Coddling the Constitutional Cowards

by: Juan Melli

Mon Aug 06, 2007 at 10:54:40 PM EDT

Late last week three Republican mayors from Burlington County made a mockery of themselves when they feigned outrage that Assembly candidate Tracy Riley's husband is a defense attorney. They were shocked that he was appointed to represent one of the men accused of the Fort Dix 'terror plot'. Their thin grasp of the Constitution quickly earned them a thorough smackdown from the Burlington County Times editorial board which reminded them that "they could also use a refresher in campaigning with integrity."

The irony was probably lost on them. While they try to scare people with their terrorism fear-mongering, they are in fact that ones who - without so much as a fight - are throwing away those things that are so fundamental to our country. Due process, the presumption of innocence, the right to an attorney...they're all just arcane afterthoughts to be discarded and used for political ammunition.

It looked bad enough that they would ruin their reputations for a cheap political attack on behalf of their legislative candidates. But the public humiliation must have been too tempting for the candidates to resist. Today eighth district Republican candidates Phil Haines, Dawn Addiego and Scott Rudder issued a press release once again attacking their opponent and her husband's job.

To know in advance the ridicule and mockery that await you. To know that you are crapping on our country's most cherished values. To attack the document they each swore to uphold and defend. And to defend the indefensible. That is what desperation smells like.