Wall-Eyed at Wal-Mart: You Be The Judge

It was never my intention in my blogging about leadership to focus so narrowly on ethics. But my long-held belief that most of the top dogs try to do the right thing most of the time -- act with good purpose toward the enterprise and all it touches -- is being challenged by so many decision-makers in so many walks of life, that there is a real need to speak out.

In this case, it is bad enough that a senior official of Wal-Mart spent a half million dollars of shareholders' money on clothes, alcohol, car repairs, hunting trips and training of hunting dogs. Tom Coughlin, former vice chairman was convicted of stealing from the company.

But when the district circuit judge issues "home detention" as the sentence for the fraud on the basis of a combination of failing health and position in the community and good works -- what an outrage!!

Judge Robert Dawson's below-guidelines sentence included no jail time. None. Not even one night. The higher court which over turned the lenient sentence as an abuse of discretion and went on to add: "Perhaps Coughlins family ties and station in the community as well as his lofty corporate position of trust and power (underline added for emphasis) exacerbate the nature of his crimes, especially for Coughlins victims: Wal-Mart and, more generally American business."

If we cannot rely on judges to mete out justice, on whom can we rely? If consequences of malfeasance by our leaders are reduced entirely to home detention, there is a double standard and it is apparent to all. Imagine if the perpetrator had been someone in the mail room -- someone without a lofty position in the community, someone whose good works were less famous, someone less educated.

One of my sons puts forth this thesis: historically, the wealthy may have had their share of scoundrels, but those less well off were predominantly honest, hard-working people who lived their values. As more and more of the rich were unmasked for their unholy deeds and self-dealing, disillusionment has followed and one hears so often: "Everybody does it, why shouldn't I?" and "I'm gonna' get my share just like they do."

And, ultimately, celebrities do not suffer the same harsh justice as "john q. public."

Perhaps you believe integrity is the exception rather than the rule. But America not will not achieve our dreams in the future if corruption is not only too frequent, but handled with kid gloves.

Judge for yourself. You do every day.

Comments

[ruchild]

someone contributed to someone's campaign probably at one point and that was of course remembered, judges are elected by the people.... do you know who your judges are? what they believe in? how they've legislated over their tenures? No, you should.

[sonofloud]

If you actually believe that "most of the top dogs try to do the right thing most of the time" you are crazy.
They did not get rich by being nice. They got that way buy taking medical insurance away from their employees, by not raising minimum wage for over a decade, by hiring illegal aliens, etc.
Welcome to the real world.

[bluesnot]

Shopping at WalMart supports this unethical practice.

[SisterAnn]

Tom Coughlin, stole the money himself and spent it on himself. I have heard he has a lot of land bought up in Benton County AR.

[blu2purple]

Wal-Mart works just like the White House. The Top gets all of the credit and none of the blame. When something goes wrong...th­ey can always get to the bottom of it...never to the top....fun­ny how that works....

[GreedyOldPsychopaths]

"Where justice is denied, where poverty is enforced, where ignorance prevails, and where any one class is made to feel that society is an organized conspiracy to oppress, rob and degrade them, neither persons nor property will be safe."

Frederick Douglas

[strangelet]

Privelege == "Private Law"

[TXfemmom]

We just need to look at the money that Hedge Fund CEO's have made, and the manner in which they have turned the economy, and especially housing, into a blooming mess.

If the truth were truly known, most of those people and the people at the companies who provided these risky, terrible loans, with the presumption that they would get their money and run, then most should face some serious jail time.

[gvincent]

Privilege=Personal Congressional Lobby
http://www.crookedinc.com

[altohone]

White collar criminals have almost always been protected from justice... particularly if they were connected and wealthy.

It's no coincidence that Enron execs were singled out while the enablers in banking and finance got off easy. The other energy companies involved in causing blackouts to boost profits were barely mentioned in the corporate media. None in the FEC that defended the fraud as "normal market fluctuation" were hauled into court.

More than half of the Fortune 500 corporations were forced to restate earnings during the accounting scandal, yet only a handful of executives were prosecuted, with fines paid by shareholders considered sufficient punishment.

I can only think of a few lower level types being exposed for fraud and profiteering in Iraq and Katrina related cases... if Americans don't insist on exposing the criminals, most will live out their lives with taxpayer lined pockets.