EDITORIAL: A LITTLE FAVORITISM

As many college students know, favoritism is alive and well in the United
States, and the relatives of public officials are usually the most common
recipients.

The most recent case involves Morgan Grams, the 21-year-old son of
Minneapolis Republican Rod Grams, and a little problem with substance
abuse. It seems that Grams and a 17-year-old friend were driving along in a
rental car that was long overdue to be returned, packing more than a few
beer cans and ten bags of marijuana, and got pulled over.

That's right, ten bags. Not a tenth of an ounce, ten whole bags. That's not
counting the numerous open containers and the basically stolen rental car
the two were driving, not to mention Grams' previous police record, which
included a underage-drinking arrest, stealing his aunt's property and
making threatening phone calls to his sister's friend.

So he went to jail, right?

Nope. When he and the 17-year-old got picked up, his friend went to
juvenile court and to a detention center. Meanwhile, Grams got a
first-class ride back to his house in the front of the squad car.

Boy, that sure sounds fair. Some people are spending decades of their life
in federal prison for that kind of drug possession, and Grams is probably
kicking back a few beers with some other friends in celebration of his
father's skill at getting him out of trouble.

The deputy chief that found the car never even questioned the beer cans and
didn't find the dope. It took a second officer, who arrived on the scene
later, to find the violations and process them.

This situation just smacks of impropriety and favoritism. There is no other
reasonable explanation for the lack of punishment in this case except for
the obvious.

The elder Grams admitted telling the authorities to find his son after the
rental car disappeared. No one without a heavy dose of blind idealism in
their bloodstream would believe that was all the police were told.

It's almost audible. "Chief, if you guys do find my son, take it easy on
him. Try to keep any, uh, substances you might find in the car under wraps."

Even if he didn't actually say that, you can be sure the message was implied.

Of course, after this particular incident passed, as his father attempted
to restructure the family's public image, the younger Grams probably
settled down, right? One would think he didn't want to embarrass his father
any more after ducking that last bullet - that would be the logical thing
to do.

Once again, the answer is no. Last week, he was reported to have stolen a
car and purse from a woman he took to a nightclub.

Let's see if his father can get him out of that one, too.