Thursday, September 13, 2007
COMPETENCY OF SENATOR STIPE
This writer has had a casual acquaintanceship with Senator Gene Stipe, both by reputation and occasional contact, for some forty years. For more than thirty of those forty years, there was every indication that Senator Stipe was a highly effective legislator and a brilliant attorney.
In spite of consistent political attacks by his partisan enemies and those in the media, no wrongdoing was ever successfully documented against the senator in his prime years. In pugilistic terms, “They never laid a glove on him.”
In the meantime, he accumulated a series of legislative accomplishments to be envied, gave outstanding service to those in his district in a paternalistic fashion, and gained national recognition as the successful attorney for the young constituent soldier from Calvin, Oklahoma, accused of a massacre in a military court in Viet Nam.
A relative, who is a small town mayor in his district, credits Senator Stipe with numerous assists in obtaining financial help with much needed infrastructure projects in his community. My elderly mother-in-law, a republican by history, was devoted to Senator Stipe, who visited her home and during season brought a small sack of apples said to be from his orchard.
I have observed Senator Stipe’s legislative work. From the gallery, I have observed him rise to the floor in spellbinding rhetoric on education legislation I was there to support. Senator Stipe supported any measure which helped higher education or public education. He supported any measure that I told him would help retired teachers. How could I not like Senator Stipe?
The good senator may be guilty of some campaign financial manipulations. He may be guilty of shenanigans to help a political friend against a political enemy. But it is a sure sign of loss of competency, or the senator would not have been caught doing either.
I began to see a loss of mental acuity and in physical stride some ten years ago. Grasp of legislative details was more difficult for the senator, and he dealt more in generalities. He often took our word on the fitness of a bill, rather than demanding a full explanation. It seemed harder for him to master intricacies. It was harder for him to remember names and faces. In greeting a large family dinner in a private room at Pete’s Place in Krebs, he had difficulty placing those of us he knew. At a similar dinner of retired college presidents, also at Pete’s Place only four or five years ago, he seemed impaired in his functioning – not at all the same Senator Stipe that we all knew.
The U.S. District Attorney, representing the politically tainted national system, has continued to target Stipe, long after his initial charge and conviction. This time it appears to be his failure to separate himself from long time business and political cronies, who also happen to have been convicted of something. Stipe’s attorney is claiming mental impairment, and asking for leniency based upon that defense.
Anyone acquainted with Senator Stipe could attest to his impairment. He has Parkinson’s and other serious health problems, is likely on several medications, and does not seem to be “with it.” That should be quite obvious to the prosecutor and to the court. What is now happening is the equivalent of kicking a person who is already beaten down. It is analogous to “piling on,” which draws an unsportsmanlike penalty.
The court should have already appointed a legal guardian for Gene Stipe. Such a guardian could be made the trustee of his assets and put in charge of their management. Stipe would not then be in a position to harm his own case by bad decisions involving money, politics, and old cronies.
Dr. Edwin E. Vineyard, AKA The Militant Moderate
In spite of consistent political attacks by his partisan enemies and those in the media, no wrongdoing was ever successfully documented against the senator in his prime years. In pugilistic terms, “They never laid a glove on him.”
In the meantime, he accumulated a series of legislative accomplishments to be envied, gave outstanding service to those in his district in a paternalistic fashion, and gained national recognition as the successful attorney for the young constituent soldier from Calvin, Oklahoma, accused of a massacre in a military court in Viet Nam.
A relative, who is a small town mayor in his district, credits Senator Stipe with numerous assists in obtaining financial help with much needed infrastructure projects in his community. My elderly mother-in-law, a republican by history, was devoted to Senator Stipe, who visited her home and during season brought a small sack of apples said to be from his orchard.
I have observed Senator Stipe’s legislative work. From the gallery, I have observed him rise to the floor in spellbinding rhetoric on education legislation I was there to support. Senator Stipe supported any measure which helped higher education or public education. He supported any measure that I told him would help retired teachers. How could I not like Senator Stipe?
The good senator may be guilty of some campaign financial manipulations. He may be guilty of shenanigans to help a political friend against a political enemy. But it is a sure sign of loss of competency, or the senator would not have been caught doing either.
I began to see a loss of mental acuity and in physical stride some ten years ago. Grasp of legislative details was more difficult for the senator, and he dealt more in generalities. He often took our word on the fitness of a bill, rather than demanding a full explanation. It seemed harder for him to master intricacies. It was harder for him to remember names and faces. In greeting a large family dinner in a private room at Pete’s Place in Krebs, he had difficulty placing those of us he knew. At a similar dinner of retired college presidents, also at Pete’s Place only four or five years ago, he seemed impaired in his functioning – not at all the same Senator Stipe that we all knew.
The U.S. District Attorney, representing the politically tainted national system, has continued to target Stipe, long after his initial charge and conviction. This time it appears to be his failure to separate himself from long time business and political cronies, who also happen to have been convicted of something. Stipe’s attorney is claiming mental impairment, and asking for leniency based upon that defense.
Anyone acquainted with Senator Stipe could attest to his impairment. He has Parkinson’s and other serious health problems, is likely on several medications, and does not seem to be “with it.” That should be quite obvious to the prosecutor and to the court. What is now happening is the equivalent of kicking a person who is already beaten down. It is analogous to “piling on,” which draws an unsportsmanlike penalty.
The court should have already appointed a legal guardian for Gene Stipe. Such a guardian could be made the trustee of his assets and put in charge of their management. Stipe would not then be in a position to harm his own case by bad decisions involving money, politics, and old cronies.
Dr. Edwin E. Vineyard, AKA The Militant Moderate
