Behind the Curtain
One way to think of the world of politics is as a small, unique universe with rules of its own. One of the rules – in this strange world – is it is legal to say almost anything in a political debate. Under the rules, politicians may paint their virtues a little bigger than they really are, camouflage their vices and vilify their opponents, telling the whole truth, half-the-truth, or very-little-of-the-truth.
During the lottery trial politicians, and political consultants, found themselves in a different world where the rules they knew no longer applied. The rules in courts of law are different. So, during the trial, we saw the gap between what politicians have said publicly (in the political world), say, about Kevin Geddings’ appointment to the Lottery Commission, and what appears to have actually happened.
Now that Geddings has been convicted what happens next? Will the scandal end? Is this just the first act? There may be two clues. First, House Speaker Jim Black said that he knew nothing about Kevin Geddings’ ties to lottery giant Scientific Games, last year, when he appointed Geddings. But, now, the prosecutor says, instead, Geddings was chosen at a dinner meeting attended by Black and two Scientific Games lobbyists. Second, former Representative Michael Decker plead guilty to taking a $50,000 bribe to change parties and vote for Black for Speaker of the House. If Decker is guilty of taking a bribe, who is guilty of giving him one?
These may be the next phase of the scandal.
Behind the Curtain
One way to think of the world of politics is as a small, unique universe with rules of its own. One of the rules – in this strange world – is it is legal to say almost anything in a political debate. Under the rules, politicians may paint their virtues a little bigger than they really are, camouflage their vices and vilify their opponents, telling the whole truth, half-the-truth, or very-little-of-the-truth.
During the lottery trial politicians, and political consultants, found themselves in a different world where the rules they knew no longer applied. The rules in courts of law are different. So, during the trial, we saw the gap between what politicians have said publicly (in the political world), say, about Kevin Geddings’ appointment to the Lottery Commission, and what appears to have actually happened.
Now that Geddings has been convicted what happens next? Will the scandal end? Is this just the first act? There may be two clues. First, House Speaker Jim Black said that he knew nothing about Kevin Geddings’ ties to lottery giant Scientific Games, last year, when he appointed Geddings. But, now, the prosecutor says, instead, Geddings was chosen at a dinner meeting attended by Black and two Scientific Games lobbyists. Second, former Representative Michael Decker plead guilty to taking a $50,000 bribe to change parties and vote for Black for Speaker of the House. If Decker is guilty of taking a bribe, who is guilty of giving him one?
These may be the next phase of the scandal.