Remember Lance Armstrong? He was the greatest bicycle racer that ever lived until they started testing his old blood samples.
At the height of his career, Lance was beating all the blood tests and winning all the races. But as the years marched by, the blood tests became more sophisticated. So when the race officials went back and started testing his old blood samples with the new, more sophisticated tests, he came out dirty.
Poof. Lance went from hero to has-been.
Our local officials have pursued a similar short-sighted tack. “If we can just win the next election, or pass the next bond issue,” they seemed to think, “we’re in the clear.”
Except all the lies they told get remembered. And, with the passage of time, the truth comes out.
We can’t take away their medals, or sue them for the ill-gotten winnings, but at last and at least we can recognize them for who they are.
Of course, they probably think that I’m naive.
They’re probably right.
Ill gotten gains can be pursued if you have the evidence.