From The Post and Courier: The six members of the Charleston Post-Incident Assessment and Review Task Forcepublicly maintained an air of neutrality during their probe of June 2007 Sofa Super Store Fire. But in private e-mails, they criticized and complained about the fire department's leadership, the slow pace of change, and perceived efforts by Mayor Joe Riley to politically "spin" their work.

The e-mails, which span a 14-month period, show some team members had strong opinions early on that the fire department was mired in the past and that then–Fire Chief Rusty Thomas was an impediment to progress. They became increasingly frustrated with Riley, as well, over his unwavering loyalty to Thomas and his steadfast defense of the department's antiquated tactics.

Last week, Riley said he found the snide, cynical and sarcastic tone of the e-mails disappointing, surprising and at odds with the candid professionalism shown in the team's face-to-face dealings with the city. He said the messages show the team arrived with preconceived notions about the fire that clouded its mission.

Routley said the e-mails were never intended for public consumption and it's unfortunate if anyone was offended, but he stands behind his team's work and findings.