I’ve been critical of some members of the Texas congressional delegation of late.
They haven’t distinguished themselves at times while standing under the national spotlight.
U.S. Rep. Ted Poe, a Republican from Humble — near Houston — however, has made me proud.
Poe took to the floor of the House of Representatives to demand that the judge in a notorious rape case at Stanford University recuse himself.
You no doubt have heard of this case. Judge Aaron Persky sentenced a young Stanford athlete, swimmer Brock Turner, to six months in prison and three years probation for raping a young woman.
The light sentence outraged Poe –who was a former prosecutor and trial judge before being elected to Congress. He said: “The judge should be removed and the rapist should do more time for the dastardly deed. I hope the appeals court … overturns the pathetic sentence and gives him the punishment he deserves.”
Here’s the story as it was reported by the Texas Tribune:
https://www.texastribune.org/2016/06/09/texas-congressman-demands-removal-judge-stanford-s/
You might ask: What business is it of a Texas congressman to order a California judge to remove himself from a case being adjudicated under another state’s laws?
I don’t care if he has no business.
Rep. Poe has spoken for a lot of Americans who are outraged over the shamefully light sentence given to a young man who sexually assaulted another human being. He committed an act of extreme violence.
The Tribune reported:
“Persky said he chose not to impose a harsher punishment because ‘a prison sentence would have a severe impact on [Turner].’
“’Well isn’t that the point?’ Poe said in his speech to the House. ‘The punishment for rape should be longer than a semester in college.’”
Severe impact? On a criminal? What about the impact that the crime Turner committed had on his victim?
Ted Poe had a reputation in the Houston area of being a no-nonsense judge, perhaps owing to his prior work as a prosecutor.
I’m glad to know he has used his federal office as a bully pulpit to take up for the victim of a violent crime.
A refreshing bit of honesty: If you agree with them, the mask of prudence or jurisdiction fall away. Now just keep it up next time when someone says something you disagree with. Don’t come out saying it isn’t their place, the venue isn’t right or they were impolitic in their phrasing, just say you think their ideas are stupid and backwards and then back that up with facts. You’ll feel better, believe me.
You just couldn’t say “refreshing bit of honesty” and leave it at that. Thanks for your comment.