Recently, the governor of Minnesota has been wearing something of a wrathful expression as auditors and "activists" announce his misdeeds in costing the state extra security dollars for personal or self-promotional travel.

Thursday, August 05, 1999

Recently, the governor of Minnesota has been wearing something of a wrathful expression as auditors and "activists" announce his misdeeds in costing the state extra security dollars for personal or self-promotional travel.

It’s understandable that these expenditures might draw some scrutiny, and it wouldn’t be good if they got out of hand. But in many ways, it just seems to be an extension of a political policy in the U.S. which should be called "hassle ’em outta office with litigation."

When a politician has done wrong, he or she is certainly subject to prosecution. Our occasionally-not-esteemed president proved that, and if he’s fined for perjuring himself before the grand jury, few people will pity him.

The other thing our president - or the three-ring-circus around the Lewinsky matter – proved, is that there is a dangerous tendency in the nation right now to take a powerful person’s time with endless litigation and attempted humiliation, so they cannot execute the duties of their office.

Some might say this is the fault of said politician, who did a bad thing and therefore drew this down upon his own head. If a crime is committed and the legal punishment incurred causes one to lose their job, that’s the way it is.

However, if a person’s life becomes tied into knots because his or her opposition has decided the best way to stymie their political efforts is through lawsuits, the inability to perform a duty is not the fault of the person, but their frivolous accuser.

Jesse Ventura is not above grabbing a little of the spotlight. It’s true his stint as governor of the state isn’t deflecting the limelight a bit. However, Ventura was a famous man before he took office and he’ll be famous afterwards. People who couldn’t tell you which of the Twin Cities was actually the capitol could describe his wrestling outfits in lurid detail.

In many ways, Ventura’s flamboyance probably benefits the state, through increased attention and therefore, tourism. Thus far, his reign as governor has been smooth with little to complain about, policy-wise. Sure, he can sometimes be more cringeworthy than Lyndon Johnson in a room full of beagles, but the job appears to be getting done.

So let’s not stop him from doing his job with frivolous lawsuits.

If his expenditures as governor exceed the benefit to the state at the end of his term, present him with a bill. If he’s the same man who ran for office last year, he’d see that as fair.