RadioRote  The Rest is Silence

"Eviction of tenants who were not personally at fault is a normal part of the landlord-tenant law....regardless of knowledge, a tenant who cannot control drug crime, or other criminal activities by a household member which threatens health or safety of residents is a threat to other residents....regardless of whether the tenant knew, or should have known, about the activity." ( Supreme Court Justice Rehnquist's ruling that people in government subsidized housing can be evicted if their family members or guests  are caught with illegal drugs or involved in a criminal activity--either on or off the property-- even if the tenant had no knowledge of that crime).

Précis

As stated in the first installment of this piece, the Supreme Court ruled 8-0 on 3/26/02 that any resident of a public subsidized housing unit whose family member in that unit, or guest, is involved in drug activity or any other illegal pursuit (either on or off the property), will be evicted from said subsidized housing unit whether or not the resident was aware of the illegal pastime. This case centered on four senior citizens in different units who were evicted based on the activities of others. RadioRote, and now a growing number of others believe that if this ruling holds, than the eviction process should include anyone in a residence that is supported by taxpayers because, as Rehnquist argued "the plain language is unambiguous" when it comes to that kind of eviction. With this in mind, here are examples of another group of people who should be considered for eviction, based on their own philosophies and the court's decision. Note: Those chosen, below, are Republicans. This is not to say that Democratic politicians do not have these same setbacks.  But the Republicans choose to wrap themselves up in the "Family Value" and Drug Punishment cloak. It is this type double standard and arrogance that brings both family's,  and political party's, humbled to their knees. 

Report

Representative Dan Burton: The Indiana Legislator  proposed a law that drug smugglers should be given life sentences, to prove to people that he was a foot soldier in the war against drugs. I He once sent an angry letter describing how Madeline Albright and the Clinton Administration were too weak in their war on drugs as they lacked the will to deter drug smugglers from selling narcotics throughout this country. II This, of course, is the same Dan Burton whose son (Dan Burton II), was arrested in 1984 after having smuggled 7 pounds of marijuana in his car trunk and across State Lines from Louisiana to Indiana, with intent to sell. The son of Representative “hang the smugglers” Burton was given a lawyer by his father to defend him in this charge. To show his appreciation, his son was busted 5 months later for growing 30 pot plants and possessing a shot gun in his Indianapolis apartment – while waiting for his first court trial on the Louisiana to Indiana drug smuggling charge. This gun charge should have landed him in jail for a mandatory 5 years, alone. III The Feds did not press charges. In Indiana, he walked away from all charges and in Louisiana, he received probation and other slaps on the wrists. If one were to say that the charges occurred 18 years prior to the Rucker case, and that the law does not apply to Burton, RADIOROTE  reminds readers that the Drug Asset-Forfeiture, which allows the feds to confiscate property and funds of a "suspected" drug pusher, was in effect and that Dan Burton II was convicted in Louisiana. The law was in place and Burton’s father, as one of the leaders in the House of Representatives and a leader in the War on Drugs, should have practiced what he preached and handed over his son’s property…if he had the moral fortitude to show he was serious about his own principles. IV  When it comes to dealing with other people’s residences and properties, Burton is first to attack them…when it comes to saving his own family’s residency and property, Burton is first to retreat. Even though the Rucker Law does not apply to him directly, he did have ‘control over the offender’ who was a ‘menace to the safety of his community.’ Even more so, the fact is that Burton  applies laws in a personal and arbitrary manner regarding drug smugglers and, as an adulterer, sat in grim judgment of Clinton's infidelity. These moral and legislative double standards he metes out to himself and his family might indicate to Indiana voters that they need to remove Burton from his subsidized house next election.

Randy “Duke” Cunningham (R-CA): Supported the Death Penalty Law against drug smugglers. His son flew 400 lbs. of marijuana into a North Andover, Mass. airport. While out on bail, he tested positive 3 times for cocaine. Instead of making his son into an example by asking the judge to execute him, to gain publicity on the Death Penalty Law he supported, he asked the judge to show leniency to his son. His son gave evidence against others and admitted to prior drug smuggling engagements. He was given a 2 ½ year sentence, even though the law stated that offenders as himself must receive a mandatory 5 years in prison. V The Asset-Forfeiture Law did not apply to him, either. Voters should help end this hypocrite’s future in politics by imposing a ban on him from running for office anymore, unless he wants to subsidize his political career with his own money.

John McCain (R-AZ): His wife, Cindy McCain, was caught stealing Percocet® and Vicodin®, which are schedule 2 drugs, similar to Cocaine.  It was not enough that she stole these regulated drugs, but she did so from a relief organization that sent these painkillers to Third World Countries. She went to a rehab, which skirted McCain’s usual “tougher sentences, more prisons” view of the drug issue. Reform McCain by teaching him a viable skill that will prevent him from thwarting his own decision making process, and will make him financially self-sufficient.

Jeb Bush (R-Fl):  His daughter, a frequent guest at the Governor's Mansion, was arrested at a Walgreen's Pharmacy after forging a prescription for Xanax®, and is charged with prescription fraud. Further, Noelle Bush is also charged with impersonating a doctor. Jeb Bush, who is a “tough warrior" against drugs, earlier admitted that one of his children had problems with drugs. However, he opposed the idea that first time offenders go for treatment as a punishment, saying that "to suggest there should be no penalties for continued drug use is to stick our heads in the sand." VII His son, was busted for having sex with another teenager in a mall parking lot, VIII just prior to the 2000 elections – even though Jeb takes a strong view with the Right on “family values and morals”. That teenagers have sex is not news -- that the nephew of Dubbya and son of Jeb is busted having sex, just days before the presidential election in a place with security guards on hand, and then says to the officer "My dad will fix it,"  reveals either an arrogance against the law, a general stupidity about the world at large, or deep rooted hostility against his family; knowing the type of publicity it might create. But this type of 'carelessness' is contagious in Jeb's family.  US Customs busted his wife, Columbia, for trying to smuggle $19,000 worth of fashion items into this country without claiming them. VIAL Jeb's brother, Neil, was indicted for his involvement in the Silverado Savings and Loan bilking of customers to the tune of $1 billion, Jeb was involved in the Broward Savings scandals for $228 million and George Sr. for BNL-Irangate for $5 billion. X

In fact, the entire Bush clan, from Prescott Bush Senior’s grave robbing of an Indian tomb to secure a skull (presumably Geronimo’s) for his Skull & Bones Fraternity, to his being busted by the Feds in 1942 for “Trading with the Enemy” where he aided and abetted the NAZI Party and their rise to power for his own profit, to G.W.H. Bush and his role in Iran-Contra, to Dubbya’s SEC violations in his oil ventures are but a very few examples of the Bush clan's illegal activities. XI

In fact, tracing the crimes from the President's Grandfather’s business association as bag man to NAZI Germany, up through Dubbya's shady business arrangements, there can be little doubt that the Bush family is the Political Equivalent to the Asbury Jukes. That being said, the Bush family constitutes, to borrow freely from Solicitor General Olson in his case against Rucker  'a threat to innocent neighbors... and their eviction from subsidized housing  will provide a credible deterrent against criminal activity in their community'. 

In following with the strict interpretation of the Supreme Court   regarding its zero tolerance of illegal activities in subsidized housing, it should follow suit that, given the felonious history of the Bush family, and of those family members who have demonstrated no lack of remorse -- they ought to be removed from any residence they live in which is subsidized by the taxpayer.

Therefore, both Dubbya and Jeb should be evicted from the White House and the Florida’s Governor's Mansion and go to the nearest Motel 6 or Comfort Inn to set up their residence and office. As Rehnquist stated, the law regarding the eviction of criminals from subsidized housing is pretty “unambiguous”. The fact that the Bush brothers  sign laws and executive orders demonstrates they are not ignorant of the law -- whether they, or their family members, follow them or not.  But, then again, Rehnquist argued that “No Knowledge” of the illegal activities perpetrated by other  household members or repeated guests is to be used as an excuse by any tenant  staying in  tax subsidized quarters. What is good enough for senior citizens, who are invalids, is good enough for able-bodied men who can load their own moving truck. 

For those readers who feel evicting the Bush family from subsidized housing is too harsh, take solace in knowing that most hotels offer maid service, complimentary continental breakfasts, air miles bonuses, cable TV and free local calls. 

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