Seeking the truth in the town of St. Paul
Bristol Herald Courier Staff Editorial
Published: February 4, 2008
Updated: February 5, 2008
A special grand jury investigation of the St. Paul town government could end with town leaders in handcuffs or it could determine that no crimes took place.Published: February 4, 2008
Updated: February 5, 2008
Either way, the swirl of allegations against current and former town leaders will be put to rest with some degree of finality. Such a resolution is in the town’s best interest.
Wise County Commonwealth’s Attorney Ron Elkins asked Circuit Court Judge Joseph Carico to authorize the grand jury. Elkins made the request after coping with weekly reports of illegal shenanigans in the town.
“I’m going to see if they are true or not,” Elkins said.
Elkins did not identify any specific areas of grand jury inquiry. That’s appropriate since grand juries do their work in secret. The grand jury will meet for the first time on Feb. 12.
In this case, the grand jury will act as an investigative body. It will be up to grand jurors – regular Wise County residents chosen at random, often from voter registration lists – to sift through the charges and counter-charges leveled by two factions of town leaders. The grand jury will hear witnesses and search for the truth. If there is enough evidence of a crime, the grand jury can issue indictments and start a criminal prosecution.
The town is embroiled in a power struggle between Mayor Jack Kiser and his supporters and Vice Mayor Steve Stewart and his supporters. There have been allegations of wrongdoing on both sides.
Kiser is accused of improperly using the town gasoline pump to fill up his personal vehicle and directing town contracts to his cronies. There also are allegations of misuse of federal funds and destruction of town records.
Kiser’s supporters have alleged that Stewart did some of the same things, but not in detail. Mostly, they have put forth a variation on the “everyone’s doing it” argument that teenagers use as cover for their own bad behavior. But multiple wrongs, if indeed that is what happened, do not make a right.
In Kiser’s case, the Virginia State Police determined he broke the law by using town gasoline pumps to fuel his personal vehicle, but no charges were filed. Kiser, famously, said he disagreed with the State Police.
The allegations are a cloud lingering over St. Paul. Until that cloud dissipates, progress is unlikely. The factions will continue to feud to the town’s detriment. Faith in the town government will remain at a low ebb.
The grand jury investigation is a chance to move beyond that fighting. If crimes were committed, those responsible should be prosecuted. If there isn’t enough evidence to warrant prosecution, the grand jury will wrap up its work without issuing indictments – a conclusion that also should be announced.
Government corruption cannot be tolerated, and allegations of it must be investigated. The Wise County prosecutor made a judicious decision to empanel a grand jury to sort through these allegations and seek the truth.
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