St. Louis County Counselor Redington: Gladney Beating 'Has Not Been Swept Under the Rug'

The story of Kenneth Gladney may finally be getting somewhere. County Counselor Patricia Redington, after waiting three months, has been forced to come out and defend her office in emails and in an interview with KMOX, a local St Louis radio station. We’d say it was quick work, but waiting to look into charges of political violence until after healthcare reform comes to a vote seems to be the plan. In previous columns, we identified a time difference for assault charges of 3 months versus 2 days. 3 months to start looking if you’re a black man beaten by union thugs and 2 days if you’re a Republican running for Congress against Dick Gephardt.

Redington is now responding to emails saying she is looking into the events, the investigation is still under review, and her office is interviewing witnesses. This is one of her responses to a St Louis county resident about the affair.

There were several incidents at this event which required police intervention, and our office is reviewing the police report and has been interviewing various witnesses before making a final decision on what charges may be issued.

One wonders just what exactly if anything new is being done. Three months seems a long time to wait to bring charges, especially in the case of Kelly Owens, where the incident is on video camera and witnessed by a police office. The answer given by Redington is noncommittal, and basically says ‘we’re looking into it.’ But are they? The pressure of the police report, the line drawn between St Louis County Prosecutor Robert McCulloch and the Obama truth squads, and the background stories on Perry Molens and Kelly Owens got local citizens up in arms and interested KMOX reporter Kevin Killeen enough to ask some questions. This is Redington’s response to Killeen’s questions.

Six people were arrested by St. Louis County Police, with at least two suspects booked on suspicion of assault. But the person who will decide whether to file charges, St. Louis County Counselor Patricia Redington, is still sorting it all out. “There were multiple altercations and police involvement,” Redington said. “We’re looking at the whole evening and the charges that may be filed as a result of that.”

Redington says there were half a dozen possible criminal incidents at that event and she plans to announce her findings all at the same time. She did not give KMOX a timetable for the announcement. But, according to Redington, the incident, ‘definitely has not been swept under the rug.'”

It’s interesting that Redington says the incident is not being swept under the rug. I wonder if she would admit that it has been slowed to a crawl so as not to bring to light the fact that five HCAN supporters were arrested the week that Margarida Jorde sent out instructions on how to counter Townhalls? And let’s not forget Jake Wagman, the silenced reporter arrested that night. If the Post Dispatch had done their job as a news organization and asked a single question about the event anytime after August 14th, perhaps we wouldn’t still be waiting to find out if it’s acceptable to punch and kick your political opponents to send a message. It is only when KMOX contacts Redington that we hear the investigation is moving forward. And yet the question remains whether Redington is telling the whole truth, or counting on the local press to cut her some slack.

In the email above, Redington says her office “is reviewing the police report and has been interviewing various witnesses.“

Allow us to remain slightly skeptical and ask, just who exactly is Patricia Redington interviewing?

• She hasn’t spoken to Kenneth Gladney
• Redington hasn’t spoken to Kelly Owens.
• Redington hasn’t called any of the witnesses on the police report.
• Redington hasn’t contacted any of the Tea Party members that are seen on video
• Redington hasn’t contacted any of the people who shot video that night and whose YouTube urls are listed on the evidence page

Who exactly is Redington interviewing? If she’s talking to witnesses, she’s only talking to ones pre-approved by SEIU’s defense lawyer, the high powered Paul D’Agrosa. We should keep in mind that D’Agrosa is being paid by SEIU Local 2000, the employer for Elston McCowan and Perry Molens. He, like SEIU and their new media spin team, have fallen silent. Despite her protestations, it’s very clear that Redington is delaying action for some reason. If Big Government hadn’t broken the story, it’s not hard to imagine no word of this would have been spoken until healthcare was passed and the charges could be filed or pled down over a busy holiday weekend.

Redington was forced to act because KMOX asked her a question. Compare the foot dragging of one serious assault and one face punch to her quick work filing charges when a Democratic staffer claimed he was pushed after jamming his camera into a Republican’s face. We’re wondering just how much pressure Redington is under because McCulloch is pushing all the heat to her. Email responses from McCulloch’s office claim the problem is all Redington’s, but that is passing the buck as well. Political and racial violence could easily give him the authority to prosecute under Missouri state laws, as could Gladney’s medical reports, which could elevate the assault to a felony. McCulloch is not interested. It seems he’s more concerned with prosecuting citizens who don’t pay $600 to a mechanic than investigating clear attempts to use violence to frighten away legitimate political protest. It’s a shame. He could have made quite a name for himself as a staunch defender of St Louis citizens if he had the courage to at least bring the matter to the attention of the press. We are unconvinced with the argument that a prosecutor with a 20 year political record has no influence in a story as big as the beating of a black man by union members and the arrest of five Healthcare for America Now volunteers.

For Redington to tell citizens and reporters the investigation is ongoing is a sign that pressure is getting to her. If you’re from St Louis, keep it up. And if you’re the Post Dispatch, anytime you want to pretend to be a real paper, you’re welcome to get involved. We’ll even give you our notes.