First,
I want to thank all of the people who have been so
supportive of me throughout this campaign. You deserve
– and have – my deepest gratitude.
You also deserve an analysis of the returns, from my perspective.
As of January 1, there is no doubt in most minds that I was a front-runner to be Mayor of Kansas City. While there had been some criticism of my years as County Executive, the pluses so outweighed the negative that I enjoyed substantial support in key constituencies: The business community, including moderate Republicans (I have a strong fiscal record, and so had run third at the Citizens’ Association, eliminated on the 7th of 8 ballots); rank-and-file union members ( who appreciated my strong pro-worker efforts); neighborhood groups and minorities,(who I supported at the City and County): LGBT-Human Rights Advocates; the mental health community and environmentalists (All of whom were a top priority to me – often without much support from other elected officials.)
Many people knew that I was also one of the few local Democratic officials who – because of relatively easy re-election campaigns for myself – had chosen to raise money for other Democrats running for State and National office instead of simply building up a bigger and bigger personal political war chest. Moreover, many knew of my outspokenness against the Culture of Fear that was being fostered (especially since 9/11) by which fear was being used for political purposes – fear of foreign terrorists or fear of our neighbors who are just a bit different from us. Because there was a good chance I would be Mayor during the 2008 election cycle, Kansas City would have a strong Democrat – with a record of outspokenness against the fear-mongers of the Right – as its Mayor.
Coincidentally or not, the events of January 4 dramatically changed that. On that date, a “Patriot Act II” special interim U.S. Attorney (appointed by Alberto Gonzales without the need for Senate confirmation) – using forged documents and refusing our request to testify – spent four hours brow-beating and misleading a Grand Jury into returning an indictment on a charge of which I am totally innocent – and of which the Prosecutor’s own documents show me to be innocent. The next day – instead of a picture of Claire being sworn in – the front page of The Star was a picture of me charged with a crime.
You also deserve an analysis of the returns, from my perspective.
As of January 1, there is no doubt in most minds that I was a front-runner to be Mayor of Kansas City. While there had been some criticism of my years as County Executive, the pluses so outweighed the negative that I enjoyed substantial support in key constituencies: The business community, including moderate Republicans (I have a strong fiscal record, and so had run third at the Citizens’ Association, eliminated on the 7th of 8 ballots); rank-and-file union members ( who appreciated my strong pro-worker efforts); neighborhood groups and minorities,(who I supported at the City and County): LGBT-Human Rights Advocates; the mental health community and environmentalists (All of whom were a top priority to me – often without much support from other elected officials.)
Many people knew that I was also one of the few local Democratic officials who – because of relatively easy re-election campaigns for myself – had chosen to raise money for other Democrats running for State and National office instead of simply building up a bigger and bigger personal political war chest. Moreover, many knew of my outspokenness against the Culture of Fear that was being fostered (especially since 9/11) by which fear was being used for political purposes – fear of foreign terrorists or fear of our neighbors who are just a bit different from us. Because there was a good chance I would be Mayor during the 2008 election cycle, Kansas City would have a strong Democrat – with a record of outspokenness against the fear-mongers of the Right – as its Mayor.
Coincidentally or not, the events of January 4 dramatically changed that. On that date, a “Patriot Act II” special interim U.S. Attorney (appointed by Alberto Gonzales without the need for Senate confirmation) – using forged documents and refusing our request to testify – spent four hours brow-beating and misleading a Grand Jury into returning an indictment on a charge of which I am totally innocent – and of which the Prosecutor’s own documents show me to be innocent. The next day – instead of a picture of Claire being sworn in – the front page of The Star was a picture of me charged with a crime.
Coincidentally,
we are to believe, the charges were brought the day
before I was scheduled to file my petitions for Mayor.
There was one ray of hope for the campaign: We demanded a speedy trial – on the Feb.12 trial date originally set. We were ready. I would be exonerated by Valentine’s Day.
When the trial was stalled until June, slippage of support became dramatic. While few believed the ludicrous charges, most Primary voters concluded that I could not win and began to look for a second choice. The broad range of good second choices encouraged the slippage. ( This was commented upon specifically on Steve Kraske’s radio show, when he had Mike Mahoney and Dave Helling as his guests.) The outcome was predictable.
I have every reason to believe that – by mid-June – this nightmare will be over for my family and me. I hope the same will be true for the nation. Recent developments have validated concerns about the “politicization” of the U. S. Attorneys’ offices by the Bush Administration – including the abuse of appointments under Patriot II of interim U. S. Attorneys without securing Senate confirmation and the pressuring of U. S. Attorneys to bring politically-timed indictments of Democrats. Both the Senate and the House are holding hearings, and hopefully will take constructive action against this very real threat to our political system.
Meanwhile, I wish the best of good fortune to whichever candidate should have the honor of serving as our Mayor for the next four years. I intend to continue to work for the causes I cherish: Protection of the environment, encouragement of the arts, understanding for mental health, acceptance of diversity. And I will – both personally and publicly – resist the Culture of Fear that threatens to overwhelm all that is most precious to us.
Thank you for everything.
Katheryn
There was one ray of hope for the campaign: We demanded a speedy trial – on the Feb.12 trial date originally set. We were ready. I would be exonerated by Valentine’s Day.
When the trial was stalled until June, slippage of support became dramatic. While few believed the ludicrous charges, most Primary voters concluded that I could not win and began to look for a second choice. The broad range of good second choices encouraged the slippage. ( This was commented upon specifically on Steve Kraske’s radio show, when he had Mike Mahoney and Dave Helling as his guests.) The outcome was predictable.
I have every reason to believe that – by mid-June – this nightmare will be over for my family and me. I hope the same will be true for the nation. Recent developments have validated concerns about the “politicization” of the U. S. Attorneys’ offices by the Bush Administration – including the abuse of appointments under Patriot II of interim U. S. Attorneys without securing Senate confirmation and the pressuring of U. S. Attorneys to bring politically-timed indictments of Democrats. Both the Senate and the House are holding hearings, and hopefully will take constructive action against this very real threat to our political system.
Meanwhile, I wish the best of good fortune to whichever candidate should have the honor of serving as our Mayor for the next four years. I intend to continue to work for the causes I cherish: Protection of the environment, encouragement of the arts, understanding for mental health, acceptance of diversity. And I will – both personally and publicly – resist the Culture of Fear that threatens to overwhelm all that is most precious to us.
Thank you for everything.
Katheryn