Follow the money
Neil Goldschmidt's sex with a 14-year-old, and decades of coverup, are disgusting.
But the way he has shamelessly sold his influence to the highest bidder is almost as bad. It's statutory rape of the public trust.
Even the staid Oregonian is now connecting the dots among Neil, his clients, and the taxpayers' money. (Via AboutItAll: Oregon.)
Is there anything illegal going on behind the scenes here? Even if there isn't, it sure looks extremely sleazy. You wish there was a tough young prosecutor in the state who would take a hard look.
You wish.
| Posted at 5:03 PM | Permalink |
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Comments (2)
Track the PERS bonds back to PGE. State treasures work harmony on deals like this. The deal makers always have an eye toward bigger and better income opportunities. (Knoop moved on to Bush pension related position and Edwards wants an SEC position.)
If you view democracy as a verbal substitute for war, and the competition for resources, then open hostility is always better than happy amicable deal making behind the scenes.
The PERS deal will blow up and backfire. But this is a slow process.
I would vote for Elliot Spitzer instead of Karin Immergut.
Crime that is well organized is otherwise known as . . .
If Neil is stripped of his status as a lawyer then he is likewise stripped of his Reeve's "professional" immunity in a RICO action.
Posted by ron | June 2, 2004 12:54 PM
I'm all up for a guy making the most of his career to make a buck. But if neil had been in any other state but Oregon - we'd have put him on trial ahead of Martha Stewart. Now I'm not saying poor Martha who lost her millions or maybe billion but her little lie and $100k trade is hardly worth sending her to jail for. But neil, you not only broke the public's trust, you not only had an error in judgment (14 year old girl) you continued that error in judgment for a year. It's not like you got drunk one night and said "jeez, wish I hadn't done that". What a disgrace of what was a great political career. There are people my age (40) who looked up to you. neil, you were my first political hero. Now I have to find someone to replace that void.... I feel so violated and hurt. I just don't know if I can continue ;-)
Posted by Scott Jensen | June 2, 2004 4:28 PM