As we reported: With criminal investigation, the Beltway tightens around MDT.

We reported this past April that federal interest was growing into County misappropriation of federal funds with Congressional staffers making a broad range of recommendations on how to deal with the MDT scandal.

Beltway Rumblings: Congressional interest grows into County misappropriation of federal funds.

The Miami Herald is now reporting that "county officials confirmed for the first time that the U.S. Department of Transportation is conducting a criminal investigation at Miami-Dade Transit."

The Herald's editorial page goes on to state: "It should never have come to this."

If, as the old saying goes, insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results, then why should the results at MDT be any different when the same people are in charge now that were in charge back when this all began?

Alina "Burgess Lite" Hudak, Ysela Llort, and the rest of the team that brought this mess onto MDT are still there.

That we are six months into this scandal and it is yet to be resolved shows the complete and utter lack of leadership and common sense that permeates County Hall.

We put forth these three suggestions:

1. Remove Ysella Llort and all top level management at MDT, replace them with a new management team that includes a turn-around specialist that is an expert on federal matters and has a relationship with the FTA and U.S. DOT.

2. Conduct a complete forensic audit of MDT down to every single red cent, including a review of procurement practices and accounting methods.

3. Admit wrongdoing, eat some crow. Then ask the FTA to come back and complete their audit with your full cooperation.

Alina Hudak sadly learned from her predecessor that leadership can be achieved by writing memoranda covering the collective bureaucratic behinds.

As long as this behavior continues, we can all expect the same disastrous results over and over again.