State Senator Gary Siplin Facing Criminal Charges (video jumping a fence)

[seriousstan]

ORLANDO, Fla. -- State Senator Gary Siplin (D-Orlando) jumped over a fence to avoid Channel 9's cameras minutes after learning he was charged with two crimes. The state attorney said Siplin used taxpayer money to pay for part of his campaign.

The criminal case was started after several Channel 9 investigations focused on Siplin. He's charged with paying employees to work on his re-election campaign in 2004.

Siplin turned himself into the Polk County jail late Monday afternoon and bonded out. Before that, Siplin made a dramatic exit from his office Monday. Even for a politician who has become known for some unusual behavior, it was jaw-dropping.

Siplin scaled a chain-link fence behind his senate office in Pine Hills and jumped into a waiting car. Just an hour and a half before, State Attorney Lawson Lamar announced a third-degree felony charge of grand theft had been filed against Siplin, as well as a misdemeanor of using services of officers or employees. He apparently was trying to avoid being seen by Channel 9 cameras waiting at his office.

http://www.wftv.com/news/8595513/detail.html#

It's a shame he is a Dem, but it is still funny as hell.

[AndyA]

1. Doesn't matter if they're Dems or Repugs, they must pay for their crimes.

We need honest, ethical, representation.

No wonder things are such a mess today. Look at the people who are making the decisions on our behalf.

[Judi Lynn]

2. Clearly, this isn't funny in any respect, whatsoever.

It's apparently a hoot for someone who loves posting stories of Democrats going wild, knowing these events are so very much rarer than Republican crimes.

Moral collapse is the STARTING position for Mepublicans.

[PBass]

3. Send him to prison if he broke the law... whatever punishment

fits the crime, if he is found guilty.

We need to have zero tolerance for corruption.

[Whoa_Nelly]

4. New Qualification for current and future politicians

Must be able to outrun the press, leap over fences, avoid confrontation at all costs.

"Faster than a speeding bullet. More powerful than a locomotive. Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound --- 'Look, up in the sky,' 'It's a bird,' 'It's a plane,' 'It's Superman....' "

Nope...you politicos AIN'T Superman, as much as you would like to think so. :rofl:

..and you certainly haven't been out to protect Truth, Liberty and the American Way of Life.

Siplin could be the poster boy for all the bad politicians currently in office.

[seriousstan]

6. Now stop that, I have already been told this is not funny whatsoever.

Please try to control your humor until after you have established party affiliation.

[rodeodance]

5. crap. but I agree. go get um.

[genieroze]

7. What a jerk.

[KansDem]

8. In all fairness, I couldn't make out the person in the video...

I'm not defending him, I'm just saying I wasn't able to identify the person jumping the fence as Gary Siplin. Not that this video would be used in a court of law ("Looky, looky, he's jumpin' the fence! He must be guilty!"), but I've grown in the past 6 years to be suspicious of media "news stories." Just because WFTV News says it's him doesn't make it so. Perhaps news programs should hold themselves to the same standards as our courts of law.