Ok right off the bat I need to say that I am not all that familiar with Washington, D.C. or its politics. I have only lived here a year and haven't yet fully immersed myself into the culture. That being said I do not understand this city's love affair with Marion Barry.

As some of you might recall, Mr. Barry first came into the national spotlight in 1990 when, as the Mayor of D.C., he was filmed smoking crack. Of course if wasn't his fault because the "Bitch set me up" according to Barry. That's right, no sorrys, no "I'm a addict struggling with addiction" only "Bitch set me up" like somehow that made it ok. She brought him back to a motel/hotel, gave him the crack pipe, he smoked it and police busted in and arrested him. Was he set up? Of course - it was a sting. But I guess city officials smoking crack is no big deal in D.C. because he was elected to a fourth term during this mess. In 1992 he served 6 months in jail for misdemeanor drug charges for that arrest. Again, D.C. could careless and elected Barry to mayor once again in 1994 after her got out and could run again.

Well, Mr. Barry hung up the guns in 1999. Somehow in Mr. Barry's mind this meant he no longer had to pay taxes. He did not pay taxes for five years after retiring from politics. His answer "I made a mistake". Really? Made a mistake? Even after the I.R.S. sent him notices for three years? Sorry, that's not a mistake; that's intentional. Then after being charged and sentenced for this crime, he filed late in 2007. The judge extended his probation by two years because of the late file. Of course, during all this, in 2004 he was elected to a City Councilman's spot where he still serves to this day. So, I guess the city of Washington, D.C. is ok with tax evasion in its representatives as well.

Now in 2009 Mr. Barry was arrested on a stalking charge. The city has decided not to prosecute the case and has dropped the charges. Now, this stalking charge is besides the point to Mr. Barry because according to Barry the Police mistreated him by holding him for four hours before he was allowed contact with his attorney. He also is denying the stalking charge as well but the main thing is the treatment by police - just forget about that stalking thing even though in April he bought the woman who is accusing him of stalking her a $800 opera jacket. Nothing there but corrupt police.

So now I guess I'll wait around to see what D.C. thinks about an accused stalker.

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