Now that the results of the investigation are in and the city attorney has filed an ouster suit against Marti Rutherford, she needs to do the honorable thing and resign her post on the Chattanooga City Council.
It is apparent to anyone with a lick of sense that she was in violation of the charter restrictions and should never have been elected in the first place.
As a resident of the 6th district, I am disappointed that a politician of her caliber would act in the manner that she has. She should be ashamed of the example that she is setting before our young people and before all of her constituents. The condescending attitude that she has shown toward the public throughout this ordeal has been beyond contempt.
Marti, any student in the Hamilton County Schools could give you a good education in character. Do the right thing for your constituents and resign so that we can get on with the business of this city and get someone who lives here in your seat.
Wayne Cook
Marlboro Avenue
Brainerd
hwcook@bellsouth.net
* * *
I am OK with Marti Rutherford requesting a trial by jury to decide
the residency dispute.
If the jury finds in her favor, she should be allowed to continue service. However, if the jury rules against her, she should be required to return any compensation she received to the
taxpayers of this city.
David Patten
Chattanooga
evpatten@mac.com
* * *
Am I the only one who finds this whole Marti Rutherford situation totally preposterous?
It's obvious she wasn't - and maybe still isn't - a legal resident of her district. Now, we have at least two lawsuits filed on this case, and several more are likely to come.
City Attorney Randy Nelson has found probable cause to begin ousting Rutherford, and the other members of the City Council - by a vote of 7 to 1 - want her gone as well.
Surely, our Chattanooga City Council and our city attorney have far better things to do with their time and the taxpayers' money than to keep dragging this issue on and on and on.
Maybe if she had answered the residency questions earlier, this whole debacle could have been avoided. But, no, Rutherford had "no comment".
Have you ever known her to have "no comment" on ANY issue ever before?
If Rutherford REALLY wants to serve the best interests of the city of Chattanooga, then she'll step down. But apparently, she's not concerned about the city's interests right now, only her own. Is that what we really want in a public servant?
No, she's filed suit to have the matter heard before a jury of her peers.
The peers who know her best - the other members of the council - have already voted. And the vote is unanimous.
Do us a favor, Marti - step down now, and let the other officials return to the business of running the city. They CAN do it...without your so-called "help".
Chip Chapman
cschapman@bellsouth.net
* * *
Marti has a right to get her say in court.
However . . .
I say that if she loses (and by all accounts it appears that she will) she needs to not only pay her legal fees, but should pay the legal fees for the city and other lawyers.
The city attorney massively covered the city's rear with the three week investigation. She is guilty and needs to resign if only to save money that the city is having to waste on this legal issue.
As long as Marti has to pay for this legal circus, I have no argument with her pursuing any legal solutions as she wishes.
I imagine that if she does have to pay legal fees for both sides that she may have to sell one of her "residences" to cover expenses.
Andy Fowler
Lookout Mountain, Tn.
* * *
A jury of your peers?
Ms. Rutherford, your fellow councilmen are your peers, and they've voted unanimously against you. It's time to step aside. When the next election rolls around you will be free to run in the district where you actually sleep at night.
Mike Crowder
Chattanooga
* * *
Marti's insistence to file a lawsuit is nothing less than a waste of taxpayers' money. She is obviously not concerned with the good of the district.
She should be arrested for taking funds under false pretenses, also known as embezzlement.
If we have to pay for legal challenges, let's do it right.
James Dandy
* * *
Voting in a district in which we don't live...isn't that voter fraud? Isn't voter fraud a federal crime as well as a state crime? It looks like Councilwoman Rutherford ought to quit while she's ahead.
Who's going to pick up the legal tab for all of this? The taxpayers? For Councilwoman Rutherford's "right" to stay on the City Council? Who of us has a "right" to break the law? Who among us, the Joe Schmuckatelli class, would be given the same deference when breaking the law?
Sounds like another situation of our elected aristocracy doing as they dadgum well please, and then sticking the taxpayer with the tab.
Royce E. Burrage, Jr.
Royce@OfficiallyChapped.org