Quote Of The Day

Usually, quotes of the day here at Slobber And Spittle are statements that I agree with to some degree. I'm sad to say, this isn't one of them. Today's QOTD comes from attorney Wylie Stecklow, who represented two women who were abused by then New York Police Department Captain Christopher McCormack, who has since been promoted to Deputy Inspector:

Lawyer Wylie Stecklow, who represented Corbin and another arrested protester, Robin Wilson, called McCormack’s subsequent promotion “a prime example of failing upward,” which he said “happens too often with the NYPD.”

McCormack is expected to testify at the stop-and-frisk trial in Manhattan federal court about allegations that he was secretly recorded telling a Bronx cop to stop “black males” between 14 and 21 to fight crime in the Mott Haven section.

‘Taped’ cop cost city 78G

I don't think of this as failing upwards. That term, to me, implies that the individual failed to achieve the goals set out for him, but was promoted anyway. It's pretty clear, given the cases Mr. Wylie refers to, including this one, that McCormack did exactly what was expected of him, and was promoted for it. In none of those cases has anyone received more than a mild penalty. In that case, the one I linked to, the police officer in question had a long history of that sort of behavior.

It's hard to see this as anything other than employees fulfilling their responsibilities to the satisfaction of their bosses.