District 3 City Council candidate Joe Wilson supports a public meeting featuring —surprise —former Police Chief David Wray.
Wilson says “Wray’s attorney has assured me that his client will appear and tell his side of the story.” I’m not an attorney, and I’m not saying Wilson’s lying, yet I can’t imagine a lawyer advising his client to participate in the meeting as Wilson envisions it, a public forum where “all the principles be allowed time to speak complete with rebuttals…..(with) Wray, City Council and their respective legal advisors as the only active participants. The public and media should only be there as observers and witnesses.”
As an “active participant,” would the council be allowed to Wray questions? Doesn’t matter, because there’s absolutely no reason Wray should agree to appear before or alongside the City Council because he doesn’t owe them a damned thing. He doesn’t work for the city anymore, remember?
Which is not to say that Wray doesn’t owe the public some answers. Sidney Gray has a good point when he says this situation shouldn’t be settled by politicians and the media. Save a court of law, the media’s all that’s left.
I’ll believe this meeting when I see it.
Update: The N&R endorses Wilson’s opponent, Zack Matheny.
