Man who burned cross loses W.Va. election (gets 41 votes)

[rainbow4321]

http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/nation/11900307.htm

A man who pleaded guilty to taking part in a cross burning several years ago lost in his bid to be mayor.

Greg Bess garnered 41 votes in Tuesday's nonpartisan election, coming in a distant second to Ann Neese, a social justice officer at West Virginia University Institute of Technology, who received 104 votes. Two other candidates got fewer votes than Bess.

Bess, a coal mining contractor and chairman of the town's utility board, has said his role in the 1999 cross burning was exaggerated and "it was more of a joke that got out of hand."

"Just for the record, Greg Bess is not a racist," Bess said before the election.

Bess pleaded guilty in 2001 to a criminal conspiracy charge, telling a federal judge that he built the cross and carried it to the residence of Lucy Roberts, who was at home baby-sitting for her 2-year-old biracial granddaughter. He was sentenced to 30 days in jail and three years' probation and was fined $1,000.

[AlinPA]

1. I wonder if he is registered republican.Would not be surprised if he were.

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[BornLeft]

12. Wait here it comes

tick tock.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

2. 30 days in jail and a $1,000 fine for cross burning on the lawn of

a grandmother babysitting? That's more outrageous than the 41 votes he got. He obviously has no remorse for making a grandmother fear for her life or the safety of her grandchild. Meanwhile, stay tuned for more on the Jackson case :eyes:

[davidinalameda]

3. can't find a link in the local papers

weird

[rainbow4321]

5. Here's a Charleston, WV article

http://www.dailymail.com/news/News/2005061319/

Felon wants to focus on issues

As a candidate for mayor of Pratt in Tuesday's election, Greg Bess prefers residents to focus on his accomplishments as chairman of the town's utility board rather than on his conviction relating to a cross burning six years ago

<snip>
Roberts, 52, moved out of town after the cross was burned in her yard, but still runs her beauty salon nearby. Her granddaughter is now 7 years old and lives elsewhere in the state. Roberts called Bess' candidacy -- and the support he has garnered in the town -- "insulting."

For several residents in this town of about 530 nestled between the railroad tracks and the Kanawha River in eastern Kanawha County, Bess' openness about the events and the fact that he has served time for his conviction are good enough to earn their support.

"He did his time, he paid the price. He's a convicted felon, but felons are allowed to run for mayor," said Norma Fields, 48, who has the town's largest pro-Bess sign tacked up to her home. "He's a good man, and he's the best man for the job."

[Tigress DEM]

8. Felons can run for Mayor, but don't let them vote for pRes....

Give a white KKK felon the keys to the city, set him up in charge of being ethically responsible for adminstration of justice over a fair city of 530 people, but don't let no colored felon vote for pRes because that might give him a voice in government and make him dangerous. Isn't this country a little skewed in that way?

[rainbow4321]

13. The phrase "he's a good man" must be a repuke talking point

Must be one of those repuke talking points..when your racist, neocon, religious freak is exposed, stand next to him and declare him a GOOD MAN:

"He did his time, he paid the price. He's a convicted felon, but felons are allowed to run for mayor," said Norma Fields, 48, who has the town's largest pro-Bess sign tacked up to her home. "He's a good man, and he's the best man for the job."
----------------------------
From an article I posted elsewhere today on DU..comments about a preacher who participated in a church exorcism in TX:


http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/local/11899012.htm

The jury award for a woman who sued a Colleyville church saying she was subjected to bruising exorcism attempts shrank to $178,000 after a ruling last week by the 2nd Court of Appeals in Fort Worth.

In her lawsuit, Schubert said that on two occasions, several days apart, in June 1996, church members held her down and prayed to drive demons from her. She struggled, which church youth leaders and members took as signs that demons were fighting them, the lawsuit stated.

Tom Schubert said his daughter has moved on with her life and is pursuing a college degree in criminal justice. But he said the matter is still unresolved because McCutchen and others have not taken responsibility for injuring his daughter. McCutchen was present during the second incident, according to Laura Schubert's lawsuit. "I think pastor McCutchen is basically a good man and he got involved in a frenzy of religious fervor," said Tom Schubert, a former Assemblies of God minister and missionary.
---------

Or add a little variety and throw in the words hero, a person w/ great integrity, HONORABLE man:

http://www.thehill.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/061505/delay.html

House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) yesterday defended Rep. Duke Cunningham (R-Calif.) after calls from congressional Democrats to investigate the Republican appropriator for selling his San Diego home to a defense contractor whose firm had received $65 million in federal funds in 2004

House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) yesterday defended Rep. Duke Cunningham (R-Calif.) after calls from congressional Democrats to investigate the Republican appropriator for selling his San Diego home to a defense contractor whose firm had received $65 million in federal funds in 2004

“Duke Cunningham is a hero,” DeLay said during a press briefing Tuesday. “He is an honorable man of high integrity.”


“I know that John Murtha is an honorable man,” DeLay said during the briefing, adding that he did not know any details of the article. “He is a man of great integrity.”

[tk2kewl]

4. he still got nearly that same 30% that always goes for the RWers

Kan you say Klan

[denverbill]

6. His role in the cross-burning was 'exaggerated'??

Yes, all I did was build it and carry it to the location. It was my crazy friends that lit it on fire.

[brooklynite]

7. "it was more of a joke that got out of hand"

"So these three KKK members walk into a bar..." might be construed as a "joke that got out of hand". Building a cross, carrying to the victim's house and lighting it is something of a stretch.

[Supersedeas]

9. proving that Democracy is for American Terrorists too!!!

[0007]

11. KKK humor is not funny -

[consuming]

14. a holes!