hburgnews.com

Comment from kestrel9000
Time: February 23, 2008, 9:32 am

It is one thing to agree with the substance of the editorial (or not), it is another to agree with the appropriateness of its publication at this stage of the affair.
I posted this to the D N/R comment thread:

On the basis of this editorial’s publication, any defense attorney worth his salt could legitimately ask the court for a change of venue.

Resign, Mr. Duncan.

Comment from Don
Time: February 23, 2008, 9:34 am

I have at least partially agreed with a DNR editorial a time or two over the years. The editorial is usually good for a laugh along with many of the comments it generates on the online version of the paper.

I am a resident of Harrisonburg and have voted in every election going back over two decades. Lately I have begun to see impeachment and recall as useful tools in our democracy and have read several detailed arguments as to why we should not fear a valid redress of grievances. I am facing a dilemma with regard to Mrs Neal however. On one hand the allegations against her are serious and our vigilance is warranted. They are merely accusations though, however substantiated they may be.

Mrs. Neal is entitled to a presumption of innocence. That is our system of justice. Furthermore, removing her from office immediately will at least temporarily deprive her of income she may need to retain competent legal counsel. That seems a denial of due process to me.

Like many others in our local and national community, I am weary of elected officials here and in Richmond and Washington that ignore the wishes of the electorate and instead bend to the will of lobbyists and special interests. Recall and impeachment are tools that at the least focus attention, and in some circumstances allow voters to remove a corrupt or incompetent official. Let’s not forget that the tools are there and let’s use them when necessary.

Comment from JGFitzgerald
Time: February 23, 2008, 9:44 am

Oddly, both here and at that other blog (which has finally, indisputably gone over the top with this topic) one idea has gotten short shrift: had someone not elected been charged with these same crimes, or with any crimes involving handling of money, that person would not have had the opportunity to resign. Think library, think RMH. Ask if this had been a deputy in the office instead of the elected official.

Elected officials carry a public trust. In the current case, that doesn’t just mean keeping the books straight. That means taking responsibility for what happened in the office and acknowledging that trust in the office is justifiably shaken right now. Lester Seal reading the bank statements can’t cure that.

And no newspaper worth its salt would hesitate for a second to print anything — anything at all — because of the affect it might have on a jury pool. Newspapers don’t work for the judicial system.

Comment from kestrel9000
Time: February 23, 2008, 9:59 am

And no newspaper worth its salt would hesitate for a second to print anything — anything at all — because of the affect it might have on a jury pool. Newspapers don’t work for the judicial system.

That last is certainly true…..I just wonder what function is served by the D N/R’s calling for her resignation prior to a trial even beginning.
I do see your point, though. Had this been one of Mrs. Neal’s deputies, that person would certainly been, at the very least, placed on administrative leave immediately, if not terminated outright.
I think my reaction to the D N/R op-ed may be potentiated by the feeding frenzy on the other blog. One regular contributor there left the site over it, and I can’t say that I blame her.

Comment from Dave Briggman
Time: February 23, 2008, 10:01 am

Eddie, the petition seeks to have her suspended and removed on grounds that she exceeded her authority under Virginia law…your statements to the contrary isn’t going to change that.

And a newspaper’s call for an elected official to resign while she’s under indictment doesn’t even come close to tainting a jury pool. She is not likely to ask for a jury in tis instance anyhow, since, should they find her guilty, they’ll also be recommending a sentence.

Comment from finnegan
Time: February 23, 2008, 10:47 am

“…but the residents of Harrisonburg might ask a question: Why should we have to go to the trouble of circulating a petition?”

But Mr. Duncan, the residents of H’burg didn’t go through the trouble of circulating a petition.

Comment from finnegan
Time: February 23, 2008, 12:07 pm

A reader just emailed me and pointed out that this is rare for the DNR — they’re actually doing a local editorial. It’s something most newspapers do on a regular basis (including the Staunton News Leader) but generally, the front page of the DNR is local, and the editorial ends up being about Iraq or Tim Kaine or Hillary Clinton, or whatever Rush Limbaugh ranted about the day before.

So, in that one respect, I commend the DNR eds for actually publishing a local editorial.

Comment from republitarian
Time: February 23, 2008, 2:13 pm

Shame on you all.

This post should be taken down because it bringing attention to this issue. Both JGF and the DNR are guiltyof piling on the Neals.

Christa will be along shortly to straighten everyone out…..

Comment from finnegan
Time: February 23, 2008, 2:53 pm

Shame:

1 a: a painful emotion caused by consciousness of guilt, shortcoming, or impropriety b: the susceptibility to such emotion
2: a condition of humiliating disgrace or disrepute : ignominy
3 a: something that brings censure or reproach; also : something to be regretted : pity b: a cause of feeling shame

On April 26th, 2007, republitarian wrote:

According to numerous sources, the city manager Roger Baker, city attorney Earl Thumma, and finance director Lester Seal all are in, as we like to say on the farm, a big pile of doo-doo.

I’m hearing they could face possible charges relating to wording on a police report concerning the theft from the City Treasure’s Office. The insurance company wouldn’t pay the 7,500k that went “missing” from the Treasurer’s Office so it appears that an attempt was made to change a police report in order to obtain the money.

I have not seen the police report, but I am told it contains some very interesting information.

Becky Neal was not on duty that day due to a surgery, and Cynthia Fitzwater, candidate for clerk of the court, was in charge in Becky’s absence. Two temps were working that day, and one of them named ”Scott”, is named repeatedly. All involved in the investigation think that this temp worker, “Scott” took the money. However, not enough evidence was there to press charges.

The city’s deductible would have only been 1,250 dollars, even without the change in wording. Some in the media are thinking that this was an attempt to hurt Benny Neal’s campaign by making his wife look bad.

It is interesting to note that Brenda Huffman’s uncle is Earl Thumma……

Comment from republitarian
Time: February 23, 2008, 4:00 pm

Yes, do you know who dropped the police reports and other documents off at my house?

Benny Neal.

It was a CYA.

“According to numerous sources, the city manager Roger Baker, city attorney Earl Thumma, and finance director Lester Seal all are in, as we like to say on the farm, a big pile of doo-doo.

I’m hearing they could face possible charges relating to wording on a police report concerning the theft from the City Treasure’s Office.”

The source was Benny and one other individual. Benny had not yet dropped off the papers.

It was this incident that led me to be wary of Mr. Neal.

Anything else?

Comment from JGFitzgerald
Time: February 23, 2008, 4:31 pm

Yes, Myron, there is something else. Why don’t you quit teasing like a prom queen and tell this story that you claim you know. You’ve been running posts on your vanity site for months, maybe years, claiming to know things that nobody else does, and that you would post if only you could, and quoting, if you can call it that, unnamed sources who, despite being in a position to have knowledge about all sorts of skulduggery, are still foolish enough to reveal this information to you, a blogger, but not to anyone in a position to do anything about it.

So how about this? Why don’t you take that cesspool of a blog, the one you wipe with, shall we say, regularity, and use it to tell us, in order and with some sort of narrative consistency, everything that you know about Earl, Roger, Lester, Benny, Becky, the grassy knoll, Sneezy, Dopey and Bashful, quoting live sources with real names, reproducing documentation where you have it, and admitting exaggeration and self-aggrandizement where you’ve practiced it in the past.

Just a thought, and one that I’m sure would be shared by 95 percent of the people I talk to if I counted the way you do. In the meantime, the topic here is the DNR’s call for Becky’s resignation, and what it says about the DNR and whether it’s a legitimate topic for the DNR to write about.

In short, it ain’t about you. Get over it.

Comment from Emmy
Time: February 23, 2008, 5:32 pm

Joe you have a way with words! Thanks for that!

Comment from Christa Gitchell
Time: February 23, 2008, 6:51 pm

Myron, I actually have been working today so I haven’t had a lot of time to read. Everyone here knows how I feel and I’m certainly NOT going to get into it AGAIN and AGAIN. I respect Brent too much to start fighting with you on THIS blog. I made my point clear on your blog and on the DNR blog. So, don’t think I’m coming here to “staighten everyone out”. I don’t like repeating myself and I’m not looking for attention, unlike you. Oh, by the way, I have had like 15 e-mails from people who read your site, asking me not to leave it and saying I was one of only 2 or 3 regulars that had any sense. I respectfully declined.

Comment from TOP DOG
Time: February 23, 2008, 7:17 pm

Does anybody know anything about the petition? I would like to sign it,thanks.

Comment from Del
Time: February 23, 2008, 7:50 pm

Dave and Myron:
You often are effective as government watchdogs and are offended by malfeasance and corruption in government as are many of the rest of us. But unfortunately, in this case your involvement in any way in this case,(especially the petition drive) is muddying the waters. As all long time readers of hburgnews and/or republitarian know, you have had a long and frankly ugly feud with the Neals that descended from a political to a nasty personal level. Therefore, just the perception that you might be pursuing a political and/or personal vendetta in this case brings into play some serious concerns that would otherwise not be present and is creating unnecessary divisiveness in the community. You have made your opinions known. Now I strongly believe it would be in everyone’s best interest for you to remove yourselves and the baggage of the Clerk’s race from this unfortunate situation and leave it to those who are actually residents of Harrisonburg to deal with this. Rest assured justice can most certainly be achieved without your involvement.

Comment from republitarian
Time: February 23, 2008, 10:13 pm

Del,

I am not involved in any way with the petition drive.

Christa, I provide a place for you, Dave, and alot of others to express their opinion. I felt is was unfair of you to call me dispicable. If Becky is innocent then Marsha and the HPD are incompetent. The first morning after the raid I DEFENDED Becky on the radio and said we need to wait until the facts come out and not rush to judgement.

The only declarations I have ever made about this was that only one can be right…..Becky or Marsha.

Comment from Gxeremio
Time: February 23, 2008, 10:55 pm

Court trials are not to determine if the prosecution is incompetent or not. If you need a refresher on high profile trials where the defendant was found not guilty, here’s a list.

Comment from Christa Gitchell
Time: February 23, 2008, 11:11 pm

Thanks Del and Gxeremio.

Comment from MAW
Time: February 23, 2008, 11:47 pm

Christa,

Please tell me that you weren’t working at Wilbur Pence this morning!!!

Comment from kestrel9000
Time: February 24, 2008, 1:28 am

Huh?
your statements to the contrary isn’t going to change that.
What “statements to the contrary”, Dave?

Comment from Christa Gitchell
Time: February 24, 2008, 8:26 am

No, I wasn’t there Maw, what are you talking about??

Comment from MAW
Time: February 24, 2008, 8:47 am

My son missed his basketball game because he stayed up too late Friday night and I thought maybe we missed pictures.

He only has one more game. Have they contacted you about doing pictures for them?

Comment from Christa Gitchell
Time: February 24, 2008, 9:07 am

No, I don’t usually do pictures for that age level unless they contact me. There is very little interest.

Comment from will
Time: February 24, 2008, 9:35 am

[COMMENT REMOVED - potentially libelous]

Comment from MAW
Time: February 24, 2008, 11:48 am

I see. I just realized that you weren’t there last year. The years all run together anymore. I can’t keep up.

Comment from finnegan
Time: February 24, 2008, 12:08 pm

No, will. I don’t think so. To the best of my knowledge, convicted felons aren’t allowed to own guns, and believe Briggman owns guns.

So, no.

Comment from Gxeremio
Time: February 24, 2008, 12:29 pm

I think Will’s comment should be removed as libelous.

Comment from finnegan
Time: February 24, 2008, 12:33 pm

Removed.

Comment from Dave Briggman
Time: February 24, 2008, 9:11 pm

Briggman votes, has concealed handgun permits from six states, and a newly-issued Secret clearance.

Thanks Jeremy.

Brent, you might think of nuking your 12:08PM posting since it references the one I didn’t see, but can clearly infer from your followup.

Passive-aggressives…don’t you hate ‘em?

Comment from Gxeremio
Time: February 24, 2008, 9:21 pm

Will you lose your secret clearance if you tell us what it’s for? That sounds intriguing.

I picture you like Maxwell Smart, talking into your shoe phone.

Comment from Christa Gitchell
Time: February 24, 2008, 9:47 pm

I wondered what he was doing with his shoe when I saw him on court square the other day.

Comment from Frank J Witt
Time: February 24, 2008, 9:52 pm

I think Dave has received a “Michelin Star” rating clearance…but I could be wrong.

Comment from Lowell Fulk
Time: February 24, 2008, 9:56 pm

Well I guess it’s not a secret any more. ;o)

Comment from Frank J Witt
Time: February 24, 2008, 10:09 pm

Hey Lowell, to help with your “anger” issues, turn on channel 69 and take notes…

Comment from Lowell Fulk
Time: February 24, 2008, 10:20 pm

Thanks for trying to help Frank, but we don’t have cable, and I’m afraid I’m too far gone… But what is the program?

Comment from Dave Briggman
Time: February 24, 2008, 10:21 pm

Lowell’s probably like me and doesn’t have cable because Comcast won’t get off of their lazy butts and bring broadband to the entire county.

Comment from Lowell Fulk
Time: February 24, 2008, 10:24 pm

Heck Dave, we live so far out that we only get sunshine a day after everyone else…

Comment from Frank J Witt
Time: February 24, 2008, 10:26 pm

Just Chris Rock telling us what we need to live…or die. I wish I had an affordable option to Com-CASH-tic but …

Comment from Lowell Fulk
Time: February 24, 2008, 10:31 pm

Sad thing but about a decade ago the federal govt paid lots of money to companies for fiber optic to be run in rural areas. Wonder what happened to that investment?

Comment from Frank J Witt
Time: February 24, 2008, 10:32 pm

Sorry for hijacking this post but this will be my last off topic post:

Chris Rock on marriage;

if marriage is so great how come Nelson Mandella who just spent 27 years in the hot-ass African prison without giving up, once released said after only 6 months of marriage “Get me the Fudge out of this” and filed for divorce…

Comment from TOP DOG
Time: February 24, 2008, 11:38 pm

Word on the street is that the other day when Briggman was at the courthouse with his petition,christa stopped by. Next thing you know,they were crying & hugging each other.That’s all good,did she take the petition from him?

Comment from Lowell Fulk
Time: February 25, 2008, 12:02 am

I just want to complement Joe Fitzgerald and Deb Stevens Fitzgerald for their excellent “Viewpoints” contribution in Saturday’s Daily News Record.
Well done, and thank you.
The dedicated individuals who make our polling places work on election day are vital to a healthy democracy.
Too many take for granted what is required to make things work…

Comment from Frank J Witt
Time: February 25, 2008, 12:19 am

TOP ~ thanks for trying to stir the pot, however, this pot doesn’t need stirring. Dave did what he thought was right and Christa did the same.

Go somewhere else to drive your agenda.

Comment from finnegan
Time: February 25, 2008, 12:33 am

“Top Dog,” you also need to stop changing your user name. Like it says in the comments, “Please limit yourself to a single screen name and a legitimate email address.”

Comment from Karl Magenhofer
Time: February 25, 2008, 7:21 am

The first sentence in Myron’s post at 10:13pm on 2/23 is a lie. To prove it I have obtained sworn affidavits, phone records and footage from a camera duct taped to one of his cows.

Comment from Lowell Fulk
Time: February 25, 2008, 7:46 am

*OCC Surveillance Technology at work.
*On Cow Camera

Comment from Christa
Time: February 25, 2008, 8:31 am

TOP DOG, Don’t you just hate it that you just don’t know what that conversation was between Dave and I? Word on the street??? HAHAHAHAHA

Comment from republitarian
Time: February 25, 2008, 8:34 am

Umm…no it’s not.

I have not obtained a signature. I did not write the petition.

I was sitting with Dave at Jess’ when Kelli called and said she wanted to do a story for TV. When she arrived she asked me if I wanted to be on camera and I said no. Jeff Mellott called me the same day and asked if I was involved with the petition drive and if I wanted to be in a story to come out the next day. I said I had nothing to do with the petition and so I had no business in the article.

I spoke with Magenhofer the day that Dave was on the courthouse steps and he said that a reporter with 29News was trying to do a story about it. Karl gave me the girl’s cell phone. I called her and gave her Dave’s cell phone and told her that she would have to talk to him about it because I had nothing in it.

Once again we have people trying to put me at the scene of the crime with the knife in my hand….

Comment from Barnabas
Time: February 25, 2008, 8:41 am

Or at least holding the controls to the Briggbot.

Comment from Gxeremio
Time: February 25, 2008, 9:38 am

No, but you drove the getaway blog.

Comment from Lowell Fulk
Time: February 25, 2008, 9:48 am

Now I understand why the push for the “Triggerman” legislation…

Comment from JGFitzgerald
Time: February 25, 2008, 9:50 am

“Off topic” doesn’t quite say enough.

Comment from finnegan
Time: February 25, 2008, 10:06 am

I find that online discussion generally gets derailed after about 10 - 20 comments.

Comment from Gxeremio
Time: February 25, 2008, 10:08 am

Eh, you two are just jealous you didn’t get in early enough.

Comment from Christa
Time: February 25, 2008, 10:09 am

Brent, what is your e-mail address? I seem to never be able to find it.

Comment from kestrel9000
Time: February 25, 2008, 11:56 am

Colonel Myron in the Conservatory with the Knife.

Comment from Christa
Time: February 25, 2008, 2:29 pm

This is too funny. I didn’t know where else to post it. A huge bus is out by my store right now with “Girls Gone Wild” on the side of it! Girlsgonewild.com is all over it too. What the heck??

Comment from TM
Time: February 25, 2008, 2:51 pm

Maybe they didn’t hear that Mainstreet closed down.

Comment from Frank J. Witt
Time: February 25, 2008, 2:53 pm

I don’t know who else here is paid to cook, but anyway, I am starting a “Cooks~Gone~Wild” tour for anyone interested…featuring the best looking cooks/waitresses of the valley!

Comment from Lowell Fulk
Time: February 25, 2008, 3:47 pm

Alright Christa… Get back off of the bus!

Comment from Christa
Time: February 25, 2008, 4:07 pm

Lowell, I’m afraid they would have thrown me “under” the bus. :)

Comment from kai
Time: February 26, 2008, 12:30 am

Tool for staying on topic in an online debate: http://www.truthmapping.com/about.php

Comment from JGFitzgerald
Time: February 26, 2008, 5:44 am

“TruthMapping.com … is a site for persons who believe that reasoning should be at the heart of public debate.”

I may have found the problem.

Comment from Del
Time: February 26, 2008, 10:34 am

The Republitarian has been indignantly claiming he has nothing to do with this petition drive yet on his blog he’s answering questions about its status by giving specific information about signature totals.

Comment from MAW
Time: February 26, 2008, 11:09 am

The totals were on the news at 11pm last night. Maybe he watches.

Comment from David Miller
Time: February 26, 2008, 11:17 am

Del, I understand why you are so frustrated but paying him one iota of attention feeds his ego in the way we need not do. With no new information on this topic and no one wishing to further the reasonable arguments; advancement of posts under this heading only feed fire we seem to all wish had never been lit.

PS Top Dog, you have lied on this blog. Your email doesn’t work and you have posed (heartlessly) as a social security widow during the clerks race in an attempt to goat a candidate into an argument. Please buzz off.

Comment from Del
Time: February 26, 2008, 4:14 pm

You’re right, David…sorry.

Comment from republitarian
Time: February 26, 2008, 6:02 pm

Hey, what happened to my post.

It was on the radio and I used the telephone to ask him the other night.

Del, I hope some day we meet…..

Comment from David Miller
Time: February 27, 2008, 5:59 am

Del

No need to apologize for the post, I meant no redress, just to make the point.

ps. I wish your email worked, I’d have sent this to you if it had.