Mayor Rob Ford guilty, kicked from office but can run again

[Jim Lane]

23. I'm an American and it was of interest to me.

People have noted Toronto's size and importance, but what's more significant is that the issue is of general applicability. There's a conflict-of-interest law, a powerful elected official who violates it, and a judge who can and does remove the offender from office.

A post about, say, the role of the Governor General would be on a different footing. That would directly raise the issue of whether "national interest" means just the U.S. The actual post is of interest even under the narrower interpretation, because we also face the issue of conflicts of interest.