You may have heard about Representative Thomas Druce in the news - maybe
not. It is one more fine example of one of our representatives serving our
community and dedicating his life to public service. Tom was recently
indicted on 2 criminal counts: Vehicular Homicide and Insurance Fraud. Bail
was set at $20,000.00.
It was an ordinary day - just another day of the week.
Anyway, Tom was just driving down the street one night when he allegedly
struck and killed a pedestrian in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania in July, 1999.
Did he stop? Well not quite. 7 months later, after being found out, he
states that he thought he "hit a sign". The investigators found hair, skin,
blood and clothing particles under the wheel cover. I don't think Tom got to
those spots when he was washing the car - on just another day in the life of
a State Legislator.
How a sign can jump up and hit the front of the car and the wind shield too
is beyond me. Must have been one of those glass seeking signs that globally
positions itself. Sort of like the "single bullet" theory when JFK was
assassinated.
In any event it was a memorable Christmas '99 for Tom. Someone sent the
investigators an anonymous card and told them to look to Tom Druce as the
responsible party for the death of the black pedestrian.
A short time after Tom "hit the sign" he was questioned by two of his fellow
workers about the accident. Tom denied any involvement - back in July, 1999.
Then he told his insurance company that he had the accident on the
Pennsylvania Turnpike.
Shortly after, he had the utility vehicle - a Pennsylvania State leased
vehicle - thank you Mr. & Mrs. Taxpayer - repaired about an hour north of
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - in Warrington, Pennsylvania.
I live about 5 minutes from the repair shop - Malcolm's. Just so happens
that Malcolm's still had the Tom Druce bumper when the investigators'
questioned them. It was all over TV and in plain view of the cameras.
Then the vehicle was taken into the New York area. Tom proceeded to obtain a
brand new utility vehicle.
One irony in this pathetic mess is that in 1996 Mr. Tom voted for a bill
that imposed a mandatory
1 year prison sentence for anyone leaving the scene of a Vehicular Homicide.
That must have
been in his "Church Going" days. The man was righteous!
He was a rising star in the Pennsylvania House. Now the other legislators
are distancing
themselves from him. Not many people like to be Reborn into the role of a
Sinner.
So - Tom - who once wore the White Hat now has to trade it in for the Black
Hat.
Next comes the trial - another taxpayer expense - the various groups who
will rally and protest, whatever conviction he might get, the tearful and
remorseful "statement" from Thomas and then we will be back to business as
usual.
In a few years ole' Tom will be back out on the streets and maybe - who
knows - might even try for a comeback. Ya' gotta' love the guy.
Never mind that he has ruined the victim's family forever.
In life it's who you are and where you're at. That is usually the determiner
of your fate.
Don't they usually take the bad boys and circle them from Domestic Policy to
Foreign Policy.
In a few years Tom will have a few grey hairs and they might even put him up
for Statesman.
My question is this - is a man really responsible for something that
happened last century?
Or better yet - what about the statute of limitations for the last
millennium !!!
Give the guy a break. Let bygones be bygones. Forget the whole thing.
After all - Tom wanted to. |