Bradellis: Look at this issue from a different perspective. For example, I can cite numerous examples of people in high authority that would make a mockery of our entire system of justice for political expediency. We could lower the crime rate in this country drastically if we did away with some of those cumbersome rules of evidence and due process procedures, but we don’t allow it because it has been and can be abused so we accept the system with all of its flaws. If you want examples: I once heard the Black Caucus of the US House of Representatives questioning the head of the FBI concerning administrative law procedure. The subject was “charges” of racism in government agencies. The Black Caucus wanted action now! The FBI director explained that these administrative procedures could take up to five years. The Black Caucus replied that due to the seriousness of the charges, they wanted to fine and fire the accused now, and the administrative law judges could hold the trial later. I am sure in their minds there was a justifiable reason for this action. Another example was a US Senator accused of sexual harassment. It was reported that there was no evidence that the Senator did anything wrong, to which a noted PBS reporter, Nina Tottenburg, replied: “It doesn’t matter if there is no evidence, it is the seriousness of the charge that matters.” Again, in her mind this was fully justified. The problem is that in both instances, both parties are total idiots with absolutely no understanding of or regard for justice and due process. There is no justification under our system of justice and government to do away with due process period. I don’t care what the reason is, it is wrong in principle. I think that is where David is coming from on his post.
Second: As to the charges against Steve Vertin: Steve hired a respected and experienced appraiser that had done similar work for two former presidents of the AI. She had a simple job of reporting the total number of transactions and gathering comparable sale data from a community of 1,200 people. For some unknown reason, she messed up. In my opinion, given the reputation and experience level of this person, not to mention the practicalities of the situation, for Steve or anybody to check and verify everything some one like this does is ridiculous. If we have to be held to that degree of detail, why bother hiring an assistant anyway? By the time we do that we could do it ourselves. If that is the way the rules are going to be interpreted and applied, then I will not hire or rely on anybody. There is no balance in this case in my mind because under these circumstances any reasonable person would have done what Steve did. That is why I contend that some one was waiting in the shadows to get Steve. It is like the story of the man that found a diamond ring in the bottom of his next-door neighbor’s septic tank. The question is, what was he doing stirring around in the bottom of his neighbor’s septic tank? Not the kind of thing normal neighbors do around here unless they have some devious motive.
