Houston DA In The Hot Seat – Again! Chuck Rosenthal and Those Damning E-Mails

“I love you” and “I want to kiss you behind your right ear.” Alright those steamy e-mails have already been reported – as they were sent from Houston, TX District Attorney – Chuck Rosenthal – to his administrative assistant. So we all figured out that, in this case, Chuck was thinking. Or maybe he was but with the wrong head. (If I offended anyone here, forgive me, but I do believe what I said was true).

Then in early January 2008 (well, we’re still in early January – anyway) Chuck Rosenthal announced his withdrawal from the race for re-election. His withdrawal was time-stamped three minutes before the deadline for candidates to be included on the primary ballot. Interesting twist.

Oh, but there’s more.

In a Houston Chronicle story it seems that new (NEW) e-mails were released on Tuesday where Mr. Rosenthal, yet once again, is caught with his pants down again (so to speak – no pun intended) with his choice of e-mails. This time the content – racist jokes and political strategies related to his (former) re-election campaign. Likewise, there were numerous sexually explicit images found (although whether they were forwarded is unclear).

Now Rosenthal is being pressured to resign.

The latest batch of 730 e-mails was met with concern by Harris County GOP leaders, who had already successfully pressured him to abandon his re-election bid.

“It’s time for Chuck Rosenthal to pack his bags and leave,” said county GOP Chairman Jared Woodfill.

Now, we all know that Chuck Rosenthal never in his wildest dreams thought that his daily e-mail – that he sent back in December related to a case would ever have the effect that it is having today. But then, even as the Harris County District Attorney – Mr. Rosenthal must have missed that day in law school when they taught (big assumption here) that every choice has a consequence.

According to the Houston Chronicle some of the e-mails contained the following:

Among e-mails that concerned Woodfill were video clips of nudity and sex acts and a racist joke forwarded by Rosenthal that compares former President Bill Clinton to a black man.

The e-mail says Clinton played the saxophone, smoked marijuana and gets a check from the government each month.

In one e-mail from Sam Siegler to Rosenthal, an attached video shows women having their breasts exposed after men forcibly pulled down their blouses in public. The video called the act “sharking.”

E-mails about a barbecue fundraiser for Rosenthal’s planned re-election campaign also were sent to his employees, the documents reveal.

Oops…that last one might be his down fall.

It is widely considered illegal in Texas for public officials to campaign during work hours using government-owned equipment. Such instances in the past have led to charges of official misconduct, or theft by a public official.

“I’d like to kick off the 2008 re-election campaign with a barbecue in early October,” Rosenthal wrote to his staff in one e-mail in August, as he announced a planning session for the event. “I appreciate your help, and I am looking forward to seeing you there.”

Another e-mail announced Gail Hays, a captain investigator with the district attorney’s office, would be at the credit union parking garage with barbecue tickets. It was unclear who sent that message. Hays did not appear at the garage because of bad weather, a follow-up e-mail states.

Amorous feeling – well we all have them from time to time. Every received or sent a joke via e-mail? Likely, if you’re reading this the answer is YES. But, if you break the law when you e-mail about your campaign and your job is to uphold the law – you might have just crossed the line.

As GOP leaders are calling for Chuck Rosenthal’s resignation – what do you think?

Business ethics speaker – Chuck Gallagher – signing off…

Dead Men Can’t Sign Checks! What Were You Thinking asks Business Ethics Speaker Chuck Gallagher

There is dumb. There was Dumb and Dumber. But this caps it off and is a great end of the week story so we can move into the weekend with a little humor to tickle our weekend. The New York Times reports:

Two men were arrested on Tuesday after pushing a corpse, seated in an office chair, along the sidewalk to a check-cashing store to cash the dead man’s Social Security check, the police said.

When Virgilio Cintron, 66, died at his apartment at 436 West 52nd Street recently, his roommate and a friend saw an opportunity to cash his $355 check, the police said.

The roommate, James P. O’Hare, and his friend, David J. Dalaia, both 65 and unemployed, placed Mr. Cintron’s body in the chair and wheeled it around the corner, south along Ninth Avenue on Tuesday afternoon, the police said. The men parked the chair with the corpse in front of Pay-O-Matic at 763 Ninth Avenue, a check-cashing business that Mr. Cintron had patronized.

They went inside to present the check, but a clerk said Mr. Cintron would have to cash it himself, and asked where he was, the police said.

“He is outside,” Mr. O’Hare said, indicating the body in the chair, according to Mr. Browne.

The two men started to bring the chair inside, but it was too late.

Their sidewalk procession had already attracted the stares of passers-by who were startled by the sight of the body flopping from side to side as the two men tried to prop it up, the police said. The late Mr. Cintron was dressed in a faded black T-shirt and blue-and-white sneakers. His pants were pulled up part of the way, and his midsection was covered by a jacket, the police said. While the two men were inside the check-cashing office, a small crowd had gathered around the chair. A detective, Travis Rapp, eating a late lunch at a nearby Empanada Mama saw the crowd and notified the Midtown North station house.

O.K. – these guys must have been low on the food chain when it came to smarts. Rolling a dead body down the street in order to cash a check. Hum – wonder how they thought he would sign the check. Last time I checked – Dead folk can sign anything – cause they’re DEAD!

Police officers and an ambulance arrived as the two men were trying to maneuver the corpse and chair into the check-cashing office.

The two men were taken into custody and questioned. The police said they were considering charging them with check-cashing fraud.

Check cashing fraud? You don’t say? Wonder how difficult that would be to prove?

But wait, maybe these guys should be let off. Maybe they deserve a break. After all if they are incarcerated – put in prison with the hard core guys – they might learn how to better pull off such a crime!

Naw…

Stupid is as stupid does – so I doubt they will learn (they’re likely too dumb and have killed too many brain cells) to be better criminals. So incarcerating means the taxpayers will have to pay for their care – instead of them doing it themselves.

I say let them go – What about you?

Business Ethics Speaker – Chuck Gallagher – Signing off!