Joe the Plumber gets 'free pass' from TPD (Caught speeding - Police worried about negativity)

[sabra]

Source: WNWO

TOLEDO, OHIO -- Joe the Plumber has had run-ins with John McCain and Sarah Palin in the past few days. He has also had a run-in with Toledo Police.

Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher was stopped by two Toledo police officers after he was clocked going 50mph in a 35 mph zone on Dorr St. last week.

Officers ran Wurzelbacher's plates and asked for his license. It was then that the officer realized who he had pulled over. A second officer gave Wurzelbacher a verbal warning and released him.

A police report obtained by NBC24 states that the patrol unit did not issue a citation to Wurzelbacher because it felt doing so would have "negative repercussions to the department and city as a whole".

...

The Ohio Attorney General's office has made an inquiry into why Wurzelbacher was not issued a citation since it was a legitimate traffic violation.

Read more: http://www.wnwo.com/news/story.aspx?id=216450

[NRaleighLiberal]

1. One is left speechless by these things....

[L. Coyote]

54. Just the opposite, I'm saying we call this "Driving while Joe"

"Driving while Joe" in a non-punishable offense. :rofl:

[Ian David]

2. I can only imagine what other V.I.P.s the cops let get away with stuff.

If Joe the "Plumber" can get out of speeding, I bet they let the C-list celebrities higher up on the food chain get away with murder.

[amdezurik]

11. as long as they are white skin-heads anyway...

[tblue37]

62. Like Joe Scarborough? nt

[thereismore]

3. Speechless. nt

[tulsakatz]

4. because of who he is?

he's a nobody who wants to be a somebody!! That's who he is!

[unpossibles]

5. Jeez, 50 in a 35 is pretty damn fast

Must be nice to be a big shot, Joe! You're livin the American Dream. </sarcasm>

[Ikonoklast]

6. 15 mph over the limit is considered "Reckless Operation Of A Motor Vehicle"

in Ohio, a very serious charge that may result in a suspended license along with a fine at conviction.

Nice to see you only need to be some sort of asshole to get a free pass.

[Sub Atomic]

8. I thought that his license was invalid.

Doesn't he have a suspended license in Arizona?

How would that make an Ohio license somehow OK?

[LiberalHeart]

37. I don't understand that either. Supposedly he was qualified for an Ohio license.

[awoke_in_2003]

39. I think that was his plumbing license. nt

[LiberalHeart]

47. Nope. I meant to write NOT qualified for the Ohio driver's license...

...because of his suspension in AZ. But he also does not have a plumber's license in Ohio.

[L. Coyote]

55. He lied to get an OH license, but they let that go because he is "Steve the Skinhead"

That was before he was Joe the Plumber :rofl:

[yellowcanine]

7. Crap, 15 over and a warning? I got an $80 ticket for going 63 in a 50 mph zone last week.

And one point. He did knock it down to 59 mph. I can probably get the point taken off if I go and explain myself to the judge but I still will be paying the $80. Why does Joe the poophead get off just because they knew who he was?

Maybe I should have told the trooper that I worked for the McCain campaign and this could have negative repercussions to the dept.

[Lorien]

24. I got a $268 ticket for going 3 MPH over the 35 mph speed limit

(coming out of a 45 mph zone) in a wealthy section of town. I think some of it had to do with my political bumper stickers! (The cop scowled at them as he walked up to my vehicle).

[Political Heretic]

58. That's just abuse against poor people.

If I got that ticket for being three miles over (I'm not sure I'd even be able to tell with my speedometer, I literally would be financially unable to pay the fine. :(

Our state does not allow judges to reduce fines, either.

[SomeGuyInEagan]

63. Expired traffic meter in downtown Minneapolis is now $35 ... coffers empty

States, counties and cities all over the country are increasing fines to make up for lost tax revenues.

Some in the Minnesota state House and Senate are looking at a "milage" tax to replace the current gas tax - which is assessed per gallon - to make up for lost tax revenue in the coming years are people get rid of SUVs, etc., and replace them with more fuel efficient vehicles and more people are using mass transit in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro (and hopefully soon beyond the metro).

Oh, yeah ... and Joe's an asshat.

[TrogL]

9. Nepotism at its finest hour

[wellst0nev0ter]

10. Fascists Protecting Other Fascists

it's all it is.

[uppityperson]

12. k&r for repubs not having to take consequences for their behavior.

[ckimmy57]

43. So

what else is new....:shrug:

[myrna minx]

13. AH, yes, he's quite the everyman, isn't he?

:eyes:

[Dollface]

14. I'm going to give the cops the benefit of the doubt. Maybe they didn't want to waste their lives

dealing with the stink that jackass would probably raise. Especially if they were Obama supporters. They'd be dragged into the sick spotlight of Faux news. I'm probably wrong about the motivation but I'm trying to be a uniter.

[awoke_in_2003]

41. I agree with you...

had they issued tickets they would have the media crawling up their asses. If I was in the same situation I would probably do the same.

P.S. I cannot believe I am defending the police :)

[CRF450]

60. I could defanetly see that happening.

And it pisses me off just knowing that.:grr:

[IllinoisBirdWatcher]

15. This reflects FAR WORSE on the police department and the city as a whole

Political favors?

Then again, word is that Sam the Non-Plumber, liar extrordinare, is BROKE. Looking to go on some form of welfare. Seems none of his book, movie, campaign, nor country singing gigs have taken hold.

Poor Sam, ummm, Joe.

[montanto]

16. Another dickhead gets a pass.

[Auggie]

17. Enjoy it while you can, dickhead. It all ends tomorrow.

[tanyev]

18. Joe the Scofflaw.

[Xipe Totec]

19. Free pass for riding on the Right Wing

[Turbineguy]

20. Every so often

it's nice to get grace.

Besides, some freeper could very well firebomb the police station.

[jennied]

21. That's fucked.

[Blue For You]

22. Joe the Speeder. He's spreading the accelerator.

:eyes:

[mattfromnossa]

23. Negative Repercussions?

[Lorien]

26. Repugs are always above the law

laws only apply to the rest of us.

[mattfromnossa]

25. Negative Repercussions?

"negative repercussions to the department and city as a whole".

Being known for upholding the law fairly and impartially is a negative repercussion? What does politics have to do with it? He was speeding wasn't he? I would of cited him. :patriot:

[awoke_in_2003]

42. Potential media circus

would have ensued had ticket been issued. I can see why they would avoid that for something like a traffic citation.

[osmium]

27. Criminy!

This fruitcake is a walking/talking/DRIVING disaster.

The non-plumber and the non-cops give the non-ticket. Nice.

At least it's internally consistent.

[LeftyMom]

28. Speed limits are a LIEbral conspiracy to ruin our productivity!

Imagine how much more plumbing Joe the Plumber could do if he could drive 80 MPH from call to call. You know, if he was actually a plumber...

[MagicKenny]

29. Joe Was Running Late to His Klan Meeting...

...that, and trying to stay one step ahead of the tax collector.

[brindis_desala]

30. Actually I think the cops used excellent judgment.

It would have been spun by the repukes as being partisan. Besides, warnings are not unheard of.

[Zodiak]

34. I have to agree

Joe the Idiot said he was going to run for congress. That would make him an opposition candidate to Marcy Kaptur. It MIGHT be implied that his ticket was politically motivated since Toledo is a very Marcy Kaptur type of place. The newspaper article is enough repercussions for Joe...public humiliation at getting a "handout" is a punishment in itself.

Besides, we all know Joe can't afford a ticket with his tax liabilities. And it doesn't look like he'll get any better with his money because apparently he doesn't know the difference between $40,000 and a quarter of a million.

[Texas Mom]

31. Oh I'll bet we haven't heard the last of Sam and the law

He is just the type of guy who will be arrested for kiddie porn or domestic violence or murder in a few months or years.

[Bette Noir]

32. Cops have discretion as to who they cite and who they verbally warn.

I would have given him the ticket, but the cop in question probably thought it wouldn't be a good idea.

[Kalifornia.Kid]

33. Joe the Policeman "COPS OUT"

[LiberalHeart]

35. He didn't want to spread his wealth around the court system.

Isn't it beyond bizarre that the police report would include the reason why he wasn't cited -- or at least why they included THAT reason? I'm wondering if cop #1 wrote the report and was pissed at cop #2.

[LiberalHeart]

36. 50 MPH on Dorr Street ( a street I know well ) is WAY too fast.

[Plucketeer]

38. He's just your average Joe....

...NOT! He's now McCain's groupie Joe! Cut this tax-dodger some slack. He may well be a cabinet member soon! From water closet to White House cabinet in just two weeks. Man, Sahara Palin is frigid compared to Smokin' Joe. :rofl:

[Cass]

40. Oh, for crying out loud. "Negative repurcussions".

A speeding ticket might have had negative repurcussions - what a sorry excuse.

[dixiegrrrrl]

44. Wonder how many e-mails the mayor of Toledo wants to get.

And the police chief.

Anybody game?

[LiberalHeart]

46. The Mayor is Democrat

[IndianaGreen]

45. And if that had been a man of color, the car would have been searched

and a citation issued, at a minimum.

Joe the Plumber, the stereotypical dumb white dude.

[JI7]

48. fucking criminal using up tax payer dollars

[du_grad]

49. Toledo Blade is running this story on Joe

http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081103/NEWS09/811030245

Yes, 50 mph on Dorr is pretty darned fast. Unfortunately I had a speeding ticket in Maumee (neighboring suburb) a couple of years ago for going 50 in a 35 and got fined $80! Joe got off really easy on this one!

It will be interesting to see the fallout from this on the local news media and in the Blade.

[sattahipdeep]

57. Officer Bailey cited an ongoing investigation

In the written report, Officer Bailey cited an ongoing investigation of a Toledo police clerk’s alleged improper check of Mr. Wurzelbacher’s records in a state database as the reason a warning was issued.

Although Officer Bailey wrote that he immediately notified superiors about the traffic stop, police Chief Michael Navarre said Monday night that he did not learn of the incident until Friday, when authorities managing the state databases called to advise him that Mr. Wurzelbacher’s records had been checked again, this time from a police computer in a cruiser.

http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081103/NEWS09/811030245


"You know I am a pretty nice guy, you know I give to charities, I give to my church."

Wurzelbacher said.

http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/story?id=6166492&page=1

Really Joe, are you going to give back the money the people of Oregon gave you?

http://www.1190kex.com/cc-common/mediaplayer/player.html?redir=yes&mps=markanddave.php&mid=http://a1135.g.akamai.net/f/1135/26191/1h/cchannel.download.akamai.com/26191/610/richmedia/Joe_Plumber-1.wma?CCOMRRMID=20863245&CPROG=RICHMEDIA&MARKET=PORTLAND-OR&NG_FORMAT=newstalk&NG_ID=kex1190am&OR_NEWSFORMAT=News/Talk&OWNER=610&SERVER_NAME=www.1190kex.com&SITE_ID=610&STATION_ID=KEX-AM&TRACK=Joe_the_Plumber_interview

Wurzelbacher Give the Money Back.

[BlueManDude]

50. This guy will be in rehab by this time next year.

[mwooldri]

51. 15 over in NC is grounds for losing your license.

I'm glad the OH AG is going to inquire about this. Doesn't matter whether it's Joe the Plumber or Joe Sixpack or Jane Doe. The only people who should be allowed to speed are the emergency services on a legitimate call of duty, and those they are escorting. These guys generally would have had training at how to go fast safer than the average driver - I know I haven't had any advanced courses on how to go down I-40 at 110mph (heck I haven't ever driven over 80).

[CRF450]

59. I HIGHLY doubt that.

You'd defanetly get a ticket, but nothing huge. Police, Sheriffs or state troopers here usually dont bother anyone thats staying under 10 over the speed limit. I regularly drive a sports car going 8 over on the highway and country back roads, and I'v never been bothered. I did get a ticket for the tint I had on the side windows which weren't dark at all, but of course, it just had to be night time when he pulled me over :/

I have heard that VA officers are handing out $1,000 speeding tickets wheather the person speeding is going 20 over, or 3mph over. IMO thats bullshit and I'm glad I dont live their!

[City Lights]

52. Guess it pays to be a famous asshole. nt

[L. Coyote]

53. If you are pulled over, just claim you had to hurry for a Republican prayer meeting

Works every time!!! :rofl:

[Scriptor Ignotus]

56. I remember when Al Jolson ran amok at the Winter Garden and climbed the Chrysler Building

After that he couldn't get arrested in this town.

[tblue37]

61. That's one way the Republicans get away with so much crap. They squawk so

loudly when anyone tries to hold them responsible that everyone (especially the media mouths) just gives them a pass to avoid the abuse.