When a city is trying to get to the bottom of things, should an official be put in charge of scrutinizing his own actions? Or should someone independent of those actions review them?

The writers at blogHOUSTON question the mayor's choice of Anthony Hall to review a nonprofit entity formed by the city's former airport chief. Hall's role was reported by the Houston Chronicle in May. The nonprofit used city employees' expertise to set up airports for foreign, and some domestic, governments. It has come under scrutiny following airport chief Richard Vacar's swift exit from the airport last month.

Why the bloggers' skepticism?

Hall's role has been as oversight man for the very nonprofit he's now tasked with reviewing, the Houston Airport System Development Corp. Hall, whose title is city chief administrative officer, was responsible for signing off on consulting projects from Libya to Nicaragua undertaken by Vacar.

blogHouston writes:

The guy who was in charge of approving all of Vacar's expenses/trips when he was in charge, is now overseeing the review of Vacar's expenses/trips?? Excuse me??

Indeed -- what a great example of The Houston Way!

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