Serving the Flathead Valley & Montana since 2006. A reality based independent journal of observation & analysis. © James Conner.
I’m beginning to think I’m the only liberal blogger in Montana who isn’t, figuratively speaking, standing in front of the Missoula County Courthouse with a bucket of tar and bag of feathers demanding that County Attorney Fred Van Valkenburg resign forthwith and spend the rest of his life repenting the sins the U.S. Department of Justice asserts he committed.
That’s because one never should take the prosecution’s case — in this instance, the DOJ’s case — at face value. Van Valkenburg and his deputy county attorneys may be guilty as charged, but they’re entitled to present a defense before judgment is passed. An accusation never obviates the need for a fair trial.
But I do hope the situation is resolved sooner than later. R’egardless of the merits of the DOJ’s letter, the controversy over whether women involved in sexual assault cases are getting a fair shake from Missoula’s county attorney is hurting the community and depriving women of faith in the justice system.
Van Valkenburg’s truculence exacerbates the situation, making its resolution harder. He’s wise he’s not seeking re-election. And at some point, he might be wise to step down before his term expires. But right now, that’s his call, not mine.