for 11 MAR 08: COUNCILORS NEEDING COUNSEL

What's going on around here? I mean, 2008 is an election year. You'd think politicians would be on their best behavior. Instead, we may have two east Alabama council members on trial today in different courtrooms -- and imagine if either of them dared to call someone a monster.

BLOG EXCLUSIVE: A Smiths Station City Council member is scheduled for a Lee County bench trial today [Tuesday]. Robert Sawyer was arrested less than two months ago - so this could be the speediest trial this side of a NASCAR tribunal.

Robert Sawyer was arrested in late January, on two counts of second-degree criminal tampering. He had to post a combined $1,500 bond. But the counts are misdemeanors, so I doubt Nancy Grace will be distracted from that other big court case in Lee County. Besides, Sawyer isn't a teenager -- he's 75.

Online court records didn't provide any details on this case. But the Alabama criminal code shows second-degree criminal tampering involves anyone who "intentionally tampers with property of another for the purpose of causing substantial inconvenience to that person or to another...." So you'd better not cover up your neighbor's Auburn bumper sticker on a game day.

Robert Sawyer owns a mobile home park on Lee Road 246, and lives on the grounds. So I suppose it's possible that a resident of "Sawyer's Mobile Home Estates" filed a complaint, because the manager tried to make some improvements. Painted concrete blocks for your mobile home do look a lot nicer....

Your blog called Robert Sawyer at his mobile home park Monday night for a comment. Sawyer told us he could NOT talk about the case until today's trial is over. As the late Johnnie Cochran might have said: He'll spill it all, once the gavel falls.

"I don't know what it's about," was the only detailed comment Robert Sawyer would give us about the two criminal tampering charges. Really?! You'd think law officers would have given at least a short explanation for those handcuffs in January....

Robert Sawyer said he's left the criminal tampering case in the hands of his attorney. There are advantages to this approach. If you're convicted of the charges and sentenced to jail, that's the real moment of discovery - when you discover your lawyer is incompetent, and thus you have grounds for appeal.

Meanwhile, the trial of a Hurtsboro City Council member on ethics charges apparently began Monday. Nothing in the online court records showed a further delay in the Mae Dell McVay case. Considering the Alabama Ethics Commission rebuked her 14 months ago, the only grounds for delay now might be the high price of driving from Hurtsboro to Phenix City.

And an e-mail to the blog Monday brought up political problems far from home....

CB& T must be rejoicing!



Spitzer Linked To Hooker Probe



Full story and documents can be found here:...

That's New York Governor Eliot Spitzer - and I won't be surprised if some hockey players also get connected to this investigation. After all, they're punished for hooking all the time.

(Assuming those charges are true, It looks like the Democrats running for President will need to find another candidate to serve as Attorney General. If Mrs. Clinton can make a comeback to the White House, why not Janet Reno?)

Why would Columbus Bank and Trust care about the governor of New York? Because when Eliot Spitzer was New York Attorney General, he went after Synovus Financial for offering credit cards with large hidden activation fees [5 Jul 06]. At least the prostitutes who charge politicians thousands of dollars a night quote the price up front.

E-MAIL UPDATE: Monday's stack of messages inspired a couple more. We were especially struck by one concerning possible censorship by the Ledger-Enquirer....

Hello Richard,

I did some investigation of my own concerning the Cascade Hills, Bill Purvis situation of not being able to use either of those phrases on the L-E Website. Seems as though there was a hold or filter placed on the word Purvis, Purvi$, and Cascade Hills as well as Dollar Bill Purvi$. It was not however requested in any way shape or form by Cascade Hills or Bill Purvis.

When I talked with Ben Holden from the L-E he seemed rather frustrated with the entire situation. He indicated that the filter of Purvis and other such filters was put in place in order to stop the "childish" slander and libel taking place in the comment section. Holden Indicated that he had already received telephone calls from Cascade Hills complaining about the situation as well and suggested that there would be some policy changes in the future.

He suggested that they were may be "taking the whole thing down", although I did not clarify what he meant by that statement, it was rather obvious he was upset at the moment. I thanked him and indicated my support of such an idea. As I said in my letter to the editor, it is time to let it go. If you did not have a chance to read the letter to the editor I will copy it bellow. Feel free to use it if you think it will help in the healing process.

Thanks,

Daniel Jordan

If Daniel does not object, I'm going to hold that letter until our Saturday religious discussion. But who started calling the pastor "Dollar Bill"?! I don't hear anyone nicknaming John McCain "Port-a."

The Ledger-Enquirer and other news web sites have started "comments" sections, to let readers give immediate feedback on the stories they read. Many of those comment sections have moderators, and that seems only logical to me. When I'm reading about the City Council, the last thing I want is an invitation to buy a 1982 Dodge Dart.

It sounds like Ledger-Enquirer Executive Editor Ben Holden may be in a mood to remove the comment section completely. Maybe then the readers will write something more mature and civilized - like what's in the "Sound Off" column.

Here's one more e-mail related to Monday's post....

In Monday's blog a comment was,"If you rent you don't pay property tax."...You don't think the land lord is going to pay it do you?..Your rent is increased as property taxes increase,so basically you are paying..

SSSSHHHH - don't tell anybody this, either. But some longtime residents of Columbus have a form of "rent control." They haven't seen an increase in years. And it's a wonder their landlords haven't tried to buy them some homes with sub-prime mortgages.

We still have a couple of other messages in the InBox, but they'll have to wait until another day. We'll wrap up, with some quick Monday headlines:

+ WRBL reported there's a new bidder for the old Baker High School property. It's Place Properties, which has a history of building apartments for the military. I assume the "special operations" soldiers would be offered the old science labs.

+ The Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery issued a "Year in Hate" report, which claims Columbus is the home of a hate group. It's called the "European-American Unity and Rights Organization." I may never dine in one of those German or "wiener schnitzel" restaurants again.

+ Instant Message to the staff of Arby's on Victory Drive: I'm sorry if I surprised you. But that "free curly fries" offer Monday was legitimate. You apparently didn't know Matt Kenseth drives the Arby's car on the NASCAR Nationwide circuit. But then, I'm not sure some members of your team could spell NASCAR.

(BLOGGER'S NOTE: We posted extra-early for Tuesday because of our Blog Exclusive story. For the next few days, we plan to post at around 8:30 a.m. ET.)

Today's main topic was the result of a blog reader's tip. To offer a story tip, make a PayPal donation, advertise to our readers or comment on this blog, write me - but be warned, I may post your e-mail comment and offer a reply.

BURKARD BULK MAIL INDEX: 662 (+ 23, 3.6%)

TRUDGE REPORT, DAY 9: 2.05 miles jogged, 0.45 miles walked. Total: 26.25 miles run, 3.0 walked

The views expressed in this blog are solely those of the author -- not necessarily those of anyone else in Columbus living or dead, and perhaps not even you.

© 2003-08 Richard Burkard, all rights reserved.