Poking fun of politically connected fat cats is easy, but what do Dickie Scruggs’ crimes have to do with you? Plenty. Corruption of public officials does far more damage to the average citizen than any robber wielding a gun.
Trial lawyers who pervert our justice systems in order to win huge settlements cost everyone who owns a home or business through higher premiums and increased liability.
Scruggs and his ilk claim to represent the little guy against big insurance companies. But the system they perpetuate ensures that the little guy can’t get a fair shake unless he pays a dishonest broker to mediate on their behalf.
Hundreds of Mississippians including a former governor wrote letters to the judge in Scruggs’ case pleading for leniency. “Any time he spends being incarcerated is an absolute waste of a great deal of talent and ability…Furthermore, it would appear to be a waste of taxpayer’s money,” wrote Ole Miss Chancellor Robert Khayat, “Punishment is relative to the individual.”
I couldn’t disagree more. Justice should be dispensed just as surely to the powerful and well-connected as anyone else. And I wish prosecutors in the ongoing investigations happy hunting following every dishonest dollar to every dishonest official no matter where the trail may lead.
Craig Ziemba
Meridian Star
7/13/8
