Jerry Mezz

Well the game seems to be coming to a close. This from the Charleston Gazette:

Mezzatesta indicted
Former delegate, ex-superintendent face federal charges

Former House Education Chairman Jerry Mezzatesta and former Hampshire County schools Superintendent David Friend were indicted Tuesday on federal charges of defrauding the school board and misappropriating public funds.

A federal grand jury in Martinsburg charged the ailing Mezzatesta, 59, of Romney, and Friend, 59, of Morgantown, with conspiring to misapply public funds between January 2004 and June 2005, Acting U.S. Attorney Rita Valdrini said.

Friend’s attorney, Wes Metheney of Morgantown, defended his client from what he called “a Mezzatesta witch hunt’’ and called the indictments “a shame.’’

The charges center on a $75,000 grant that Mezzatesta, a nine-term lawmaker, sought in March 2003 for the Special Services Workshop in Romney. Mezzatesta had agreed not to use his legislative office to seek money for the Hampshire County school system where he was employed as an administrator.

In 2004, Friend asked state officials for permission to spend the money instead on Red Cross and emergency services training facilities in Romney and Springfield.

State officials who approved the change said the list included equipment, infrastructure for the Future Farmers of America at the Hampshire County fairgrounds and supported employment opportunities for the Special Services Workshop.

The list did not include $5,000 distributed by the county to the Capon Bridge Library and $5,000 each to six volunteer fire departments in Augusta, Capon Bridge, Capon Springs, Levels, North River and Slanesville.

[...]

If convicted on both counts of the federal indictment, Mezzatesta and Friend could each be sentenced to up to 15 years in prison and ordered to pay as much as $500,000 in fines.

Fifteen years and $500,000 in fines for what? Diverting money into volunteer fire companies and improvements to facilities at the Hampshire County Fairgrounds which are used by Hampshire County Schools?

The man has lost his seat on the legislature. He has basically marginilized in the community. He (apparently) has cancer and is not doing well. He paid a $2,000 fine a few months ago. How can this continue on?

I hate to agree with Superintendent Friend's lawyer--because Friend did deserve to lose his job, but should not go to jail for any amount of time--this is a "Mezzatesta witch-hunt." Unfortunately, his sister was basically forced out of a job, thereby removing one of the best educators Hampshire County Schools has ever known. Now Friend faces this harsh sentance. For redirecting funds? With the approval of unnamed State Officials? This is simply ludicrous.

Jerry did wrong. There's no doubt about it. Things should have gone differently, he--much like Clinton during the sex scandle--should have stood up and apologized. He should have taken the blame and maybe he should have even stepped down from the legislature. But when is enough enough?

I'm not one for conspiracy theories, but I can't help but think that this could certainly be one. Jerry had carved himself a nice little piece of the "power pie" from the elite in Charleston. They didn't like it, and now he--and anybody loosely associated with him--must pay. Why? Because the self proclaimed "real West Virginians" from the Charleston/Huntington area have to teach us easterners a lesson--try to take power from us, and you'll pay. That's the bottom line.

I'm rooting for you, Jerry. I stand firmly in your corner on this one. Go get 'em and God be with you as you recover from your ailment.