MINIGATE

We have yet another version of how Mr. de Seve came to be ticketed for allowing a sign to be spray painted on his home.

Background here and here.

Quick time line reminder:

1) de Seve sends e-mail calling for resignations of Mirch, Crawley & Buell (McCrab?: March 23, 2007);

2) Code Officer Sheeran conducts a "re-inspection" of home on March 26, 2007 and issues a ticket for graffiti, stating that de Seve had been previously notified of the code violation);

3) de Seve writes Sheeran asking for a specific code violation and also asks that the ticket be amended to reflect the March 26 visit was an initial inspection not a re-inspection. (March 29, 2007);

4) de Seve's reasonable request is ignored;

5) There's an "inspection" (not a re-re-inspection?) on June 6 2007. There's no graffiti, but a "sign" is found.

Don't forget how Code came to be there in the first place. Mirch says routine sweep, Sheeran say anonymous tip. So, that's how many stories? Lets see......tip, routine inspection, graffiti, sign...we lost count.

Now we have another:










So, here's the official time line:

March 20, 2007 - de Seve asks the city to shovel some sidewalks in city parks;

March 23, 2007 - de Seve calls for the resignation of Mirch, Crawley and Buell;

June 6, 2007 - Harry dispatches Code to address snow-covered sidewalks. Code finds a sign.*

To put a positive spin on this: The Administration would never retaliate against a resident for one critical e-mail (March 20th). It takes at least two critical e-mails before any retaliatory strike (which, by the by, is in accordance with City policy).

If you have to ask why such a small episode in the Hudson Valley's own Salò Republic is important then all is lost. The difference between this and a U.S. President using the IRS or FBI or CIA to retaliate against a citizen is a difference in degree, not in kind. One would hope the local print and television media would give this story more than a cursory glance as the First Amendment is their life blood.

* The original, graffiti ticket has been airbrushed out of the archives by the official State Photographer.