Things Money Can Buy in Politics [PHIL-OSOPHY]

If the allegations are proven true in a court of law, that Fall River Mayor Jasiel Correia conspired to extort hundreds of thousands of dollars from companies looking to set up marijuana businesses in his city, then you can add another pen to the pile, as someone else will be writing his life's story.

And if it's proven true that Correia accepted cash bribes in exchange for issuing official letters with his stamp of approval, needed to get a license to operate a pot shop in Fall River, to help pay off mounting legal bills and support an immoderate lifestyle, then he will have many years to ask a lot of questions, and a lot of years to answer those questions.

If what U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts Andrew Lelling told the media after the mayor's arrest is true, that "without hesitation, Mayor Correia was extorting marijuana vendor after marijuana vendor," then Jasiel will realize that greed is a strange, strange sin and that in the end, greed even fails the greedy.

The U.S. Attorney was right when he inferred that corruption by elected officials has a devastating impact on the public's trust in government. Imagine how poor Fall River must feel, having a mayor who was accused of such crimes not just once, but now twice.

Phil Paleologos is the host of The Phil Paleologos Show on 1420 WBSM New Bedford. He can be heard weekdays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. Contact him at phil@wbsm.com and follow him on Twitter @PhilPaleologos. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.