Senator Soprano?

While the circle of indicted and convicted former-lawmakers continues to expand exponentially, the antics of the un-indicted Senator Lesil McGuire turned out to be the last straw for me.

I guess part of it was that I initially had some empathy for her when her husband, Tom Anderson, was first indicted then convicted. She was a new mom faced with the possibility of raising a child alone much as I did when I first had my daughter. I understand how frightening that prospect can be.

However, recent information shows that my empathy was probably misplaced.

Unfortunately, Ms. McGuire seemed to focus too much on the “hood” in “mommy-hood.” She played a role straight out of a script from “The Sopranos” by aiming subtle threats at the livelihood and reputations of Mr. Bobrick and his wife through “intimidating” phone calls.

The day that this story broke, I was furious enough to send an email to Senator McGuire, telling her that she needed to resign her office. Her reply:

Linda,

I am so very sorry you feel this way. I absolutley did not witness tamper. There are huge questions about what the government did in Tom's trial however in this regard. Remember, this is a time where people will argue anything. I had no involvement in this and it is devastating to live through it all. Please call or write or come by
anytime.

Lesil

The next day they released the tapes.

McGuire’s response to my email shows that despite all evidence to the contrary, she actually believes herself and her husband to be the victims. It also shows that she can’t seem to stop lying, no matter who is asking the questions.

No reasonable person can listen to that tape and believe that those calls were meant to do anything but intimidate. McGuire’s own “disclaimer” at the beginning of the call “in case the FBI is listening” indicated that she knew of Bobrick’s involvement with the FBI and that she lied to the media. The tape also revealed that she lied when she claimed that nothing of a “medical nature” was discussed. Federal Prosecutor Bottini put that question to rest when he stated in court that "It was, I believe, a veiled threat to Bobrick's wife concerning her ability to practice medicine in this state after she graduates from medical school…”

If one reads Ms. McGuire’s on-line biography her privileged status becomes obvious. The posted employment history only consists of jobs that were either appointed positions or ones usually obtained as a result of connections. One could conclude that Ms. McGuire never had to do a lick of hard work or worry about a paycheck at any time in her life. That makes her veiled threats of career destruction even more loathsome.

I can’t help but note that McGuire is not alone here. A sense of entitlement combined with, in my opinion, a “persecution complex” seems to fit the same pattern as some of the other fish caught directly or indirectly in the FBI net. They also seem to share a similar status as the next generation of children from rich, politically powerful Alaskan families. It's seems that some of the "family values" being passed down from the old-school Alaskan politicos might be influenced more by the behavior of television “Mafiosi” rather than relying on “honesty” as a “moral compass.”

Whether or not the prosecution ever brings a case against her, the blatant lies Senator McGuire told to the public she was elected to serve are more than enough reason to demand her resignation. That is why I sent her an email and I encourage other concerned citizens to share their feelings with her as well at Sen.Lesil.McGuire@legis.state.ak.us.