Our invisible Congressman, Rick Larsen, has finally had his way with that pesky protester, Ellen Murphy. In order to ensure his privacy from prying constituents, Larsen had the local constabulary haul Ellen away from his office to be cited for trespassing - for life! Not surprisingly, they made a botch of it (see Apr. 3 entry below), having to revise documents and make up new rules to fit the facts. Nevertheless, our local kangaroo Municipal Court, under the nearly-as-invisible Judge Lev, had no trouble finding Ellen guilty of visiting her elected representative. We've come a long way, baby!

Not wanting to seem draconian or undemocratic, the court condescendingly suspended both her 3 month jail term and $1,000 fine, leaving her only forty hours of community service and $43 in court costs to be paid. Hopefully she can count the service she is doing us by outing Larsen's true political character.

Of course, the court can hold the suspended elements over Ellen's head for future enforcement should she "re-offend". Hopefully others will find ways to be equally offensive. After all, the best defense is a good offense!

Incidentally, how many of you know that more than fifty citizens have been arrested and vigorously prosecuted in Municipal Court for expressing political opinions in ways that were traditionally merely supervised when such matters were heard in County District Court? Not really a kinder, gentler nation, after all.