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Batter Up!
By Greg L | 24 February 2007 | Rack & Roll Scandal | 15 Comments
Today’s Manassas Journal-Messenger article on the Rack & Roll scandal gives a lot of rope to officials of Manassas Park, which they dutifully use to hang themselves. It’s pretty stunning when you’re sitting on the mountain of evidence I’ve collected on this story to see city officials say some of these utterly inane things. I’m not sure whether reporter Alex Granados was intending to pitch me a slow underhand, or whether his editors decided to sabotage his story. Either way, this one is going out of the park.
Tomorrow should be an interesting day. Stay tuned.
The opinions expressed here are solely the views of the author, and not representative of the position of any organization, political party, doughnut shop, knitting guild, or waste recycling facility, but may be correctly attributed to the Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy. If anything in the above article has offended you, please click here to receive an immediate apology.
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Are you reading the same article as me? This is slanted toward MP officials. They have a plausible answer for everything. If you ask me, the PR fight to get Dave R. justice has taken a step backward in this series of articles. I’m only encourgaed that the FBI was mentioned, but it didn’t even go into the depth of this crooked city government’s conspiracy. For all of us readers of this blog, we can fill in the blanks that the article leaves open. But, imagine if you are Joe-sixpack on the street reading this for the first time. There is no meat here. It won’t start the uprising that we all had hoped this long-awaited press coverage could start. I’m pissed. They’ve won this round of the PR battle.
RE: “They’ve won this round of the PR battle”
Not unless Greg L. can get either the Washington Times, Gainesville Times or DC Examiner to do a follow-up to the MJM piece (note to Greg. L - foward the MJM piece to the local reporters of the above cited papers with a note saying that you have much more scoop on this issue that you’d be more than happy to provide contingent on them doing a THOROUGH follow-up).
This is a trick I honed when living in the Peoples Republik of Arlington when I challenged the Arlington County Board to recite the Pledge of Allegiance at County Board meetings. They refused, calling in divisive. They got the Washington Compost to do a hit piece on me and the Arlington GOP. While they interviewed me, I was feeding scoop to the Washington Times. Both papers ran their pieces on the same day - indeed quite a contrast of facts. The story even got me on the FOX News’ O’Reilly Factor [I have the tape to prove it] (Greg L. - if you want the Dave R. story on the O’Reilly Factor let me know - I know the producer).
A more appropriate title might be “Strike Three”. Congratulations on again whipping up hysteria and literally creating much ado about apparently nothing. Your efforts with the local GOP notwithstanding, it appears that you know or understand little about government operations or its interaction with public and private entities. You, and others, have presented an extraordinarily one-side version of events with the apparent express intent of destroying the careers and reputation of MP representatives and employees and/or causing fiscal ruin not only to the city but by extension its residents and business owners. Congratulations on allying yourself with an apparent anarchist and making a total horse’s ass out of yourself.
As I have stated elsewhere, I am not giving MP a pass on this issue, rather I am reserving judgement on the issue until both sides of the story have been presented (hardly an unreasonable position), understanding that a municipal jurisdiction is unlikely to jeopardise its position or the interests of those it represents with the premature release of information that might jeopardise ongoing criminal investigations and/or create or jeopardise its position in civil litigation.
Congratulations on achieving a level of “journalistic” integrity on par with the National Enquirer. Clue to Greg, neither Santa nor the Easter Bunny exist and wishing that this “scandal” were true will not make it so, ultimately only the facts will.
Congratulations on selecting a group of targets that, as public officials, cannot easily avail themselves of measures to seek redress for slander and libel. I trust the implications for you would be different had you chosen to attack the business owner instead of the municipality. When you go to bed tonight, I hope you tuck a copy of the Sullivan decision under your pillow to keep you safe in the future.
mom, you might want to check back later on after I’ve had some time to dissect that article.
Congratulations on your tremendous ability to swallow whole large doses of spin which is entirely unsupported by any facts, though. I’d have thought you would have noticed that nothing city officials said in that article is substantiated at all, and much of it contradicts actual evidence that I’ve presented before.
But if you read it in the newspaper, it must be true, right?
Mom and I had a back and forth commenting on the virginiavirtucon.wordpress.com blog if anyone is interested. While I’m not sure what to make of Mom, I will respect her right to wait for the facts. On the other hand, when I called her attention to Rack N Roll’s brief posted on www.theagitator.com (which is a documented account, based on sworn testimony and case exhibits, of the unconstitutional activities of the authorities [state actors] in this case) she really didn’t seem interested. I have to think that Mom may be a shill for the City.
The Ruttenberg’s position is that the City and other state actors violated the Ruttenberg’s constitutional rights under the 1st, 4th and 14th Amendments to the Constitution. It is alleged that these state actors deprived the Ruttenberg’s of their property without due process of law and monetary compensation in damages is sought. The Ruttenbergs’ suit does not mention OTB or Colonial Downs.
The MJM has addressed evidence of official attempted, and falsified, criminal implication of David Ruttenberg as well as evidence of the state actor’s set up of RnR culminating in the June, 2004 raid (Gary Evans, Jeffery Price, Tom Kifer, etc.). There is extensive overwhelming additional evidence of these matters, including evidence of perjury, which the Ruttenbergs wish to address to a jury in the Eastern District of Virginia. While I find the “coincidences” surrounding Colonial Downs interesting, it matter not a wit with respect to the alleged unconstitutional activities of these state actors. Further, such unconstitutional activites are what should concern us all including Mom. If state actors can frame honest small businessmen (or anyone for that matter) resulting in the loss of their property and get away with it, much has been lost.
While I would agree that OTB and Colonial Downs be investigated, do not let that matter distract you. Continue to push for protection of your constitutional rights. Continue to work for the Ruttenbergs’ ability to present these matter to a federal jury.
Contradictions, facts and substantiation, please point to one “fact” in the series that is actually supported, I see no spin, merely denials of what could be characterized as heresay, denials which (and I grow tired of pointing this out) should not be publicly supported by the city with documentation until actual and potential litigation is disposed of, that is the only prudent (and possibly legal) course.
The only facts I have seen are 1. the dismissal of the owner’s complaint, presumedly by a judge and not by Ebert or the city, 2. issues regarding the owner’s payment of business and meals taxes, and 3. an admitted contract to sell the business.
I’m accused of swallowing large doses of spin or acting as a shill for the city. First, I’m not swallowing anything, merely questioning whether a conclusion of any sort can be reached without full disclosure by both sides (again full disclosure by the city is probably not in the city or residents interest at this time). Second, in general I’m nobody’s shill and in this particular instance have no dog in the fight and could give a rat’s ass what happens to or in MP. Lastly, has it ever occured to you that it may be you who is the shill or worse a tool of those with an axe to grind after all you are the only one I know of facing issues of libel, purportedly for the actions of another.
OTB and Colonial Downs is the motive for what was done to Ruttenberg, so it does play a role in this.
Had to Say:
The Ruttenbergs would like nothing more than hard evidence that OTB is the motive for the destruction of their business. Please e-mail Greg with any such evidence that you might have. It would be much appreciated.
Robert M –
I like your plan. Forward to Washington Times and O’Reilly. Maybe they will dig much deeper and use more of Greg’s documentation.
Mom —
RE: “it appears that you (Greg L.) know or understand little about government operations or its interaction with public and private entities”.
Greg L’s probem isn’t that he “knows or understands little about Government operations…..” It’s Manassas Park government’s problem that HE DOES !!
RE: “You, and others, have presented an extraordinarily one-side version of events with the apparent express intent of destroying the careers and reputation of MP representatives and employees and/or causing fiscal ruin not only to the city but by extension its residents and business owners”.
Transcripts, audio tapes, video tapes, multiple corraborating witnesses risking everything to get the truth out? That’s not one sided — it’s court admissable evidence (and it will be in a court one day). The FBI knows how to sort through this evidence (and thankfully they are now involved). It’s been presented in an organized fashion so those of us who have the ability to reason and use logic can draw our own conclusions. As far as MP representatives and employess, those involved in this scandal have detroyed THEIR OWN careers and reputations, but I’m sure since you so blindly support them they’ll really appreciate it when you come in visit them during their stays in a Federal Prison.
Mom —
RE: “…..(again full disclosure by the city is probably not in the city or residents interest at this time). ……”
You might be right. “Full disclosure” is not in the city’s best interest. That’s why they are working so feverishly to cover this matter up. Oh…yes…..and it’s just SO BAD for the residents to know everything that THEIR elected officials are up to. We wouldn’t want to do something so terrible as to have a full and open investigation into their activities. That would be just too much like democracy. We CAN’T have that.
My suggestion to you is go back through the archives, read more and commentate less until you’ve done that. Then when justice is finally served in Manassas Park we’ll await your sincerest apology.
MOM:
I contend you’ve had way too much of the liberal Kool-Aid.
The O’Reilly Factor is already on this story, would you like to be interviewed?
To Mr. Greg - great work and stand-by
“Full disclosure” is not in the city’s best interest. That’s why they are working so feverishly to cover this matter up.
I’ve heard that cry before in other jurisdictions. Blogs like this that cry corruption and foul, feed information to the press (oftentimes false) and drag elected officials and PD personnel through the mud all in name of “justice”. The sad thing is that more often than not there is little more motive than personal animosity or pursuit of personal gain. And when its over, after personal and professional reputations are sullied what is found, bupkus, nada, nothing. And then, do those responsible for libelous blog postings or for that matter irresponsible articles in the MJM/PN or WAPO afford their sincere apologies, no, they skulk back into the undergrowth.
It is you who should read more (when all materials are available) and commentate less, lest you appear a horse’s ass. That is why my commentary has been limited to pointing out that taking a position such as your is premature at best.
Mom –
RE: “Blogs like this that cry corruption and foul, feed information to the press (oftentimes false) and drag elected officials and PD personnel through the mud all in name of “justice”. ”
The mainstream press does not come close to the level of research that has gone into the Rack ‘n Roll postings on this blog.
A good man…Dave Ruttenberg…has had his life destroyed by “some” MP officials, as the publicly available evidence has clearly shown. Why would Greg L. and the posters of this blog just sit and wait? Let this man get destroyed even further? I am shocked that Mr. Ruttenberg has been able to hang on this long….but to his credit he has (he believes that truth and justice will prevail for those who have done the right things).
I’d like to think it is mainly because of the hard work of Greg L. (and others who make use of his research and pass them on to the proper authorities) are what is saving a good man’s life, so like Dave Ruttenberg, we can all still believe in the ideal that justice will prevail as long as the truth gets out. A month or so ago, I had lost that faith. Now that faith has been restored.
And let me tell you Mom…if such an injustice were ever to occur to you at the hands of a government entity gone amuck, these same people would come to your aid to see that you got the same fair treatment and justice that you deserve. That is GETTING THE TRUTH OUT, which to me is the battle cry of this blog and many like it who are responsible in their research and reporting.
I’m tempted to post a response on how each of your entries is full of contradictions, but I think responses to your posts have taken up quite enough space. I’d rather see more of Greg’s good documentation that you opine that he puts so much time and effort into this issue because he has “little more motive than personal animosity or pursuit of personal gain.”
I already had my suspicions about you and my intuition was starting to tell me you might have a dog in this fight. My gut is telling me you have some kind of ties to the bad guys in all this, especially when you think everybody should back off and take a wait and see approach. That suspicion was reinforced when you said “It is you who should read more (when all materials are available) and commentate less, lest you appear a horse’s ass. That is why my commentary has been limited to pointing out that taking a position such as your is premature at best.”
Premature? So, you think maybe this should drag on for 14 more years? Hmmm Mom…want to come clean on something? What’s your involvement in all this? You are starting to echo some of the same things the guilty parties are spewing…”Everyone just back off.”
Mom…why is the truth so threatening to you?
Does anyone else realize this “mom” person is not a woman?
and I would venture to say, their comments are done mostly at work…..
perhaps the isp # would help verify the building.
They over use elaborate language in all sentences seems to talk like….
an alien…. or perhaps an attorney…. or maybe even a PW POLICE officer?
It is for sure someone in Manassas, someone who has use of a
dictionary, not a woman, ( i never heard a woman speak or write like that),
use of a computer at home, has bookmarked this site, wants to defend and condemn but is clearly on the wrong side, refuses to compromise (much like a man), wants their voice to be heard and continues to argue without
substantial evidence and choose “mom” to disguise himself.
hummmmmmmm.
what do ya think?
“`call me a fortune teller!