"The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary." ~ H.L. Mencken
Can A State Senator "Serve" in the Legislature from Jail? Of Course!
Michigan state Senator Virgil Smith, who recently pled guilty to charges that he shot up his ex-wife’s car with an AR-15 following an argument, is also a strong voice against gun violence in the Michigan senate, and so clearly he needs some special consideration in the matter of his sentence. He's willing to do the time (2-4 years is likely) but sees no reason why his Detroit constituents should have to be without his valueable services representing them in the state senate while he does it. Smith wants to keep his salary too.
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Great piece. Really enjoyed your thought process in this. I understand your use of "Rights", given the Constitutional battle over the Bill of rights, but I must agree with Sam regarding "Choice" Choice seems to be, or appears to be the most appropriate selection of terms.
"Wayne County Judge Lawrence Talon" said today's Detroit News, "denied the Wayne County prosecutor’s motion to pull Smith’s plea deal off the table after Talon said he would not enforce the portion of it that would have the Detroit Democrat step down from the Legislature." How Sen. Smith is gonna vote on things and otherwise do WTF it is that Michigan state senators do from a jail cell not mentioned.
Bottom line: Dems are daring the Republican majority to vote to expel Smith from the senate and rile up the usual crew of race hustling community organizers, public employee unions and street ministers that form the core of Smith's base in an election year. And so Smith keeps the paychecks coming unless & until they boot him. And so much for Smith's advocacy of harsh measures to curb gun violence in Michigan. What a shameless hypocrite.