Feingold campaigns for...

[FightinNewDem]

Manchester's Republicrat mayor Bob Baines.

This is the winner that Feingold is campaigning for today. A backroom pol who turns a blind eye to the law when it suits his sleazy cronies:


http://www.websitetoolbox.com/tool/post/nhinsider/vpost?id=669411

[eyesroll]

1. Can you explain to us exactly what the problem is?

You're linking to a discussion about a pole-dancing contest. That's not exactly the best way to voice an objection.

How is Baines connected to this, and why does it matter? (And, for me, at least, you're going to have to do better than "Baines likes pole dancers, and Russ likes Baines" or similar.)

And, it appears, pole-dancing contests are legal with permission, OR if there's no alcohol served, and the discussion does not make clear where exactly there's a law violation.

I'm missing a few dots here -- what makes Baines so bad, and what does this pole-dancing contest have to do with him, and, for that matter, Russ?

[FightinNewDem]

2. Back Story

1. The police chief is a political appointee. Anything he does reflects City Hall's wishes.

2. Baines has been crusading against downtown bars and clubs for several months, and has managed to suspend the license of several establishments that are far tamer than this place, but whose owners have not provided enough political support.

3. Pole Dances are prohibited under city law absent police permission. The police chief has not, to anyones knowledge, signed off on this activity.

4. Baines has a history of sweetheart deals and a strangely favorable relationship with the owner of this club. He transferred a lucrative piece of city property to him so that he could build a luxury apartment complex. He is planning on seizing low income housing and razing it so the owner of the club can build a strip mall.


5. Alcohol, and other chemical refreshments, are served in abundant volume at Vetro/Sky Bar.

What it comes down to is this...Baines is allowing illegal acivity (of the sort that has been shut down at other clubs) to continue at an establishment owned by a less-than-savory crony.

Baines is not a genuine Democrat, and he is not the sort of guy that Russ Feingold should touch with, pardon the expression, a ten foot pole.