I often find myself agreeing with Jim Graham. Unfortunately, this is not one of those times. Were that this were a witch hunt and medival torture practices were used to force innocent old midwives to admit to cavorting with the Devil. We could then claim enlightment, free the kindly healers, and set about jailing the Fire and Brimstone misogynists culpable for the women's pain.
Instead we have a Council member who signed a confession saying that he accepted illegal plumbing work and then proceeded to use his office to support the union that provided the plumbing work. Now, of course, Mr. Biernat is saying that the FBI coerced his confession. Did the FBI beat him? Did they tie him up and throw him in the water to see if he sank or floated? Did they scowl at him real hard and threaten to tatoo a Scarlet F for felon on his chest? Did they make him recite the Lord's Prayer from beginning to end without error? Or did they, as his wife seems to claim, bar him from the toilet so that his digestive problems stewed internally reaching an explosion point forcing him to sign the confession or create an entirely new plumbing fiasco? I recognize the problems inherent with a justice system that the Supreme Court has called flawed. And I believe in due process. But, Biernat has offered none but the flimisest of excuses and evidence for his retraction. Brian Herron, as problematic as his judgement was, made one clear decision that benefitted the people of his ward: he resigned from office before indictment. Would that Joe Biernat had the gonads to do the same. Barring that, if the city charter allows for the recall of a council member, I would encourage Biernat's ward to get to recallin'. -Brandon Lacy Campos -Powderhorn Park (I believe my respentatives are human and are allowed to make mistakes...but they aren't allowed to be truly stupid...) _________________________________________________________________ Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: http://mobile.msn.com _______________________________________ 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
