Gerth: Enough secrets. Mayor Craig Greenberg should come clean about his wife's role

My initial reaction to Josh Wood’s piece about Rachel Greenberg having an office in Metro Hall and a “job” for which she isn’t paid for was, “Who cares?”

I mean, she wasn’t enriching herself with a big salary her husband, Mayor Craig Greenberg, had given her. What does it matter if she gives a speech here or there, freeing the mayor to be off doing mayor things?

But the more I thought about it and the more I talked to people, the more I thought something just ain’t right here.

It’s not even the fact that giving her an office and responsibilities may violate the city’s ethics code; Metro Council member Kevin Kramer helped rewrite the code 20 years ago and doesn’t recall mayoral first ladies were even part of the discussion back then.

More: Greenberg's wife has role in administration. Louisville's nepotism code might not allow it

The problem I have with this is the problem I have with so many things in government these days – and it seems to be worse when the power broker comes from private business rather than having a background in government.

THE SECRECY.

What, exactly, is Rachel Greenberg doing when she parks her car in the prime spot I hear is assigned to her at Metro Hall, walks to her office in Metro Hall, sends emails over a government server, and starts telling people who are on the payroll supported by your tax dollars what to do?

Is she simply going around and giving speeches at middle school graduations and trade conventions as former Mayor Jerry Abramson’s wife, Madeline, did? Or is she playing a policy role? Is she signing off on people who are hired and fired, promoted and demoted?

Is she calling shots in secret that should be called by government employees in the light of day?

Do employees at Metro Hall have to worry that if they say “no” to an assignment from Rachel Greenberg, or if they don’t do it quite to her satisfaction, that their job is at risk because they’ve angered an unpaid, unofficial surrogate of the mayor who shows up on no organizational chart but goes home with the mayor each night?

What does that do to morale?

One thing it does do, is it has employees complaining to a newspaper reporter about it.

When Wood first asked Craig Greenberg's spokesman if Rachel Greenberg had an office and staff, Kevin Trager said, "no, no, no, no," then added "she's not an employee, and she does not have staff."

I’m not sure if the “no, no, no, no,” was a response to the question about the office or just the staff − whether it was a denial that she has a desk there or a confirmation that she does.

(And at least one intern believed they were Rachel Greenberg’s staff, listing their summer job as “Special Assistant to the First Lady.”)

Trager then demanded questions be sent to him in the form of an email – questions which he proceeded to ignore when he issued a statement to Wood.

The statement, attributed to the mayor, said only that "Louisville is fortunate that Rachel has volunteered so much time and energy to help our city and metro government. I look forward to our First Lady continuing to make a positive impact on Louisville in the years ahead."

What does that even mean?

What is the “positive impact” she is having on the city? And what is she volunteering her time doing?

And does she have an office? Does she have a staff? Does she issue orders? Does she take part in policy meetings?

Exactly what is she doing?

These shouldn’t be state secrets?

And if Craig Greenberg doesn’t think he should tell you, the taxpayer, what his wife is doing in an office you pay for, sending an email on a server you own and directing employees you pay, well, maybe Rachel Greenberg shouldn’t be doing this.

Having a role for the wives of mayors may not be a bad thing.

First ladies of the United States and of Kentucky have done laudable things throughout history. Heck Edith Wilson managed her husband’s office and served as his de facto gatekeeper after President Woodrow Wilson suffered a debilitating stroke during his second term.

Martha Wilkinson, wife of Gov. Wallace Wilkinson, used her position to urge people who had dropped out of high school to obtain their high school equivalency certificates.

But a first lady should have a clearly defined role and we should know what her responsibilities are and what she is doing, and government employees shouldn’t have to weigh whether to do what their boss tells them or to do what the first lady says.

And if Craig Greenberg won’t answer simple questions about what his wife is doing, perhaps the Metro Council needs to step in and make him fire her from a job, that, officially, she doesn’t have.

Joseph Gerth can be reached at 502-582-4702 or by email at jgerth@courierjournal.com.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg must come clean about wife's role