Kangaroo Court?

Kangaroo court-- An unfair trial in which the rights of the accused and precepts of justice are ignored and the outcome is usually known beforehand.

New Mexico Republicans are calling for the impeachment of State Treasurer Robert Vigil in the special two day session coming up next week in Santa Fe. Whether you are out for blood on Vigil or not you can only wonder if anyone can get a fair trial in two days. Has the Legislature done the proper investigation? Have the Republicans be given access to the evidence or the government's investigation? If not, will they ask for it so they can at least have more facts on this scandal than we have recieved in the newspapers? If they don't get it can they ethically proceed? Remember how much thought went into impeachment hearing of Bill Clinton after his scandal?

I am all for impeaching Vigil if he is guilty, but I am also convinced he should have a chance to defend himself. I just don't think this will happen given the reservations I noted above.

It is pretty obvious to me that the Republicans are pursuing a much larger agenda here than getting Vigil outof office. They are already floating innuendos about other Democrats possibly getting some of the alleged kickbacks although they don't have any names. Everything we need to know will come out soon enough and if those responsible for this mess spend time in jail that is fine with me.

The best thing that can happen is for Vigil to just resign and save us all the dramatic wailing of the neo con Republicans in New Mexico.

Justice is a certain rectitude of mind whereby a man does what he ought to do in the circumstances confronting him.

Saint Thomas Aquinas