See related stories and public commentary at the following links:
http://sandboxcommentators.blogspot.com/2012/03/sandboxblogs-aspen-daily-news-fbi.html
http://www.aspendailynews.com/section/home/152488
http://sandboxcommentators.blogspot.com/2012/03/sandboxblogs-aspen-times-pitkin-county_28.html
Carolyn Sackariason:
"Pitkin County’s top official on Wednesday got shot down by the FBI in his quest to find out if the federal agency is investigating the local government, as part of a probe into the sheriff’s office.
County manager Jon Peacock, acting on the request of Pitkin County Commissioner Michael Owsley, attempted to confirm whether the government is the target of an investigation......
......Peacock said he wasn’t surprised by the FBI’s response, but in a small town such as Aspen, different dynamics are at play and the community, including its elected officials, want transparency.
If in fact the county government is part of the FBI’s investigation, Peacock said he and the organization plan to cooperate.
“Our position is that if there are any questions, we’re there,” he said. “We need to be transparent. ... There’s nothing to hide here.
“Right now there’s nothing to cooperate on.”......
........“I don’t think there’s anything there,” Peacock said. “Joe and I have a good working relationship.”
DiSalvo also on Wednesday briefed some employees in the sheriff’s office on what he knows about the investigation, although he has not had any contact with the FBI. He said his staff understood the situation and did not appear concerned.
“Everyone pretty much got it,” he said. ......" (Read more? Click title)
"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."
7 comments:
encouraging to know only "some employees" showed up for Sheriff Joe's talk.
I've got to say a thank you to Danforth and the Daily for the coverage. took guts to pierce the veil. but then the folks can always count on the Aspen Daily to do that. nice job.
sent from my verizon blackberry
good to know that after 40 years the elected officials want transparency.
Still somewhat tragic that they're obviously so into their own comfort they just can't see that we're talking about dope bought from Mexican drug cartels, suicide numbers in our area that are through the roof in volume, greed so hungry it's consumed everything in sight and bullying, pillory treatment everywhere. Makes you wonder what part of Sheriff Joe's talk they didn't get since he says it was only "pretty much" or what Peacock is even thinking about or what the commissioners think there is in "nothing to cooperate on". Tragic.
Another commenter on this blog somewhere talked about how this loss of security has permeated everywhere in the area and in all parts of our lives. It's true and that goes back so many years that it's become the norm to turn away and just not stand up to it. Our area is not like other places. Inequality isn't just because some people work harder, are smarter and more clever with resources and others are not. In fact, the more common person up and down the whole I-70 corridor works harder and smarter than most because we have to in order to survive. There is true repression and it does trickle down from Aspen and in much lesser portions Vail. It never would have taken such a hold if it wasn't for the fundamental loss of law enforcement security and the politics of honesty in ethics. We lost something a long, long time ago. People should be able to count on their fundamental security and safety. This vein for decades of harassment and in many cases social terrorizing and shunning when a person doesn't fit in to this enlightened psychology that DiSalvo speaks of is criminal in nature. It is also morally, ethically wrong. Here we are, in a city that preaches from its pulpit every day in local papers to remove ourselves from a national chamber of commerce, ban plastic, help Haiti and every other socially popular cause. And all the while our own county manager is clueless that the transparency his real bosses are false preaching at him that they want is something they refuse to give. It's not OK to have drugs in this town and terrible acts of social and business interference. Aspen has actually long been something we all should be fully ashamed of. After all, what Carbondale, Basalt and Glenwood Springs have become in somewhat lesser levels is because they have followed our example. I admit to feeling a personal and inner sense of physical security knowing that we have some uniforms in town that will make that transparency be possible and who I can call on if I or anyone I care about is hurt by the bullies we have become. Thank you to the FBI for joining the DEA.
They dare to send a call out letter like they did to federal cops, basically flipping them off and then act upset when they aren't kept in the loop. Could there be a better example of the public corruption problem?
Just maybe the rest of them that did not show up for their boss will find their way home and look up the FBI or DEA and lend a hand. My house has been struck with this idea that there are blurring of the lines even allowed for our elected sheriff. Community policing and good compassionate officers has nothing to do with enforcing the laws and upholding duty. It is publicly corrupting and destructive to allow for anything more. Sadly misguided thinking that is what the community wants is blurred lines between the two. Someone somewhere really sold a bill of goods with that twist. For it to have stuck all these years and gained so much power someone has to be either making money at it or benefits through owning power. It doesn't matter, Joe. First you are a cop. Let's hope this is the last rites of passage for our sheriff's office.
The Aspen Daily is always appreciated for honest, detailed and balanced reporting. Leaving the gray to the opinion columnists and community letters they remain the local favorite.
Everyone can now rest easy knowing that the Daily is on the stories surrounding the 'Pandora's Box' that's now open.
Time to let the Feds do their job now, comment ability on the FBI story is closed.
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