Democracy Has Prevailed.

June 29, 2007

(I'm just so sick of this) Ravenstahl Refuses to Rescind Police Promotions

It's not my fault!

I have "
zero tolerance" against domestic abuse, well, except for Trosky because "there are good times in careers and bad times in careers."

And, I was
"unaware of the allegations of domestic violence against two of three police officers promoted" even though days before my office said that I wouldn't talk about the effects of these promotions on women.

It's just not my fault because as mayor, I only get to approve or disapprove these promotions. It's Nate's fault! He did it! And the rules, yeah, those too!

I am
"upset and frustrated" which is why I skipped yesterday's hearing before the public and why my office can't confirm exactly where I was or even if I'll watch the video tape of the hearings.

It's just so unfair that this is happening...to me!

We have a a Mayor who can't do the right thing in the first place and who never accepts any responsibility for his mistakes.

The only politician in this country who may be a bigger spoiled brat than Lil Mayor Luke is George W. Bush.

I used to think that maybe a silver lining would be that after two more years of Ravenstahl's mistakes and lies and excuses the public would be so fed up that they would elect a decent progressive.

But we're no longer talking about sleep-overs to NYC on school nights or Tiger Hunts, we're talking about the safety and the very lives of the women and children of Pittsburgh.

DeSantis is looking better by the hour.

It's not my fault!

17 comments:

Mark Rauterkus said...

DeSantis is looking better by the hour, so posted Maria. Humm....

Go out a limb why don't you.

Anonymous said...

Luke should NOT rescind the police. This is all because the National Organization For Whores is on the case, all the while they turn a blind eye and deaf ear on Bush freeing how many women from Shareel law in Iraq and Afghanistan, not to mention the silence they demonstrated during 8 years of the Clinton Administration a'la Monica Lewinsky.

But police officers...well...we can't have that. Let's see, one officer smacked his daughter how many years ago (she probably deserved it too, as most kids to from time to time when they get out of line), and another got into an altercation 20 x years ago? Please.

The National Organization For Whores can piss off.

Ol' Froth said...

Legally, he can't recind the promotions. The city will get sued by the FOP and the FOP will win the suit. Also, from a legal standpoint, the three appointees haven't been convicted of anything.

The mayor should have taken a closer look at the allegations before issuing the promotions. If he wants to institute guideline for future promotions that inclue domestic violence allegations, he can, and it might be a good idea, but the horse is out of the bard on these three.

Anonymous said...

National Organization For Whores?

Unreal. Your a moron.

Anonymous said...

I second that, Matt H., anonymous is a total moron.
Unbelievable.

Anonymous said...

anonymous (or are you anony-mouse):
You are a despicable person to make such horrible comments about NOW and smacking children. You have every right to support the police, but how dare you attack women and children with your horrific remarks. I hope that you, sir, are not a husband or father. Comments like yours do not belong here.

Anonymous said...

ok the party is over for opie. go dems! you endorsed him! thanks for the gift!

seems like some money guys found a terrific patsy who has been convienently dropped into the mayor's office (and their laps).

talk about child abuse. someone should tell opie's dad that his kid is somebody's stooge and being used to get their deals done.

hang on to your wallets pittsburgh! whooo hoo! go republicans! see desantis run! run desantis run.

Mark Rauterkus said...

What about city council's role? Is that going to be ignored by the mayor and the rest of the city?

City council controls the purse strings. City council can and should be final authority to promote or demote or terminate -- as those are pay raise issues and FINANCIAL issues.

Does city council want to be marginalized forever more?

Anonymous said...

Where can I get my "democrats for DeSantis" buttons?

Trosky was promoted to commander; "commander" is not a civil service protected position - Luke could've demoted him "at will", without fear of any lawsuit.

As for the other two, they would've grieved their demotions - it would've cost the taxpayers about $2,000 for the hearing. If they lost, end of story. If they won, they would've been reinstated with backpay - big deal, we would've spent the same amount in wages as we are spending now. They would also have the option of filing a very weak due process lawsuit, but it's doubtful that they would've taken it that far, and even if they did, THAT would've been the time for Luke to throw in the towel, say "I tried, but I can't responsibly take this any further". Instead, Luke did nothing except claim that he will "change" policies to make sure "it never happens again" - the problem is, your rules are only as good as the people implementing them - Does anyone out there have faith in this crew? Anyone who's paying attention should see this as the final straw.

Maria said...

Considering all the other really stupid things contained in Anonymous 8:58AM's post, he may *actually* believe that's what NOW stand's for.

Where do I start?

1) How about "Shareel law."

Maybe Anonymous 8:58AM was listening to the Shirelles and got mixed up because it's "Sharia law."

Next, Sharia was in no way the official law under Saddam Hussein. In fact, if anything, Hussein tried to have a secular society:

"Saddam also created a Western-style legal system, making Iraq the only country in the Persian Gulf region not ruled according to traditional Islamic law (Sharia). Saddam abolished the Sharia law courts, except for personal injury claims."

Moreover, under Saddam's reign, there were women doctors, lawyers, business executives, etc., and females dressed in Western-style clothing (no burqas) and girls were expected to go to school.

If anything, Sharia may be making a comeback now that Saddam is gone and there is civil war. It's only now that you see women routinely covering their heads for example due to the warring religious factions which, say what you will about him as a terrible dictator -- he was -- but, Saddam kept that in check.

2) I guess Anonymous 8:58AM and I were reading different feminist writers/publications pre 9/11 because the ones that I read were trying to help women in Afghanistan while this country was busy giving the Taliban (and Saddam) weapons.

3) "...one officer smacked his daughter how many years ago..." Anonymous 8:58AM needs to learn how to count. Lt. Charles Rodriguez was charged with assault in April...that is April of 2007. That's *this* year in case Anonymous 8:58AM doesn't know what year it is also. And, the charges against him are still pending. That means it hasn't gone to trial yet, Anonymous 8:58AM. Additionally, according to his daughter, Rodriguez "slapped her numerous times and punched her in the stomach." And, "The daughter was treated at Children's Hospital. A medical report indicated she suffered bruising to her face and stated the injuries would cause severe pain."

Perhaps Anonymous 8:58AM considers an adult male punching an underage female in the stomach and causing enough injuries for a hospital to treat her for "severe pain" to be "discipline," but most people don't. They, and the Courts, consider that to be an assault. Most people would also consider someone who did that to be a sick bastard and would also consider someone who tried to condone or excuse it to be a sick bastard as well.

4) "...and another got into an altercation 20 x years ago." Hmm...that would be twenty *times* what, Anonymous 8:58AM? See, an "x" means "times" as in multiplication. Perhaps Anonymous 8:58AM didn't get that far in school so I can understand his mistake. If he just meant "20 years ago" or even "20+ years ago," again, he *really* needs to learn how to count. Trosky broke his wife's nose in 1997. Again Anonymous 8:58AM, remember, this year is 2007. 2007 - 1997 is actually 10 years, not twenty or "twenty x" or even "twenty+."

And now Anonymous 8:58AM, you can "piss off" until you learn some history and some grade school mathematics and you are able to come back here and argue with the adults.

Anonymous said...

Well said, Maria!

Anonymous said...

Of course Maria will ignore the comment about the women in Afghanistan being freed from Sharia Law. Yep, completely ignored.

Of course Maria will ignore the silence of NOW during the 8 years of Bill Clinton. Bill Clinton, the married man who basically set the example that it's ok to shoot your load all over an intern's face and get away it.

Where was NOW then? I will tell you where. A blind eye and deaf ear were turned because Bill Clinton was a Democrat President.

Tell me I am wrong if George W Bush pulled off an identical stunt like Clinton and NOW would remain silent like they were with Clinton.

Tell me I'm wrong.

The National Organization of Whores. All they are.

Anonymous said...

Luke could've demoted him "at will", without fear of any lawsuit.

This has happened in other departments, but the demoted commander, while reverting to his last civil service protected rank, had to be paid the higher, commander's salary. The Boy Mayor is between a rock and a hard place on this.

Maria said...

Anonymous 8:28AM,

It's you who are ignoring things...like reality. It's Bush who took troops out of Afghanistan to put them into Iraq. One big reason why all these years later the president of that country, Hamid Karzai, is often derided as the "Mayor of Kabul" as his actual authority outside the capital city is almost nonexistent. As for how women are actually doing in that country:

Women come last in Afghanistan
The war against the Taliban was supposed to have liberated Afghan women, but the reality is that little has changed. (2007)

2007 Amnesty International Report on Afghanistan
Rights of women and human rights defenders


The situation for human rights defenders deteriorated. Members of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission and representatives of national human rights organizations faced threats.Legal reforms designed to protect women were not implemented and women continued to be detained for breaching social mores. There was a rise in cases of "honour" killings of women and self-immolation by women.

Feminist Daily News Wire
May 22, 2007

Women's Rights Activist Suspended from Afghan Parliament

And, from RAWA News (If you have never heard of RAWA then you are full of it as far as all your fake concern about the women in Afghanistan. As I've written here before, so is Bush. I'd bet a month's pay that he never heard of the word "burqa" before 9/11):

Women Attacked or Killed in Afghanistan (Under "Reality of life in so-called "liberated" Afghanistan")

* * * * * * * *

"Where was NOW then? I will tell you where. A blind eye and deaf ear were turned because Bill Clinton was a Democrat President."

"not to mention the silence they demonstrated during 8 years of the Clinton Administration a'la Monica Lewinsky."


Statement Of NOW President Patricia Ireland In Response To Reports Of Clinton Testimony

Date: August 17, 1998

"We have said from the beginning that no CEO and no elected official, including the president, should take advantage of the aphrodisiac of power to have sex with interns or staff.

Consensual sex with a White House intern is a abuse of power by the president; but consensual sex is not illegal harassment and it is not an impeachable offense.  Nor is it in the best interest of our country for the president to resign. "

Yes, I acknowledge in advance that any nuanced stand will be beyond you, but you claimed that they maintained silence and they obviously did not.

Why don't you try reality sometime? You might like it.

Anonymous said...

Why don't you try providing sources OTHER THAN liberal biased sites? Every single link is from a liberal website. What else could one come to expect from such a site?

Anonymous said...

wow from the council chamber to kabul and back again!

He Raut I got news for ya. Duh council was "maginalized" several years ago WHEN....

...they had it shoved up their collective butts by murphy who left them with a billion dollar tab they could not pay and lost their balls trying to. (these balls are now in a jar on display in harrisburg)

...the dem committee nominated the dynamic Len Bobo-dak, with Big Fat Commie Sen Jimmy Blurrrlo's help (hey didn't he bring us Lukie too??? way ta go jimbo!)

....the dem com pin heads gave us Gen. Bull Moooootznik who was begat by Big Boy aka "Forrester's Clown" Mikey Divin (who later became "Mo Money Veon's and Fiddle Lee DeWeese's house bitch and was later royally screwed by his good buddy Gen. Bull Mooootznik)

...Gen Bull Moootznik got something on Little Lukie and became Lukie's mentor (tormentor?) and bestest golf buddy.

....the dem com sent us "Sticky Fingers" Carlise and we got her caunnsil-matic health study bill. Aww shucks. She gets that mixed up all the time with caunnsil-mac machine...ooppsy my bad!)

(Bloggers fill in the "when" blanks its fun!)

Lookie here my mans and womens! lukie couldn't rescind anything...it would be like trying to push the load in his pants buck up his ass. That bein the load he dropped after he found out they got WOMEN'S GROUPS in da burg!!!! yikes! (who would just as soon cut his nuts off for his big police boner and deposit them in that jar in H'burg)

oh yeah one last thing: To the guy with the National Organization of "whores" comment.

get yer head outta Lukies ass there is more of his shit heading our way!

Anonymous said...

Aside from the typos that was one heck of a funny blog! Dead on too I am afraid.
-- a shamed democrat