I AM THE FORCE

Even you Jensen haters out there have got to admit that his performance on the stand was rather impressive. It was an intelligent and coherent explanation of how the Legislature worked, and how he found himself in this position. He told a compelling story that utilized the facts to add some needed perspective for the jury. Was it enough? I doubt it. But I can imagine no one doing a better job than Scott in making his case.

His description of his interview with bewildered investigators is completely believable. Any savvy participant in the John Doe investigation will understand that Blanchard and his team had no idea what they were talking about most of the time. They didn't know what to ask. They didn't know how things worked. They didn't understand basic terms, such as "caucus". And they haven't seemed to gain much savvy throughout the hundreds of hours of their interviews.

It was maddening to listen to Ebert repeatedly cut Jensen off whenever he made any comments about the behavior of Assembly Democrats. It is true that Republicans were angry that the Democrats were running campaigns without taking any leave. Discussion of this issue was relevant to Jensen's case, and was a legitimate part of his explanation of events. But Ebert and Blanchard just couldn't let that happen. How exactly would it cloud the jury's judgment to have a complete understanding of the facts?

In most ways, Scott Jensen has operated in an honorable and ethical manner during his years in the Legislature. He was a choirboy next to Chuck Chvala. He didn't shake people down over legislation, he treated people fairly and honestly, he didn't line his own pockets, he worked harder than anyone to accomplish Republican objectives, and he ran a system that he considered to be legal and based on precedent.

Should he have been alone in the Legislature to stand up and purify the system earlier? Perhaps. Should he accept a greater share of responsibility for the system's faults? Probably. But three felony convictions? Come on, people, come to your senses. If and when that happens, it will be a tragedy indeed. Jensen haters, Jensen neutrals, and Jensen partisans should all recognize the injustice of that outcome. Let's all hope the jury does as well.