Politics News

Crime Wave Forces Omaha Mayor's Hand

If good policy is good politics, what are 30 something shootings in 40 something days for a Mayor who might run for the Senate next year....well it can't possibly be helpful.

So  Mayor Mike Fahey (D-Omaha) took time Friday a to announce a series of moves aimed at shoring up the city's crime fighters.

At the top of Fahey's list a crackdown on illegal guns, especially those winding up in the hands of minors.

At the bottom: hiring more police. He won't.

His critics complain he should, but Fahey's not budging.

This is the worst spike in inner city violence during Fahey's six years in office. There was a similar though smaller spike just about a year ago.

As for that Senate race, Fahey's been saying for weeks that until Senator Chuck Hagel (R-Nebraska) decides if he's running for re-election, the issue is off the table.

Kasparov Gets 5 Days in Jail for Marching

Reality is whatever refuses to go away after I stop believing in it.

Garry Kasparov, the former chess champion and opposition leader, was arrested Saturday and sentenced to five days in jail after trying to lead a march to the offices of the federal election authorities.

Mr. Kasparov was taken into custody during a scuffle between protesters and security officers on the route to the offices, where he had intended to present a letter asserting that the parliamentary election on Dec. 2 was biased toward President Vladimir V. Putin’s party.

Taken into a small bus, he gave a victory sign through the back window as he was being driven away.

On Saturday night, a Moscow judge ordered him to serve five days in jail for holding an unauthorized march. City officials had given his loose opposition coalition, Other Russia, permission to conduct a rally on Saturday, but not a march.

In a statement, Mr. Kasparov said the court proceedings had been “a choreographed farce from beginning to end.” He added, “It was a symbol of what has happened to justice and the rule of law under Putin.”

Mr. Kasparov is one of the best-known foes of Mr. Putin, but the Kremlin has isolated him by preventing him from receiving coverage on television networks. Mr. Kasparov has in turn relied on demonstrations to draw attention to his criticisms of Mr. Putin. He was arrested at a march in April, though he received only a fine, not jail time.