Some Belated Rack N’ Roll Coverage
By Greg L | 12 August 2007 | Rack & Roll Scandal | 1 Comment
This ran almost a month ago, but I’ve been crushed by other obligations lately.
The National Taxpayers Union ran a short post about the Rack n’ Roll scandal in Manassas Park, referencing coverage on Radley Balko’s Agitator and yours truly about the unconscionable abuse of power by Manassas Park officials against a local business owner who had the chutzpa to challenge the established inner circle of power that runs that locality. Radley is working on an explosive story regarding some shocking behavior by one of these officials that may well blow this scandal on to the radar screen of the regional mainstream media, and I’m looking forward to it.
Here’s what the NTU has to say about all this:
To make a long story short, Ruttenberg represents the wrench in a very large off-track betting deal and there are a lot of interests that want that wrench removed. Those interests have gone to great lengths to do exactly that, including harassing Rack ‘N Roll customers with random interrogations, conducting a routine alcohol inspection with 89 armed officers, denying him a license to sell alcohol (and thus undermining his business), and generally using every instrument of city power to make Ruttenberg’s life a living hell.
Although it appears that Rack n’ Roll will soon succumb to the economic impact resulting from the blatant abuse of power at play here, it’s looking more and more like his case against Manassas Park is gaining strength. A recent court decision has removed the power of localities to hold business owners responsible for the lewd acts of their customers unless there’s evidence the business encouraged this behavior. Claims that girls flashed a couple of times at a Mardi Gras night are part of the basis for the revocation of Ruttenberg’s ABC license, and that leg of the city’s case has just been torn away.
Justice has been deferred for far longer than anyone would think reasonable here, but it looks like it’s not going to be denied.
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This post can’t go by without comment! Let’s hope Ruttenberg never gives up on this and keeps pressing those slimy bastards.