The City of Troy, New York, "Where Henry Hudson Turned Around."

Sunday, November 05, 2006

SWEENEY-GATE

Will the December 2005 police report be released by the Sweeney campaign? This has been a tough case to follow.

Sweeney said that he and his wife would sign a properly notarized letter allowing the New York State Police to release the "official, genuine, Grade-A," incident report involving a domestic dispute at the Sweeney residence last December.

We have two simple questions:

Did the Sweeney's send the NYS Police the proper authorization for release of the document;

Do the Sweeney's, and their attorney E. Stuart Jones, have the document now?

Voters simply want to know if the December 2005 911 phone call went something like this:



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"He grabbed my neck and pushed me around"


Or...



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"Everything's fine. It's just been a stressful time."

Believe it or not, we are going to play Devil's Advocate for one minute.

Is it possible that the events that night went something like this:

1. It is a stressful time, between young John's criminal case, a looming campaign and the Congressman's health;

2. There is a non-physical argument;

3. Emotions ride high and Mrs. Sweeney calls 911 because she's at the end of her rope (and, according to the report in the TU, had imbibed some adult beverages).

4. The incident is investigated;

5. The final report may detail some things not flattering (on that particular night) about Mrs. Sweeney;

6. The Congressman will not release the report because he doesn't want his wife embarrassed further.

We're not saying that our scenario is true. But, a possibility?

This is not to suggest that women use 911 calls as weapons. Only that something spun out of control that night and that someone the Congressman cares about might not be revealed in a flattering light if the exact circumstances came to light. It could be simply that the 911 call ultimately proved unecessary.

Maybe we'll never know.

Without laying blame on any particular side, this has become the type of race that will drive potentially well-qualified individuals away from public life. No matter who wins, we fear this race bodes ill for future political contests in the area.

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