Brickbat: Passed Over
Members of the Oakland, Calif., city council have agreed to pay $295,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by Charles Vose, a former deputy city attorney. Vose, who is white, claimed he was passed over for promotions in favor of minorities with less experience. City Attorney Barbara Parker denied any discrimination against Vose, saying "mere competency and years of experience" aren't enough to qualify someone for a supervisory position and other candidates had more of the qualities she was seeking than Vose did. She also noted half the supervisors she appointed were white.