Philip Munger: Today will be the first full day of jury deliberation. I'm finally going to make a mild prediction - a mixed verdict tomorrow afternoon. They'll be hung on the most serious charge of bribery, and convict on the other three.
Meanwhile, wacky comments interspersed with contemplation and a bit of sanity at the ADN article on yesterday's summations:
The Only Honest Politician Destroyed
Vic Kohring is the only fully honest politician I have met, but his very lack of guile and simple, trusting character has made him an easy mark for unscrupulous thugs -- on both sides of the law.
no real proof....
I dont see any real proof of bribes. I see a man asking someone for a loan, but not a bribe. Who says that you should ask family before anyone else for a loan? In the recording I saw and is on this ADN site, Allen clearly states/asks.....is this a loan? Vic answers "yes"......
honestly dumb
Kohring knew he wasn't supposed to be taking money--even for gifts for his child. But that's all crap anyway. How many times have you had someone offer you hundreds for an easter egg hunt. Honest to goodness if this jury comes out with a not guilty verdict I'm going to be sick.
Steve Aufrecht will be part of the panel meeting today at noon at the Federal Building Cafeteria (far end - a sort of solarium room - about journalism and the ongoing political corruption trials. I can't be there, as I'm teaching at UAA at that hour. Steve's most recent post talks about Eric Musser, the Kohring aide Allen wanted disposed of for being an honest whistleblower.
And - I've been waiting for further verification on this before I posted my own comment. Toward the end of closing arguments, the courtroom must have been as full as it gets - SRO. Standing quite close to the exit door was wingnut talk radio host and big oil apologist, Dan Fagan. Seeing him reminded me that the last time I called his show was to correct him as he he was slandering Vic Kohring's wife, Tatiana, on his show. He was spewing a line about mail order brides from Russia, and saying that Kohring had brought her back from Russia because of, of what? Fagan was implying that Kohring must be lacking something sexually to have to go to Russia to find a woman who could love him. This from the most sexually insecure radio personality in the history of Anchorage radio.
I called the show, to explain to Fagan that Kohring met his wife in Anchorage, where - like so many Russians I know - she had come to live because she knew fellow Russians here. When I told Fagan this, he started shouting at me, saying "You're flat-out wrong! That's a lie!" He hung up before I could reply. Well, Dan - you, who left the courthouse before anybody you couldn't hang up on could get close to your unfit, pathetic body - here's my reply - Screw You!
Philip,
ReplyDeleteHatred and anger does not become you. I don't mind you making fun of my appearance but please don't misquote me. And misquote me you have. I didn’t even come close to saying what you said I said about Vic. I did wrongly say I thought his wife did not play in the Anchorage Symphony. I have since learned I was wrong about that. But your obsession with me has clouded your judgement. I would suggest you move on with your life. Stop listening to my show and think about writing more about Vic than me on your silly blog. You should think about moving onto a more healthy obsession.
Dan Fagan
dan -
ReplyDelete...so describe what you actually said. If you recorded it, quote the conversation verbatim, or post it for others to hear and judge. I don't believe I misquoted you here or elsewhere.
I'm concerned about you similarly to the way I have noted the shortcomings of Vic Kohring in print for the last eleven years.
I'll tell you what, though - on most levels Vic is more honest than you. Like Vic you're an insecure, homophobic shill for right-wing ideas that hurt our country and our kids' future more and more every day. Like Vic, you're a lackey for the people behind the scenes from big oil companies like Exxon, who have no soul, and hurt Alaskans. Like Vic, you intentionally distort as socialist, communist or worse, organizations that honestly and rightly seek social justice .