Our Own Wizard Of Odd

If Spokane Mayor John Talbott intended to persuade council colleagues to change their minds about the downtown River Park Square project, he chose a peculiar way to go about it.

Talbott invited a Philadelphia lawyer named Mark Schwartz to speak to the council about a bond issue included in the project’s financing. It remains unclear why Schwartz would care about a Spokane project or why Spokane would care about his opinions. However, he does appear to have an ax to grind; in 1989, he was fired by Prudential Securities, underwriter for the Spokane bonds.

Far from persuading the council, Schwartz tested its patience. He threw a hissy fit about a spectator who was sitting quietly in the audience, holding a piece of paper in his lap and doodling a Star of David in a manner that Schwartz deemed offensive. Singling out black council member Roberta Greene, Schwartz demanded she take action against the doodler, berating her in such an insulting manner that her husband forcibly confronted Schwartz.

While Schwartz ranted and others called for security, two people seemed utterly placid: the doodler, who sat staring at his hands, and Talbott, conspicuously failing in his duty to control the meeting.

Later, Schwartz threatened to sue, demanded various resignations and spewed brimstone concerning the city’s commitment to diversity. Real diversity, of course, includes freedom for noxious doodling as well as for those who argue, in a noxious and therefore ineffective manner, with city officials.