« Libya | Main | Teacher Reinstated »
January 23, 2006
Climate of Fear Part 36
This is an update on our last climate of fear post. Four of the defendents in the Milwaukee tire slash case pleaded no constest to charges, while the fifth was found not guilty. According to the plea bargain none will serve any jail time. Sean Hackbarth writes
Milwaukee District Attorney E. Michael McCann's office is known as a plea bargain machine. Conservatives were pleasantly surprised when his office took the Milwaukee 5 to trial. Prosecutors went through eight days of testimony and arguments and put it in the jury's hands. Until a few hours ago it seemed like we would have a verdict, but that wasn't the case. Prosecutors gave up at the first sign of a deadlocked jury and cut-and-run by handing out plea bargains:
So the lesson here: In Milwaukee it is ok to use violence to prevent hundreds of people from voting. You will not go to jail. This is especially disturbing for Wisconson since they have same day registration and you do not have to bring any ID to vote or to register to vote, which is why last election Milwaukee had over 100% eligible voter turnout. If you got up early enough on election day you can slash tires early in the morning so your opponents can not get to the polls, then go vote a couple dozen times across the city without any fear of being punished for your actions. If you have time you can even drive up to Minnesotta and vote a couple dozen more times there. But that would be a busy day.
At the bear minimum Wisconson, or any other state that does not require ID or allows same day registration, needs to require that voters be marked with indelible ink. I would go further and add these other refroms as well.
Posted by Pete at January 23, 2006 09:35 AM
Trackback Pings
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.petetheelder.com/mt-tb.cgi/712