Jude: I'm just trying to cut to the chase here: are you suggesting that the Bush Justice Department & FBI and Tom Heffelfinger (a Republican activist and GOP-appointed U.S. Attorney who brought the Biernat charges) are unfairly targeting the DFL?
If so, thank you for your honesty, since I suspect there are many DFLers who feel the same way you do...however... This DFLer feels like, just like a jury needs to weigh the facts of the Biernat's case, yours is an awfully stiff accusation without much proof. Complaining about being targeted without really having proof (other than circumstance) could potentially do more to hurt the DFL than the goings-on right now - whatever the disclaimer, it makes us look like we are soft on our own crooks, and that's a VERY bad thing, as Sharon Sayles Belton found out with a response the seemed to stress her friendship/concern for Herron rather than highlighting, emphasizing, and underlining her outrage on behalf of the public interest. (Remember, Herron copped a plea straight-away.) Me, I think the party needs to be in the forefront of rooting out corruption or the appearance of corruption at City Hall. We're still mincing around about it. It's one reason I've supported and worked on efforts to open up government & the party, and one reason I'm disappointed that ethics initiative so loudly proclaimed by Mayor Rybak have been muffled until this latest eruption. I do think DFLer Paul Ostrow deserves credit for the guts to propose abolishing the licensing boards. I know he was working on this pre-Biernat. That is a political risk for a guy from a part of town with more-than-average union membership. That's the kind of "right thing to do" that we as party members must demonstrate. David Brauer King Field > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] On Behalf Of > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Saturday, April 20, 2002 10:23 AM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: [Mpls] From a paranoid DFLer > > I am in no way discounting the culpability of those who break the public > trust, but I am increasingly disconcerted by the ongoing investigations in > City Hall. Here's why: > > The DA is spending a ton of bucks in staff time to indict and try very small > buck crimes. The Plumbers Union? Give me a break. How much time has been > spent on Herron, ORtega, Sabri, and Biernat? To what effect? There are > thousands of other white collar crimes that affect far more people far more > profoundly. What are the office's priorities? > _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
