Selah: A Guide to the Pros and Cons of Revealing Political Greed

"Selah" is a non-fiction, autobiographical account of the political firestorm and federal investigation surrounding a controversial mayoral administration. Written from the first-hand perspective of the whistleblower who lit the match (while redacting all specific names of individuals and organizations involved), this book will have a feel and tone which is 2 parts crime thriller, one part Christian commentary on suffering and injustice among us. For readers who are familiar with the legacy of corruption that hangs over certain cities, it will provide deep insights into how the machine works and who the puppeteers behind the curtain may be. For outsiders (as I once was) who are only vaguely familiar with the sometimes corrupt under-belly of a city, the book will be a Masterclass, revealing to readers how corruption hides in plain sight in this unique part of the country. Finally, for those who happen to be part of the faith community, it will touch on the tensions between our calling to do what is righteous vs the reality that unrighteousness often prevails in the short-term. When the world imagines what it is to be a whistleblower, I suspect they envision what I used to; a person sliding a folder of evidence over to authorities, answering questions and then walking off. I don't know how true that perception is but my experience was different. The degree of convolution of what I uncovered required an approach more akin to a chess match. The feds, The Mayor's Office, local nonprofits, local corporations, politicians, City Council members, political action committees, the regional/national press and others were all players on the same chess board. Each of us possessed one, maybe two pieces on the board and had the responsibility to move in a way that ensures victory for our side. However, in this game of chess, we play by uncommon rules; people switch sides, switch pieces and are sometimes not even revealed until it's too late... Checkmate.