Moose alert: Police Chief's Wife's Remarks Angers Officers

[gun-fucious]

Police Chief's Wife's Remarks Angers Officers
http://nbc4.com/news/2121385/detail.html
Police Union Critical Of Moose's Plan For Book

POSTED: 6:57 a.m. EDT April 18, 2003

ROCKVILLE, Md. -- The president of the Montgomery County police union said Thursday there has been a backlash against Chief Charles Moose's plans
for a book and movie about last fall's sniper manhunt, and outrage at a recent attempt to equate his ethics skirmish to the great civil rights struggles of the
20th century.

Moose's wife made that comparison at a news conference Monday. She said the chief's challenge to
Montgomery County's ethics laws made him "no less of a man than Dr. (Martin Luther) King, Nelson
Mandela and any other great person that stood for a principle."

Walter E. Bader, president of the Fraternal Order of Police's Montgomery County lodge, said he has
received calls and e-mails from officers who found the remark "disgusting."

"Mandela spent a quarter-century in jail fighting for equality and the rights of others," Bader said.
"Martin Luther King was jailed and killed because he made sacrifices for others. (Moose) is fighting for
his own personal profit."

The union leader's comments represent the sharpest public criticism of Moose since the tense sniper
manhunt. And the harsh rebuke comes during a dispute that many county officials fear could end in
Moose's departure from Montgomery County. "I don't want him to leave," said County Council Vice
President Steven Silverman. "But by the same token, I don't think we have a mechanism for persuading him to stay. The only remedy I see is, he either
doesn't write (the book) or he leaves."

The chief has said that he will fight the county in court to secure a book deal worth more than $170,000 and a movie deal worth an undisclosed amount.

Moose's is one of several books about the sniper case in the works, including one by reporters at The
Washington Post.

Moose's attorneys have also said he will continue to work on the book despite the commission's March
ruling that to do so would be an abuse of the prestige of his office.

The dispute began in January, when the chief signed a deal with Dutton Books to write a book that tells
the inside story of the sniper case.

The Montgomery County police chief has been activated by his Air National Guard unit to serve at
Andrews Air Force Base and could not be reached for comment. His wife, Sandy, did not return phone
calls.

 

[gun-fucious]

Chief's wife lashes board as lawyer announces appeal

by Manju Subramanya
Staff Writer
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Apr. 16, 2003
http://www.gazette.net/200316/montgomerycty/county/153651-1.html

(From left) Sandra Herman Moose, lawyer Ronald A. Karp and American University law professor Jamin Raskin criticized the county Ethics Commission's ruling on Police Chief Charles A. Moose's book deal.
Circuit Court to rule on Moose's book deal

Sandra Herman Moose lit into the county Ethics Commission for denying her husband the right to sell his book, touting his accomplishments as a military officer, as a Ph.D. and as a police chief and comparing his stance to that of Nelson Mandela.

"Personally I would like to reiterate how very angry it makes me to know that there are those that hide behind flawed interpretations and distortions of the law," said Sandra Moose, a picture of indignation at a news conference Monday in Washington, D.C.

"As the wife of a police chief, as the wife of a doctor [he holds a doctorate in urban studies and criminology], as the wife of a major, I stand behind him 100 percent," she said. "He's no less of a man than Dr. [Martin Luther] King, Nelson Mandela and any great person that stood for a principle."

Her comments came at the National Press Club, where Rockville lawyer Ronald A. Karp announced that Chief Charles A. Moose has filed an appeal in Montgomery County Circuit Court seeking review of a March 20 ruling by the Ethics Commission rejecting Moose's book deal.

Moose's lawyers contend the denial infringes on the chief's First Amendment right to free speech and expression. Karp was joined by Jamin Raskin, a law professor at American University and a First Amendment expert, who is part of Moose's legal team.

"We are talking about suppressing a book," Karp said. "It's hard for me to believe that we are meeting at the National Press Club in the year 2003, and we are discussing suppression of a book. But that's what we are talking about.

"This is not a book about national security issues," he said. "This is a book about Chief Moose's life and how his life experiences have taught him to deal with a public crisis."

Moose has already written seven chapters of the book as part of a deal he signed in January with Dutton Books, a division of Penguin Putnam in New York, in the wake of October's sniper siege. The chief would receive roughly $100,000 for his work, but the payment is being held until the appeal is resolved, Karp said.

Elizabeth Kellar, chairwoman of the Ethics Commission, said Tuesday that the panel's ruling was not about free speech.

"It is not a First Amendment question. It is about profits," she said.

Moose and several other county employees have spoken and written in their professional capacity about the sniper attacks without compensation, she said, calling those activities "appropriate."

"The question is," she said, "while you are holding public office, can you make a profit?" The Ethics Commission's answer is no.

While every employee has a right to appeal an ethics commission ruling with which he or she is unhappy, Kellar said, an appeal does not stop the ruling from being effective unless the court grants a stay.

The county would file its response to the appeal in the next few weeks, County Attorney Charles W. Thompson Jr. said.

"Looking at the case a little bit less passionately, there isn't anyone who would quarrel about what the First Amendment means and its importance," he said. "But when you enter into an employment relationship, one of the rules is giving up some rights. It is a voluntary choice that people make."

County rules call for public employees to obtain Ethics Commission approval for outside employment.

Moose, on active duty as a major in the D.C. Air National Guard, was not at Monday's announcement.

Speaking for her husband, Sandra Moose railed, "It is distressing to read that Major Moose could possibly be jailed in this great land, exercising what we believe to be his right under the U.S. Constitution."

She was referring to comments made by Associate County Attorney Edward Lattner of sanctions Moose could face if he went ahead with his book, including a criminal citation that carries a $1,000 fine or six months in jail.

Lattner was simply outlining a worst-case scenario, Thompson said.

"As a practical matter, that's unlikely to happen," he explained. "He's the chief of police. I would be surprised if he violated the law. I have a lot of respect for Chief Moose."

 

[SoDFW Jason]

Boy, she's a hottie!!!

 

[CZ-75]

Is that Tammy Faye?

 

[Bruce H]

They all look well fed.

 

[pax]

Hey guys, you know I've always loved hanging around this place because of the many thoughtful points of view people express. I don't always (hah! I don't usually) agree with what most people say, but I'm always challenged to think a little more deeply about whatever the subject of the day may be.

So someone posted two fairly long articles about the Moose deal. Lots of different angles this thing could be analyzed from.

Does Moose have a right to profit, above and beyond his salary, from his political position? Does the city have a right to veto his book deal, which after all is a private contract between Moose and the publishing company? Does Moose's wife look like a water buffalo?

Um, wait. That last one isn't very thoughtful at all. Hardly useful or thoughtful or provocative. Not a bit interesting.

What a disappointment to open this thread and find that is all y'all are talking about.

pax

 

[Bruce H]

No she doesn't look like a water buffalo, she looks like Mrs. Moose.

As to profiting from his political position, he works for the city. They can rule how he conducts himself as long as he works for them. If he quits then he is free to do as he sees fit. He better find a why to make the deal work because I can't think any other city would hire him.

 

[gun-fucious]

Moose was hired as a PC choice for county Chief because Montgomery county had an "issue" with a high percentage of non white police stops.

It would appear as usual, the PC are looking out for #1


http://www.managementtraining.pcc.edu/staff.htm
Sandra Herman Moose

Sandra Herman Moose holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration and is a recent graduate of the University of Puget Sound School of Law. Herman Moose is currently teaching Conflict Management and Anger Management at Montgomery College, Montgomery County, Maryland. Her future plans include starting a limited law practice in Washington, D.C._


>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Chief Moose, the AfroAmerica Network Black Man of the Year 2002.

AfroAmerica Network, December 22,_ 2002.

http://www.afroamerica.net/chief_Moose2002.html



His name is Charles Alexander Moose. His is the 15th Police Chief of Montgomery County, Maryland USA.Unlike most police Chiefs across the USA, he is an academic. He holds a Ph.D. in Urban Studies and Criminology and a Masters of Public Administration from the University of Portland._ He teaches Criminal Justice at the Montgomery College.

Despites multiple achievements and credentials, however, people and history will arguably retain the image of Chief Moose as the one who caught the snipers who had terrorized the United States of America for three weeks of late Summer 2002.

The USA President George Bush praised him, the media hailed him, and the people in Washington, D.C., after buying thousands of T-Shirts with his effigy urged him to run for President in USA upcoming elections.

The 49 years old black Charles Moose is married to Sandra-Herman Moose, a white civil-rights lawyer. He and his wife are civil rights activists, having fought very hard against racial profiling and mistreatment of minorities by police both in Portland and Montgomery.

Charles Moose was the police chief in Portland before coming to Montgomery in 1999. The wife, who e recently graduated from law school was,_ for seven years director of Portland's police review board, a watchdog agency.Both hail from North Carolina. Moose is the son of a high school teacher and grew up in Lexington, about 35 miles southwest of Greensboro. She is the daughter of a logger. They met in graduate school in 1982 in_ Portland, Oregon, where she had had moved and where Moose had gone to seek better opportunities: to be a policeman.

 

[CZ-75]

Does Moose have a right to profit, above and beyond his salary, from his political position? Does the city have a right to veto his book deal, which after all is a private contract between Moose and the publishing company? Does Moose's wife look like a water buffalo?

What a disappointment to open this thread and find that is all y'all are talking about.

That's because we've already decided the answers to those other questions.

I mean, seriously, the guy didn't do a thing to help the investigation and possibly actively hindered it. That someone could write a book on so meager a contribution is preposterous.

As to profiting from his position, I'd like to think the answer would be moot, considering his qualifications to actually write a book, but I'd say that he should've known the rules to begin with. If he didn't like them, he didn't have to accept the job. If he doesn't like them now, he may quit, then write his book.

Actually, the whole sniper case is fading to the back of my mind and all I want to know about it will probably be covered by the media, EXCEPT for whether or not Moose hindered the initial investigation.

Does Moose's wife look like a water buffalo?

You noticed it too, else you wouldn't have put the answer in the form of a question.

 

[CZ-75]

The wife, who e recently graduated from law school was,_ for seven years director of Portland's police review board, a watchdog agency.

Conflict of interest?

 

[moa]

There is one other issue not mentioned in the article.

Chief Moose may be called as a witness in any number of upcoming trials that may take years to play out.

So, there may be some legal issues in the future concerning his possible testimony vis-a-vis his book. Also, I would have to imagine Moose's book would give possible legal ammunition to the defense attorneys.

Any of you legal beagles want to weigh in on that?

By the way, Chief Moose's County police income alone is about $165,000.00 a year. I wonder why he seems to pushing hard to get his book published and get paid? It is not as if the book proceeds are enormous.

 

[CZ-75]

It is not as if the book proceeds are enormous.

Movie of the week deal, too?

Launch a political career?

 

[moa]

CZ-75, I agree with both of your posts. Thought the same thing about his wife's Portland job.

 

[Lebe]

.

I'm neither here nor there on that Moose guy,.. and I think that his wife is way out of line in trying to make it a civil rights issue,.. but having said that, what's the problem with the man writing a book?

Seems like a non issue to me,.. it's America. If the man wants to write a book, it's nobodies business.

Hillary wrote a book,... got a lot more than $100,000 for it too,...

 

[Airwolf]

deleted by author

 

[Don Gwinn]

I didn't think Pax was being overly subtle, but perhaps she was. I am not subtle. Next person who posts a personal insult for Moose's wife instead of a comment on the controversy gets this thread closed for everyone. Discuss the topic or move on to another thread.

Now, to the matter at hand. I would be inclined to let him make whatever deal he can, but I wonder if there are good reasons for that rule to exist. In any case, it's hard to see this as a free-speech issue. It would appear that he could write the book if he wants without breaking the rule, but he can't accept the filthy lucre.

Am I wrong?

 

[JohnBT]

As a former resident of Montgomery County, and curious follower of their 'progress' over the years, employees are not allowed to profit directly from something like writing a book.

He can write the book if he likes, he just can't profit from it while drawing a county salary.

I also note, from the Post, that the Mayor of D.C. has convinced Chief Doctor Major Moose to eliminate"D.C. Sniper" from the title of the book - since only one victim was in D.C. and it would be bad for the city's image.

I can't wait to see the outcome of the accusations against him for withholding the snipers' ID during the final days of the investigation. Did he really send a few detectives after the snipers while everyone else on the force was still looking for 2 white guys in a white truck? Oops if he did.

And it looks like he did based on what the detectives who worked the case are saying.

John

 

[geegee]

It would appear that he could write the book if he wants without breaking the rule, but he can't accept the filthy lucre.

Not neccessarily, it seems to me. Heck, he's not far from Washington, D.C., where Hillary Clinton found the right loophole that allowed her to take a multi-million dollar advance for a book she will in all likelihood have ghost written (like her last one).

Personally, I'd like to see the movie scene in this story when Moose has to exclaim "Are you sure about that? Two black guys in a blue car? What happened to the lone white gunman in a white van I've had everyone looking for?" I'm betting Forest Whittaker gets the nod. geegee

 

[QKRTHNU]

Did he really send a few detectives after the snipers while everyone else on the force was still looking for 2 white guys in a white truck? Oops if he did.

I haven't been following this case since they caught the guys, but maybe in order to catch the guys off guard the media was led in the white truck direction while the detectives went the correct route?

 

[JohnBT]

It's a big enough issue that he has attempted to address it publicly. The following excerpt is from the Chief's 3/13 statement that is still posted on the Montgomery County Maryland Police site.

www.montgomerycountymd.gov/mc/services/police/chief_bulletins/chief031303.htm

"Many of the conversations seem to involve my commitment to your safety. However, this is different because it is not about certain equipment, the new guns or an order to charge a scene in an unsafe manner. This conversation seems to revolve around the timeline when the information was known that Malvo and Muhammed became 0100 suspects. Since the case has not yet been to trial, and since everything I say and write is likely to be in the local media, this has been a very tough decision about what to say. I know that many state, local and federal officers had various portions of the investigation that eventually led to the arrest. We all know that certain documents were created in the State of Washington on west-coast time prior to being faxed to the JOC.
On 10-22-02, after the shooting of the bus driver, we developed several strong suspects. During a briefing we were informed that Malvo’s fingerprints came back on a periodical about shooting that had been found in the Alabama shooting incident, yet there still was no link to Montgomery County. Pieces continued to come in, but the day closed without vehicles or warrants or confirmed suspects.
During the 0830 Investigative Brief on 10-23-02, additional information was discussed about the bus-driver shooting and links to the other shootings. By the 1600 hour briefing, Malvo and Mohammad had become potential suspects of interest and the investigators began the process of obtaining the material-witness warrant for Malvo and the federal firearms-violation warrant for Muhammad for an older offense.
By 1700 hours on 10-23-02, investigators were planning to show fliers of Malvo and Muhammad to area hotels, gun stores, gas stations, etc., to determine any connection in this area. At this point, copies were forwarded to every district station and put on the WebBoard. The first posting went out at 1829 hours. ECC instructed all shift supervisors to contact their stations. Then they were instructed to have all officers view the information. This was done to keep the information off the police radio, which was being monitored by the media. A second message was put out at 2255 hours to change the mistaken “Wanted – Persons of interest related to Sniper Shootings†to a more correct “Wanted for Questioning Reference 0100s.†And at this time, the lawyers debated the law about the juvenile picture, and the license plate was inappropriately leaked and played on television before it could be confirmed. As we all know now, the plate and car had been entered in our various systems many times, but the connection had not been made.
More specific details and exact minutes will all be issues at court. It is good that we are willing to have our own internal discussions because if we remain silent it may harm trust. We must, however, limit the sharing of documents and other evidence at this time. Please note that we have agreed with the FBI and the ATF to be part of an after-action report on the sniper incident funded by Bureau of Justice Assistance. This independent contract has been awarded to the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF). This team will be contacting many members of our Department. Everyone is encouraged to talk to them. If they do not contact you, however, you are certainly welcome to call them."

 

[gbelleh]

Speaking for her husband, Sandra Moose railed, "It is distressing to read that Major Moose could possibly be jailed in this great land, exercising what we believe to be his right under the U.S. Constitution."

Hmmmm, all of us gun owners should be able to relate to that.

 

[westex]

I don't really know anything about the legality of Major Moose writing books, selling anything to TV but I do know one thing for sure. We all should lay off his case as it's obvious he has more problems than must of us could bear.

 

[Ed Brunner]

What a disappointment to open this thread and find that is all y'all are talking abou

On another board, her appearance was compared to Mary Travers, but I agree that is not what is important here.
I wouldn't buy his book, but that isn't the issue either.
So what is the issue?
And why is it important?

 

[edamon]

"MOOSE"

I've never seen a better, more descriptive name in my life.

 

[longeyes]

Ed Brunner:

The real issue is the ascendancy of mediocrity and incompetence. This country is built on the freedom of the individual and merit. Moose, to many, represents the profanation of those two principles.