[Mpls] Friends

[Greg Abbott]

On Jan 3, 2005, at 2:05 PM, gemgram wrote:

> Remember this same Basim Sabri is the person who bragged that he 
> "Owned" public officials, that he was Minneapolis City Council 
> Member's "retirement fund". He thought that he didn't have to worry 
> about the law, he could buy law.  According to some of the Somali 
> business people who he exploited the Sabris threatened them with these 
> political "friends".  Remember that as little as a few months ago 
> Sabri still claimed as "friends" and supporters several of the highest 
> of City of Minneapolis' elected officials.

Sabri's boast that he "owned" public officials is not logically 
sufficient to prove that he did, in fact, "own" them.  Sabri most 
likely exaggerated his influence at City Hall in order to intimidate 
his Somali tenants.

Occam's Razor - the simplest explanation is mostly likely the correct 
one.  Sabri the braggart is a simpler explanation than Sabri, the 
mastermind who "owns" public officials.


gemgram:
> Even though Sabri was under indictment, and the United States Supreme 
> Court had ruled that there was sufficient evidence to try him for his 
> criminal behavior, he continues receiving votes and "support" from his 
> "friends".

The city is in a tough position in situations like this -- among other 
things, civil rights law and the equal protection clause make it hard 
for the city to discriminate among (and against) developer proposals, 
except on the merits of the proposal itself.  Once a conviction is in 
hand, though, things are different.

The Republican-appointed US Attorney has no motive to pull his punches 
to protect the city.  If there's more out there, it'll surface (as well 
it should).

Greg Abbott
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Sent from the computer of:

Greg Abbott
Linden Hills
13th Ward

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