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als362 (Anonymous) says…

The city council was correct to do what they did. It is wrong to pick and choose who to prosecute when laws are broken. I am sorry you do not understand that.

AltitudeAdjustment (Anonymous) says…

als362

Actually prosecuters, judges, police officers, state officials, federal agents, etc etc etc pick and choose who they prosecute every day all over this country. The voters and the constitution actually afford these people the right to determin who, what, when, where, why, and how things get prosecuted. Just because a law is broken does not mean that person will or should get prosecuted (i.e. you get pulled over for doing five over and the officer lets you off…..you broke the law right? The law says you should get a ticket for $100 bucks but you don't. How come? Becaue the officer chose not to waste your time and his by writing you up for something so stupid and trivial). The same goes with Mr. Raina. The city has already spent twice what Raina spent to file charges against him. They have and will continue to wast time and money and in the end yes Mr. Raina will pay a fine. And he will be fined not because he broke the law, but because he didn't understand the system. I would be willing to bet, if you really wanted to get technicall, every councilman spent more than the allowed $500 bucks. The only difference is, they were just savy enough not to report it, as hundred and hundred of violators of this same crime do every year during elections. This is one of those wink, wink, nudge, nudge rules and Mr. Raina didn't understand the process, that's the only difference.

So I am sorry that you don't understand the system and think that it operates differently and I hope the next time you jay-walk, do five over on your way home from work, or committ some other trivial crime of little significants that you get the book thrown at you.

westslopeguy (Anonymous) says…

While I tend to agree in sentiment with Mr. AltitudeAdjustment's commentary, I feel compelled to believe Mr. als362's point more succinctly. We should not pick and choose which laws to enforce and which to ''let slide” because the cost of prosecuting that violation will not outweigh the benefit of winning the prosecution, (which IS what it all comes down to, isn't it?). While Mr. AltitudeAdjustment proposes that this is done all the time, doesn't make it right. Hence, since we are not judge and jury, and the same city charter that was allegedly - (remember that innocent until proven..?.. nah! never mind) - violated by Mr. Reina was violated by Mr. Carwile, I certainly hope the City Council of Craig, The Craig Police Department, and the District Attorney's office of Moffat County and/or the 14th Judicial District of the State of Colorado will pursue those violations with as much vigor. We can think of the ''rights and wrongs” to the people of Craig, or we can think of how much money those people can make in the prosecution of both, as opposed to just one. Lawyers, Jurors, Newspapermen, Holy cow! We'll all get rich.