Ruth Larson: Headline referencing 'no smoking gun' was off the mark

To The Daily Sun,

The headline to the article about the Belknap Delegation’s legal bill was way off the mark in its reference to “no smoking gun”. In fact, the unredacted bill confirmed suspicions that the firm was doing work unrelated to any legal defense. Much of the law firm’s billable hours involved back and forth communications with Rep. Norman Silber and Rep. Michael Sylvia to plot strategy on how to remove Gunstock Area Commissioner Gary Kiedaisch.

Unless the term “smoking gun” is limited to its literal meaning of a murder weapon, there is plenty of ammunition in the invoices. Even without seeing the many emails referenced in the bills, it is abundantly clear that the firm did the bidding of Norm Silber as he pursued a personal vendetta against Kiedaisch. The claim that the bills were simply for defense of a lawsuit is patently false.

As for those emails, perhaps as an ordinary citizen I am not entitled to them, but all members of the delegation should be able to view them. The client is in fact the delegation, not the Silber/Sylvia combo, and all members of the delegation should have equal rights here. (As to why Reps. Silber and Sylvia might want to bury the emails, let me count the ways...) And if the law firm refuses to provide the information to any member of the delegation, then that only highlights how far the firm strayed from the purpose for which it was hired. The alleged purpose.

Ruth Larson

Alton