Councilors cling to their tar baby – Daily Astorian
If a mayor or governor stays in office overly long, government often becomes an inside joke. That phenomenon was fully on display Tuesday evening at the Astoria City Council, as Mayor Willis Van Dusen, City Attorney Blair Henningsgaard and councilors wrestled with the drunk-driving tar baby. The mayor desperately wants the Astoria Municipal Court to try drunk-driving cases, despite some 10 years of that court regularly debasing the administration of justice in such cases.
The anguished Council discussion was prompted by Clatsop County District Attorney Josh Marquis, who is exercising legal authority to bring all Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicant cases to the Clatsop County Circuit Court.
As though he were a character in a one-act play, Mayor Van Dusen said: “I’m confused more than anything.” It was a wonderful stage gesture – an inside joke – because Van Dusen knew exactly what was going on.
The die was cast when Oregon Attorney General John Kroger assured DA Marquis that he had the authority to move all Clatsop County drunk-driving cases to Circuit Court. Kroger said his department would back Marquis in legal proceedings around the issue.
Marquis delivered his notification to Police Chief Peter Curzon. Marquis took that route, because Astoria’s city councilors had told state legislators that Astoria police – not the City Council – choose where cases will be tried. During that same legislative hearing – on a bill that would have moved drunk-driving out of all Oregon municipal courts – Mayor Van Dusen and Councilor Peter Roscoe spoke candidly about their own experience with alcoholism and recovery. Van Dusen told legislators that it had taken him three DUIIs before he sought help.
It is a mystery why recovering alcoholics strenuously defend a court that has been a soft touch for drunk drivers.
If one takes drunk-driving seriously and if one cares about justice, disengaging Astoria Municipal Court from DUIIs is the obvious choice. Instead it has become the Council’s tar baby. Doggedly defending the Municipal Court only makes sense if you’re in on the joke.