Reply #12: A legal defense fund is NOT a political fundraiser

[Jim Lane]

From the boldfaced language at the beginning of the linked article, I thought the Dems were holding fundraisers to build Monserrate's campaign war chest. Not so -- they're helping him raise a legal defense fund.

The writer's objection seems to be that SHE has decided, based on what she read about the evidence (repeated references to four security cameras), that Monserrate is guilty, and therefore he doesn't deserve a legal defense. Well, call me old-fashioned, and maybe the Republicans would deride this as pre-9/11 thinking, but I still believe in the presumption of innocence, the rule of law, and the right of every criminal defendant to a fair trial.

Because of Monserrate's position, his case has been widely publicized. It will be harder for the courts to conduct a fair trial in his case than in the average case of alleged -- yes, I said "alleged" -- domestic violence. There's nothing wrong with people deciding that his defense will exceed the capabilities of a typical overworked and underpaid Legal Aid lawyer, which is what he'll have if he doesn't have the money to retain private counsel. (Before he was elected to public office, he was a policeman, so I doubt he has a large personal fortune.)

I personally wouldn't contribute to this fund. I have better uses for my money. But it's wrong to criticize people who do contribute.