An Albany columnist reports on Mary Jo White’s press conference

On balance, her performance was an impressive piece of assurance theater, designed to shore up the credibility of a so-called independent investigator coming in to look at the allegations, rumors, innuendo and general bad karma being lobbed at Bishop Hubbard. An independent investigation that on its face seems incredible and weak.

Mary Jo White will have no subpoena powers to force the unwilling to cooperate. But, she said, those are the kinds of investigations corporations of various sorts hire her to do all the time. She said she’s undaunted, and remains confident, etc.

An independent investigation that is being paid for by the diocese, to investigate the head of the diocese. Ah yes, the money. Responding to a question, White did not hesitate to tell us her rate is $770 an hour. She will use other resources as well, like investigators, but they are paid at a lesser rate.

If there was an electric moment for this press conference from the media’s perspective, this was it. The crowd of 25 or so from radio, television, and newspapers uttered not a whimper of reaction. But I’ll bet the collective bubble of thought over the audience’s heads was something like, “Wow, am I in the wrong business.”