Tuesday, September 27, 2011

The Bride Wore Prison Stripes

Ah, traditional, one-man/one-woman marriage.

Something old,
Something new,
Something borrowed,
Something stolen to pay for the wedding.

Maryland Delegate, Tiffany T. Alston, who worked overtime to defeat Marriage Equality in her state, has been charged with stealing campaign funds, in part to pay for her wedding. She is accused of writing herself checks and cashing them to pay for at least $3,560 in expenses for her wedding day. And, as if that isn't just awful enough, she also stands accused of writing herself checks from her campaign fund to pay the salary of an employee in her law firm.

In a five-count indictment filed last Friday in Anne Arundel County Circuit Court, Alston faces charges of felony theft, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $10,000, and is also charged with one count of misdemeanor theft, one count of fraudulent misappropriation by a fiduciary and two election law violations. The misdemeanor charge also carries a potential 18-month prison term.

Tiffany T. Alston has denied any wrongdoing. You know, because it's traditional marriage, and she's a politician, and a lawyer: “I emphatically deny any criminal wrong doing and look forward to the appropriate opportunity to address the accusations lodged against me.”

Then, naturally, she campaigned a little: “My family and I would like to extend our heartfelt appreciation to the hundreds of constituents, friends, colleagues and well-wishers who have reached out with their kind words and prayers. I want them to know that their trust in me will be justified when this process is ultimately concluded.”

Tiffany T. Alston was a little known delegate in Maryland, until she co-sponsored a bill to legalize same-sex marriage. But, just as the bill came up for a vote, Tiffany T. Alston left the hearing room with another lawmaker. They later returned, but the disappearance delayed the committee vote and amounted to the first of many setbacks that ultimately derailed the legislation.

And then, right before a subsequent vote, Tiffany T. Alston, produced an amendment to her bill, which changed the wording to authorize civil unions, not same-sex marriages. When that failed, she voted against the legislation, saying her vote was “for my constituents.”

So, let's get this queer: Tiffany T. Alston introduced legalisation legalizing same-sex marriage, but her absence derails that plan. Then she writes an amendment to her bill, changing marriage to civil union, and then she finally votes No for Marriage Equality. And, finally, she ALLEGEDLY steals money from her campaign funds to pay for her own "traditional" wedding.

Something old,
Something new,
Something borrowed,
Someone in an orange jumpsuit behind bars.

source

1 comment:

Say anything, but keep it civil .......