Stopping the gravy train

to make room on the track for the Schadenfreude Express!

Since the lawyers and the judge obviously didn't get through to him, let me put this in terms Rob Ford will understand: Coach, when there is a penalty flag on the play for say an ineligible receiver or pass interference, you don't get to go out on the field and tell the ref what the call is. You can stand on the sidelines and yell all you want, but it is the ref's decision and you don't get any say in the matter. In fact, if you do go out on the field and tell the ref "that was too an eligible receiver and we refuse to move the ball back and give up the gain and by the way, screw you and your seeing-eye dog! Just because your mother got knocked by a zebra doesn't mean you can tell me what to do, I'm  the coach and my team loves me!" the referee is going to throw you out of the game. If you don't  give in and play by the rules, you might end up forfeiting the game.

And no matter what Marni Soupcoff, her husband and her parking lot attendant think, being elected mayor doesn't give you legal immunity when you break the law.

And it doesn't matter how "authentic" Crusty Blatchford thinks you are, you've been at city hall long enough to have heard the phrase "conflict of interest" used and to know it is something to avoid. It wasn't left wing political tricks that made you break the rules. Willful belligerent ignorance may be your style, but it isn't a very good legal defence.

And it doesn't matter whether you or the National Post editorial board or even the judge agree with the way the law is written or the penalties it lays out. You break the law and get caught, you pay the price. Changing the law is whole other kettle of fish.

You might ask the other Paul Magder. He might know something about that.
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