Two honest leftist journalists show their local officials are total hypocrites

I was amazed to find there still seem to be half a dozen honest left-wing journalists in the U.S.

In Portland, Oregon, you put your trash out on the curb for pickup.  For years cops looking for evidence of criminal activity have gone through the trash of suspects, without a warrant.  The fact that courts have ruled this is an illegal search didn't give them any pause, because they knew the mayor and police chief wouldn't prosecute.

Last year the cops wanted to get rid of a female cop on the force, so they pulled a "trash grab," and fired her based on the findings.  She contested the firing based on the illegal search, but the local DA and police chief and mayor were all "Oh no, citizen, this is totally legal!  So shut up!"

Well...a couple of left-but-honest reporters thought that was over the line.

The "Willamette Week" is the kind of free, left-wing, alt-hippie weekly paper found in most cities.  After the mayor, DA and chief stridently claimed that trash out on the curb was public property, a couple of its "reporters" decided to see if the three officials would feel the same way if someone decided to analyze their trash.

And you can guess what happened:  the chief issued a press release complaining that reporters had gone through "my personal garbage at my home."  Wait, chief--didn't you say just a week earlier that your trash on the curb was public property, so by inference this was perfectly legal?

Clearly, no understanding of hypocrisy in this one.

The city's female mayor went nuclear. When we confessed that we had swiped her recycling, she summoned us to her chambers. "She wants you to bring the trash--and bring the name of your attorney," said her press secretary.

Wait--how can you demand that the reporters bring your trash back?  After all, you relinquished it when you put it on the curb, right?  Or at least that's what you claimed was true earlier, you lying bitch.  Just kidding then, were ya?

Her office issued this statement: "I consider Willamette Week's actions in this matter to be potentially illegal and absolutely unscrupulous and reprehensible.  I will consider all my legal options in response to their actions."

In contrast, DA Mike Schrunk was almost playful when we owned up to nosing through his kitchen scraps. "Do I have to pay for this week's garbage collection?" he joked. 

Anyway, funny stuff:  Politicians are perfectly happy to steal your stuff, illegally, but squeal like stuck pigs when the same thing is done to them.  

There's a lesson here.  It's like the Dem pols in congress who force you to accept the settlement of criminal illegal aliens in your town, when they'd never dream of letting the same people move into their neighborhood.  Or who force you to buy crappy, overpriced Obamacare health insurance while exempting themselves from the same legal demand.

Funny how pols always work that way, eh?

Congrats to the honest reporters at the Willamette Week.  Seems left and right can agree on a few things after all.