Saturday, September 27, 2003
Denial's In the House...
How can events in South Dakota have gone on this long, and there still be no mention of Censure—if not outright expulsion—for Rep. Bill Janklow (R-SD) from the House of Representatives?0 comments
This is not a matter of a body being found somewhere, and a member of the House just MIGHT be implicated. You would expect pious declarations from House members of "We'll support our good friend until all the evidence is in, blah, blah..."
But this is different. Aside from killing someone, this story touches on political arrogance and abuse of power. This is why it's telling that other House members aren't taking a VERY big step backwards from this latter-day Huey Long.
The official reports clearly note that Janklow, 64, was slamming his Cadillac along a country road at 4 p.m., coming home from a political event. In a 55 mph zone, he ran a STOP sign at 71 mph, killing 55-year-old motorcyclist, Randy Scott. It's also clear from reports that soybean plants stand very high at that intersection, blocking the vision from all four directions. Disobeying the posted sign was madness.
South Dakota troopers have gone on record as well, saying that Janklow has MANY speeding tickets, and often boasts about them.
As the former South Dakota Attorney General, he, of all people, should be held accountable for flagrant, and fatal, disregard of the law.
But obviously, as an AG, and former Governor, and now South Dakota's sole House Representative, he obviously feels totally bulletproof. Yesterday, he even PLEADED NOT GUILTY!!
Astonishingly, he could stand in a court room and say, "Not guilty." With a straight face. Plus, tell the assembled cameras that his heart went out to Randy Scott's family, and that due to head injuries, he couldn't remember anything that happened.
I can't wait for the defense they put up for this guy, other than "My dog ate my brakes."
And when do the over 400 upstanding men and women in the House figure out that manslaughter charges for allegedly causing a death while speeding, with mountains of evidence including Janklow's own statements immediately afterwards, is a tad more serious than anything Adam Clayton Powell or James Traficant ever did to get themselves censured.
What cowards.
posted by Gotham 5:22 PM
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