Falls Church News-Press "Owner-Editor" Nicholas F. Benton wrote the following letter below (as reported by the Falls Church Post) in support of convicted child molester Michael Gardner.
The full set of letters is a Who's Who of Falls Church Democratic elite, and this one is no exception. Benton's coverage of the sad case of Michael Gardner was slanted from the start, with a slew of allegations that the charges should never have been filed.
Gardner has confessed to the original crimes, and since this letter was written, he has confessed to even more sexual crimes against children.
Falls Church City Commissioner of the Revenue Tom Clinton (D.) wrote the letter below (as reported by the Falls Church Post) in support of convicted child molester Michael Gardner.
It's worrisome whenever an elected official tries to use the weight of his office to sway the judicial branch. Mr. Clinton makes a point of doing so in the first sentence.
On the upside, he doesn't try to claim that Gardner was incapable of the crimes (cough, cough, as did Phil Duncan). So on that count, at least Mr. Clinton is on the right side of history.
The Gardners (Mike and his wife) and Clinton are all unabashedly part of the Falls Church Democratic Party elite. They circled the wagons and fought to the end. Their trust was misplaced.
Now voters need to decide whether their trust in Mr. Clinton is warranted.
Falls Church City Council Member Phil Duncan wrote the letter below (as reported by the Falls Church Post) in support of convicted child molester Michael Gardner.
As Mr. Duncan says, he never saw "anything" that could "hint at the possibility that [Gardner] could be capable of the offense for which he was convicted."
Michael Gardner freely confessed to those crimes -- and others against more children -- later, making clear that Mr. Duncan's judgment was misplaced.
Mr. Duncan is running again for City Council. Good judgment will certainly be on the minds of many voters as they select among the candidates.
