Crook Mayor to Resign

Minnesotans might know the story of the Albert Lea mayor Jean Eaton accused of crookery... specifically she fraudulantly returned clothes.

(From the June 7, 2005 Pioneer Press)
Eaton, 53, was accused of stealing $800 worth of clothing from Marshall Field's stores in Rochester, Edina and St. Cloud in an alleged clothes-swapping scam.

Authorities said she bought new clothes and then used the price tags from those items to return used — even stained — clothing.

Earlier this week, the Pioneer Press featured a story about the case's resolution, however the mayor refused to step down. In fact, the mayor will not have a mark on her record. No fellony, not even a misdemeanor. She must undergo some kind of counselling (surprise, surprise). She even made some nonsensical statement.

"I deeply regret the attention and distraction my personal situation has caused," the mayor said in a prepared statement Monday.

Prepared doesn't even begin to describe that statement.

Meanwhile, Joe Soucheray from Garage Logic (weekdays at 3:00 PM on AM 1500) mentioned this story when it broke last year as well as this week. In his Wednesday column in the Pioneer Press the Souch said she should have done the right thing and stepped down... if not in December then certainly now.

In today's Minneapolis Star-Tribune we learn she plans to step down. Finally, some shame at last! Wait, read the story... does she have any shame at all?

"The environment in the past several days has become very disruptive and in direct interference to the needs of this community. I cannot allow the needs of the community to be compromised,'' she wrote in a letter released Thursday afternoon.

Mayor Eaton makes it sound as if she had no role in the disruption... and that she's taking the high road. The bold-faced gaul of the woman! You may ask what kind of disruption she's talking about. Some members of the Albert Lea city council signed a declaration stating:

"If you choose not to resign immediately, the City Council will shut down government by boycotting the City Council meeting on Monday night, June 13, and each Monday night thereafter''

At least someone stood up to this idiot.

Perhaps Soucheray might write more about this in his Sunday column... he'll certainly talk about it today on his radio show.


UPDATE: 12:17 PM, June 13th, 2005

Well, I didn't catch much of Joe's Friday show, but he did mention this story a little bit. The Pioneer Press ran a follow-up story in the Saturday edition.

Eaton apologized to residents in her letter. But in a statement, Eaton's attorney, Faison Sessoms, attacked the council, and member Jeffrey Fjelstad in particular, for orchestrating "this political coup."

"The lynch mob is alive and well and serving on the Albert Lea City Council," Sessoms wrote.

City Manager Victoria Simonsen said the council will vote on accepting Eaton's resignation at its meeting Monday and begin planning a special election.

Ah, yes... the ever so clever use of "lynch mob" to deflect blame. That reminds me of the G.W. opponents who whip themselves into a fury whenever they describe him as Hitler. (It is almost like they are trying to achieve a political-commentary-orgasm, if you'll pardon the phrase.)

What purpose does it serve, really? That crook-mayor and her attorney merely make themselves look rediculous... and they do nothing to quell the opinion that politicians and lawyers are corrupt.

Get thee to a nunnery you punk-ass, dim-witted jerks. ;)