Maybe The Mayor Could Donate Some Of His Salary?

06/16/08

My letter in today's paper:

I enjoyed reading your editorial on the little tiff between Judge Oliver Wanger and Mayor Alan Autry. However, on one count you were way off base. Specifically, there is no good reason for the American Civil Liberties Union to give up part of its attorney fees as a "good-faith gesture."

The ACLU is not a for-profit enterprise. It survives on dues, contributions and attorneys' fees from cases such as the one it was compelled to bring against the city of Fresno for its cavalier disregard of people's rights.

Bringing a case such as this is a crapshoot. There is no guarantee when the case is started that there will be any monetary recovery for the legal expenses of the ACLU.
As a society, we all need to do more to help the unfortunate among us. I think the ACLU is already doing its part.

Jeffrey W. Eisinger