Thank you for speaking out. Watch during Public Comment, here.
I have taken my private time at my own expense to come before you today regarding a matter that needs to be addressed. I have prepared this written statement for two reasons. First, so that I would make no mistakes regarding the message that I want you to get and second, so there would be no possibility that I would revert back to my decades of experience as a federal special agent and say a bunch of things directly to one of you. So, now, in accordance with your BCC policies, I will have my say.
We all know that when a U.S. Citizen is accused of criminal activity, he or she is presumed innocent until proven guilty. My comments are not about guilt or innocence.
When a search or arrest warrant is issued, it is not because the police believe that a crime has been committed. It is because a Judge believes there is reasonable cause to believe a crime has been committed and he orders the police to conduct a search for evidence of that crime or arrest an individual for suspected commission of that crime. The judge also commands that the evidence seized during the execution of a warrant be listed on the return to that judge or that the body of the arrested person be brought before the court for formal charges of criminal offenses.
The system is a lock step process with one action naturally following another. The protocol of evidence seizure, evaluation of evidentiary material, further grand jury proceedings if necessary, arrest warrant affidavit filings, arrests, charging, pleas, and plea bargaining or trial followed by acquittal, mistrial or conviction and sentencing.
To suffer any or all of these things is devastating, especially if in the final hour, the individuals being tried are found guilty and appropriately sentenced to prison terms.
Anyone who serves in a position of public trust is held to a much higher standard than those he or she serves. No innocent citizen deserves to suffer betrayal and its associated disgrace by having to endure the agony that comes with the criminal prosecution of one of their elected officials.
As you know, in the past this body has had to endure the prosecution and conviction of another commissioner for violation of federal law. Fortunately, he resigned his position but the stain of his disgraceful behavior is still the fodder of the public and press 6 years later.
My point today is this. If any of you should find yourselves in a position to be accused of criminal behavior, YOU know for sure if you are guilty or not. To us, the voters who put you in office, your guilt or innocence is irrelevant. The appearance of impropriety at the level of a publicly elected official should be enough to seriously consider resignation. A formal charge alleging guilt is more than enough to require your resignation and relieve the public from sharing all of the pain the future holds. To allow a situation to deteriorate to that level is patently irresponsible. My advice to any of you is to be proactive in leaving your office rather than being forced to resign.
Your job is to do what is best for the majority of the citizens you represent, regardless as to what damage that may cause you personally. Your jobs are about sacrificing for those who trust you. In all cases you must do what is the right thing for the people. The issues you deal with are not about you, they are about those who trust you. You are trusted. You and your office belong to us.
When you all took this job, you knew that you might someday be expected to fall upon your own sword to save us. If such a time should ever come, or now is such a time, have the dignity to leave office with your honor, integrity and reputation still intact.
I cannot speak to any of you directly in this public forum regarding your personal behavior, and not be in violation of your own rules. However, none of you are bound by this restriction and, in the interest of Sunshine Regulations and because this issue is now on the table, I encourage any or all of you to make comment to one another as you feel appropriate.
3 comments:
Sorry, but after laboring through the introductory religious and patriotism training, I couldn't get past the cheezy tribute to the organized police dog animal cruelty (a pet peeve of mine), and so stopped watching the video and never got to see the McClure segment.
I believe that the forced training of defenseless dogs to rip and tear at human beings is a criminal act in and of itself. We ban organized animal cruelty such as dog fights, cock fights and puppy mills, why do we allow this cruelty to dogs to continue? Where is the Michael Vick outrage? Please don't tell me that they are merely collateral damage and it is OK to so violently, and so publicly, abuse these poor dogs for altruistic reasons.
And what of the suspected citizen? Who in their right mind would not fight back to the death when confronted by a trained to be vicious growling and snarling flesh ripping large dog? The dogs, who have NO CHOICE in their training, are intentionally put in harms way. Worse, they are further abused and demonized when used as, and highly celebrated as, fear mongering tools and false search alert tools.
Instead we give tribute to the bully cops rather than treating them like the animal cruelty perps that they are.
Just another day in the menticide for the enforcers of wealth who day in and day out work tirelessly to ensure the growth of the pigdebt. [Pigdebt is the total amount of recompense due to those who have been harmed, financially, physically, and emotionally, by the willful and intentional immoral usurpation of the 'rule of law' by Xtrevilist pigs for selfish gain.]
Click on words Public Comment and get right to it.
Got it, thanks.
Actually I believe Ben Rich invited the whole commission to resign, but self elevation, self deception and righteousness are very inhibiting qualities.
Nice to see the crumbling illusion so deftly bypassed though.
Soon the pigdebt will be on the agenda.
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