VA Governor's Race: The Republican Invented Squirrel

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:22:08 poster - as someone empowered to recommending charging decisions (albeit in the military justice system), and who has a sister serving as an ADA in another jurisdiction, I do not believe for one second that the Commonwealth attorney did not know the context of her decision to pursue jail time for Mr. Smith.

But what do you believe that context to be?

She knew his daughter was the alleged victim in the sexual assault case - that is the context. Jail time for a father advocating for his victim daughter at a school board meeting is a ludicrous basis to advocate for imprisonment and conviction. If Biberaj did not know this context, it is Ostrich Syndrome (to name another animal).

Well I am not sure that advocating for your daughter includes resisting the police and threatening to kick their teeth in. Smith was found guilty by a judge. Do you consider him part of the hit job?

No, because he followed the law and it was judge alone. There was no opportunity for jury nullification. It is the choice by the prosecutor to bring the charges in the first place that comprises the political act.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:22:08 poster - as someone empowered to recommending charging decisions (albeit in the military justice system), and who has a sister serving as an ADA in another jurisdiction, I do not believe for one second that the Commonwealth attorney did not know the context of her decision to pursue jail time for Mr. Smith.

But what do you believe that context to be?

She knew his daughter was the alleged victim in the sexual assault case - that is the context. Jail time for a father advocating for his victim daughter at a school board meeting is a ludicrous basis to advocate for imprisonment and conviction. If Biberaj did not know this context, it is Ostrich Syndrome (to name another animal).

Well I am not sure that advocating for your daughter includes resisting the police and threatening to kick their teeth in. Smith was found guilty by a judge. Do you consider him part of the hit job?

No, because he followed the law and it was judge alone. There was no opportunity for jury nullification. It is the choice by the prosecutor to bring the charges in the first place that comprises the political act.

ADDING : It is not even about jury nullification. Often, Defendants do not avail themselves of the full due process afforded to them because those processes demand time and engagement with the justice system that overly complicates their lives - even when innocent or legally justified in their actions. Accuseds plead guilty, sometimes even when hey are innocent or not legally culpable, because the burden and humiliation of a trial absolutely negatively affects their lives. This is the crux of why prosecutorial discretion is so important, and when prosecutorial discretion is politically biased it should cause everyone pause.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:22:08 poster - as someone empowered to recommending charging decisions (albeit in the military justice system), and who has a sister serving as an ADA in another jurisdiction, I do not believe for one second that the Commonwealth attorney did not know the context of her decision to pursue jail time for Mr. Smith.

But what do you believe that context to be?

She knew his daughter was the alleged victim in the sexual assault case - that is the context. Jail time for a father advocating for his victim daughter at a school board meeting is a ludicrous basis to advocate for imprisonment and conviction. If Biberaj did not know this context, it is Ostrich Syndrome (to name another animal).

Well I am not sure that advocating for your daughter includes resisting the police and threatening to kick their teeth in. Smith was found guilty by a judge. Do you consider him part of the hit job?

No, because he followed the law and it was judge alone. There was no opportunity for jury nullification. It is the choice by the prosecutor to bring the charges in the first place that comprises the political act.

I think your argument has an inconsistency. You seem to believe Smith’s crimes should have been excused because he was advocating for his daughter. Never mind that he was advocating to the wrong people. How is not excusing him “political”? We are constantly told that people should just obey the police.

You might have a better argument if you said that the prosecutor was attempting to make an example of a right-winger in response to nation-wide disruptions of school board meetings by Republicans.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:22:08 poster - as someone empowered to recommending charging decisions (albeit in the military justice system), and who has a sister serving as an ADA in another jurisdiction, I do not believe for one second that the Commonwealth attorney did not know the context of her decision to pursue jail time for Mr. Smith.

But what do you believe that context to be?

She knew his daughter was the alleged victim in the sexual assault case - that is the context. Jail time for a father advocating for his victim daughter at a school board meeting is a ludicrous basis to advocate for imprisonment and conviction. If Biberaj did not know this context, it is Ostrich Syndrome (to name another animal).

Well I am not sure that advocating for your daughter includes resisting the police and threatening to kick their teeth in. Smith was found guilty by a judge. Do you consider him part of the hit job?

No, because he followed the law and it was judge alone. There was no opportunity for jury nullification. It is the choice by the prosecutor to bring the charges in the first place that comprises the political act.

DP. So in your mind, how violent is Smith allowed to get before he can be held accountable for his own conduct?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:22:08 poster - as someone empowered to recommending charging decisions (albeit in the military justice system), and who has a sister serving as an ADA in another jurisdiction, I do not believe for one second that the Commonwealth attorney did not know the context of her decision to pursue jail time for Mr. Smith.

But what do you believe that context to be?

She knew his daughter was the alleged victim in the sexual assault case - that is the context. Jail time for a father advocating for his victim daughter at a school board meeting is a ludicrous basis to advocate for imprisonment and conviction. If Biberaj did not know this context, it is Ostrich Syndrome (to name another animal).

Well I am not sure that advocating for your daughter includes resisting the police and threatening to kick their teeth in. Smith was found guilty by a judge. Do you consider him part of the hit job?

No, because he followed the law and it was judge alone. There was no opportunity for jury nullification. It is the choice by the prosecutor to bring the charges in the first place that comprises the political act.

In a Court, that is for the fact-finder to determine, but we rely on prosecutorial discretion to determine if we get to that point. Unfortunately, many accuseds plead guilty to avoid the devastating financial and emotional effects of trial - law and precedent that would shape this question...

DP. So in your mind, how violent is Smith allowed to get before he can be held accountable for his own conduct?

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:22:08 poster - as someone empowered to recommending charging decisions (albeit in the military justice system), and who has a sister serving as an ADA in another jurisdiction, I do not believe for one second that the Commonwealth attorney did not know the context of her decision to pursue jail time for Mr. Smith.

But what do you believe that context to be?

She knew his daughter was the alleged victim in the sexual assault case - that is the context. Jail time for a father advocating for his victim daughter at a school board meeting is a ludicrous basis to advocate for imprisonment and conviction. If Biberaj did not know this context, it is Ostrich Syndrome (to name another animal).

Well I am not sure that advocating for your daughter includes resisting the police and threatening to kick their teeth in. Smith was found guilty by a judge. Do you consider him part of the hit job?

No, because he followed the law and it was judge alone. There was no opportunity for jury nullification. It is the choice by the prosecutor to bring the charges in the first place that comprises the political act.

In a Court, that is for the fact-finder to determine, but we rely on prosecutorial discretion to determine if we get to that point. Unfortunately, many accuseds plead guilty to avoid the devastating financial and emotional effects of trial - law and precedent that would shape this question...

DP. So in your mind, how violent is Smith allowed to get before he can be held accountable for his own conduct?

Smith did not plead guilty. He was convicted.

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:22:08 poster - as someone empowered to recommending charging decisions (albeit in the military justice system), and who has a sister serving as an ADA in another jurisdiction, I do not believe for one second that the Commonwealth attorney did not know the context of her decision to pursue jail time for Mr. Smith.

But what do you believe that context to be?

She knew his daughter was the alleged victim in the sexual assault case - that is the context. Jail time for a father advocating for his victim daughter at a school board meeting is a ludicrous basis to advocate for imprisonment and conviction. If Biberaj did not know this context, it is Ostrich Syndrome (to name another animal).

Well I am not sure that advocating for your daughter includes resisting the police and threatening to kick their teeth in. Smith was found guilty by a judge. Do you consider him part of the hit job?

No, because he followed the law and it was judge alone. There was no opportunity for jury nullification. It is the choice by the prosecutor to bring the charges in the first place that comprises the political act.

In a Court, that is for the fact-finder to determine, but we rely on prosecutorial discretion to determine if we get to that point. Unfortunately, many accuseds plead guilty to avoid the devastating financial and emotional effects of trial - law and precedent that would shape this question...

DP. So in your mind, how violent is Smith allowed to get before he can be held accountable for his own conduct?

Smith did not plead guilty. He was convicted.

And said he plans to appeal his conviction. This isn’t some cowed accused who gives in to avoid the parade of horribles, he’s fought it tooth and nail all along.

[Anonymous]

There is no Republican squirrel.

This conflict is entirely a product of the left wing movement to change the way history is taught and to push doctrine - like through so-called anti-racist instruction - into public school curriculums. Of course this will rightfully generate pushback. Right or wrong, this is entirely driven by force on the left.

If this was just about teaching slavery, Jim Crow, and the effects of slavery and discrimination on communities to this day, we'd not be in this situation.

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:22:08 poster - as someone empowered to recommending charging decisions (albeit in the military justice system), and who has a sister serving as an ADA in another jurisdiction, I do not believe for one second that the Commonwealth attorney did not know the context of her decision to pursue jail time for Mr. Smith.

But what do you believe that context to be?

She knew his daughter was the alleged victim in the sexual assault case - that is the context. Jail time for a father advocating for his victim daughter at a school board meeting is a ludicrous basis to advocate for imprisonment and conviction. If Biberaj did not know this context, it is Ostrich Syndrome (to name another animal).

Well I am not sure that advocating for your daughter includes resisting the police and threatening to kick their teeth in. Smith was found guilty by a judge. Do you consider him part of the hit job?

No, because he followed the law and it was judge alone. There was no opportunity for jury nullification. It is the choice by the prosecutor to bring the charges in the first place that comprises the political act.

In a Court, that is for the fact-finder to determine, but we rely on prosecutorial discretion to determine if we get to that point. Unfortunately, many accuseds plead guilty to avoid the devastating financial and emotional effects of trial - law and precedent that would shape this question...

DP. So in your mind, how violent is Smith allowed to get before he can be held accountable for his own conduct?

Smith did not plead guilty. He was convicted.

He was found guilty by a retired judge immune from consequence, making the whole thing even more unsettling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:22:08 poster - as someone empowered to recommending charging decisions (albeit in the military justice system), and who has a sister serving as an ADA in another jurisdiction, I do not believe for one second that the Commonwealth attorney did not know the context of her decision to pursue jail time for Mr. Smith.

But what do you believe that context to be?

She knew his daughter was the alleged victim in the sexual assault case - that is the context. Jail time for a father advocating for his victim daughter at a school board meeting is a ludicrous basis to advocate for imprisonment and conviction. If Biberaj did not know this context, it is Ostrich Syndrome (to name another animal).

Well I am not sure that advocating for your daughter includes resisting the police and threatening to kick their teeth in. Smith was found guilty by a judge. Do you consider him part of the hit job?

No, because he followed the law and it was judge alone. There was no opportunity for jury nullification. It is the choice by the prosecutor to bring the charges in the first place that comprises the political act.

In a Court, that is for the fact-finder to determine, but we rely on prosecutorial discretion to determine if we get to that point. Unfortunately, many accuseds plead guilty to avoid the devastating financial and emotional effects of trial - law and precedent that would shape this question...

DP. So in your mind, how violent is Smith allowed to get before he can be held accountable for his own conduct?

Smith did not plead guilty. He was convicted.

And said he plans to appeal his conviction. This isn’t some cowed accused who gives in to avoid the parade of horribles, he’s fought it tooth and nail all along.

Isn’t he filing lawsuits?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the GOP has such problems with school boards in nova, why not elect candidates more in line with their values? Oh wait. The can’t.

Yet

+1
2023 can't come soon enough.

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jeff, your post, I believe, misidentifies the true issue in Loudoun, as have so many across the political spectrums. The Commonwealth attorney chose to prosecute Mr. Smith, knowing that his daughter was assaulted in a bathroom at school, and he was at a school board meeting to highlight his daughter's assault and the school system's shortcomings in addressing and investigating the crime. Using prosecutorial discretion as a political hit job should make every American uneasy. That is not a squirrel.

As I wrote in my post, at the time of the June 22 meeting at which Smith was arrested, the Loudoun County Sheriff's department had not completed its investigation of the May 28 assault. That investigation would not be completed until July 8. LCPS has a policy not to investigate crimes until the Sheriff has completed its investigation. As such, Smith's complaint should have been directed to the Sheriff rather than the school board.

By his own lawyer's admission, during the board meeting Smith argued loudly, clenched his fist, leaned toward the woman with whom he was arguing, and swore at her. When police attempted to remove him from the meeting, he resisted. That resulted in officers dragging him outside the room where he continued struggling and threatened to kick the officers' teeth out. He was charged that evening with two misdemeanors. At that time the prosecutor likely had not yet have been presented with any information about his daughter's assault that was still under police investigation. While there is some evidence that the prosecutor might have viewed Smith's case as an example of the string of violent incidents occurring at school board meetings, there is no evidence to suggest he was being punished for attempting to bring attention to his daughter's assault. I don't agree with you that the prosecution was a "political hit job".

Re: the bolded - the woman was screaming at him that he was lying about his daughter being raped. I think I would have reacted exactly the same way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is no Republican squirrel.

This conflict is entirely a product of the left wing movement to change the way history is taught and to push doctrine - like through so-called anti-racist instruction - into public school curriculums. Of course this will rightfully generate pushback. Right or wrong, this is entirely driven by force on the left.

If this was just about teaching slavery, Jim Crow, and the effects of slavery and discrimination on communities to this day, we'd not be in this situation.

Exactly. And the left keeps trying to not only gaslight that "anti-racist" training is happening in the first place, but also pretend the outrage is over teaching history itself. Nothing could be further from the truth. History - and all its ugliness - IS being taught and should continue to be. That has nothing to do with training teachers that they're all a part of "systemic racism."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:McAuliffe’s closing statement today calling for a more diverse group of public school teachers is the icing on his victory cake.

He makes the point that 80% of public school teachers are white but 50% of students are not. He is offering a full ride to college for any POC who will commit to teaching for five years in a Virginia public school.

This is a brilliant idea, and I hope it is the first executive order he will sign once in the governor’s seat. He will have widespread support from the teacher’s groups, school boards, and parents who want their children taught by a more diverse group of teachers fully committed — for five years— to public education.

Thank you Governor McAuliffe.

The challenge McAuliffe faces is that presented by this post - one cannot read it and know whether it's sincere or anti-McAuliffe trolling in disguise.

So his closing argument is that the biggest problem Virginia is facing is too many white teachers? And that the remedy is for taxpayers to agree to underwrite the university education of students who are POC, but not white?

Were the Asian students who were excelling in public school - so much that the VDOE under Northam urged local school systems to reduce their representation in the state's Governor's Schools - unable to achieve due to the under-representation of Asian teachers in Virginia? Would it pass muster under the Constitution to confer a benefit on one group of college students based on their race, but not another (that alone makes me think you may be mischaracterizing his proposal).

Was this already part of Terry's education platform (and, if so, why wasn't he giving it more emphasis), or is this a last-minute policy proposal to respond to poll numbers suggesting McAuliffe's favorable ratings on education issues were declining (in which case it comes across as desperate)?

In any event, I don't begrudge the moderator for using the forum as a platform to audition his editorial-writing skills, even if he's a DC resident and his ability to speak authoritatively on issues of concern to those who live in Virginia carries about as much weight as someone from Vienna or Springfield weighing in on whether Janeese Lewis George is doing a good job representing Ward 4 on the DC Council. I do suspect that most Virginians have already made up their minds at this point, and that last-minute appeals on election eve are largely exercises in vain.

I think it’s a great idea and whole heartedly agree that the schools lack diversity in both the admin leadership positions and teacher positions. My DCs school doesn’t have a single person of color In the front office. 1 Hispanic/Latino teacher (spanish teacher) 1 black Janitor and two Hispanic Janitors and about 9 Asian teachers (no underrepresentation there) zero African American/black teachers or admins. Exactly zero representation.

Look something has to give because diversity matters, the system can be downright hostile to certain groups of students, if nothing else it will give the state the appearance of getting out ahead of the next major lawsuit coming down the pike. Educational grants will be way cheaper and much better PR than the inevitable class action filed on behalf of J Doe (African American elementary aged male) and others similarly situated.

[Anonymous]

There’s a teacher shortage. I highly doubt FCPS would turn down hiring a qualified teacher-black, white, purple, or blue. The lack of black teachers isn’t racist - perhaps there just aren’t as many black applicants. Promising one set of people free college-using taxpayer money-is racist.