to teach our children to take responsibility for their own actions.

I hope the Orange City Council tells City Manager David L. Rudat the same thing I tell my teenager: “I’m sorry if you don’t like the consequences of your actions, but maybe paying for this mistake yourself will help you decide to do what is right next time, rather than what feels good for the moment.”

PAMELA PRATT

Orange

* I find it inconceivable that the Orange city manager, David L. Rudat, can have violations removed at his command by a city inspector by paying a $2,000 fine (March 5).

Anybody else would be charged with bribery. This is a clear sign of abuse of public authority. His wife profited $13,735 on the commission she made in selling the house of Jeffery Hambarian, then president of the city’s trash recycler.

To say that Rudat did not benefit financially is a lie and a complete farce. It’s all so cozy in the city of Orange government. And to think that Rudat had the police chief fired for alleged insubordination while investigating Hambarian.

JIM SANTORO

Orange