Charges Dropped in Case of 'W' Dollars

AP ^ | 11/13

[ambrose]

Charges Dropped in Case of 'W' Dollars

Charges Dropped Against Woman Accused of Passing $200 Bill With President Bush's Picture on It

The Associated Press

Nov. 13, 2004 - A case of funny money has ended happily for a woman who had been charged with passing a bogus $200 bill with President George W. Bush's picture on it.

Prosecutors in Pennsylania's Westmoreland County dropped all charges Friday against Deborah L. Trautwine, 51, after she paid the store in real currency.

Trautwine "wasn't aware that it ... wasn't actual legal tender," said her attorney, Harry Smail Jr.

Trautwine could not be reached for comment. A clerk at a Fashion Bug clothing store also thought the bill (worth about euro155) was real and gave Trautwine $100.58 (euro77.84) in change from her August purchase.

There is no $200 denomination bill, even without Bush's picture on it. None of the recent U.S. presidents has been depicted on the country's currency.

Police said the bill's phoniness should have been obvious for other reasons. It had a silly serial number DUBYA4U2001 and didn't bear the signature of the Secretary of the Treasurer. Instead, it was "signed" by Ronald Reagan, whose title was "Political Mentor" and by Bush's father, who is listed as "Campaign Advisor and Mentor."

The back of the phony bill depicted the White House with several signs erected on the lawn, including those reading "We Like Broccoli" and "USA Deserves A Tax Cut."

Copyright 2004 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Copyright © 2004 ABC News Internet Ventures

[Gorzaloon]

This just has to be one of those Blonde Jokes.

[MissEdie]

Both these women (clerk included) are too stupid to be blonde!

[orangelobster]

"A clerk at a Fashion Bug clothing store also thought the bill (worth about euro155) was real and gave Trautwine $100.58 (euro77.84) in change from her August purchase."

Someone should do an interview with this person. I'm interested to hear what the fashion bug clerk was thinking.

[dansangel]

OMG - the dumbing down of America is sadly illustrated.

Products of gubmint schools, both of them, I'll bet.

[GreenHornet]

I can't believe these women actually thought it was legal tender. Everyone knows Bush's picture is on the $300.00 bill.

[Cicero]

They had to let her go because the cashier gave her some of these as change

[jimfrommaine]

In honor or President Bush reaching the 60 million mark in votes, I say let's have a 60 dollar bill. Jim

[BIGZ]

Obviously products of The Public School system in the US.

What the hell has Euros got to do with a story out PA.

[Fresh Wind]

A clerk at a Fashion Bug clothing store also thought the bill (worth about euro155) was real...

Uhhhh, if the bill wasn't real, how could it be worth 155 Euros?

[Gorzaloon]

Both these women (clerk included) are too stupid to be blonde!

It's an inside joke for my wife, another Freeper.

I used to e-mail her blonde jokes all the time.

Till she got PO'd and joined Mensa and Intertel and began calling me the "House Idiot".

[stevem]

If something doesn't exist, is it possible to have a bogus version?

[Stultis]

Give me a stack of these and point me to the nearest blue state!

[swmobuffalo]

What's the public schools got to do with it? Kids these days have mor knowledge about money than I do. The clerk and the woman were just stupid, period.

[Oztrich Boy]

I'm interested to hear what the fashion bug clerk was thinking.

I'm wondering about the writer od the article (corrected ewxtract below)

"A clerk at a Fashion Bug clothing store also thought the bill (worth about euro155 nothing) was real and gave Trautwine $100.58 (euro77.84) in change from her August purchase."

[Slyfox]

I have left these kind of bills instead of a tip when I got bad service. Sometimes I'd leave one in addition to the tip. But, I never thought of paying for a meal with it.

[newzjunkey]

[GSlob]

Well, as the prices generally creep up, there may come time for having our currency in larger denominations than $100. After all, they have existed in the past. Euro notes also go beyond 100 - there are 200 and 500, IIRC. So we may get 200$ and 500$ bills, and let us put Reagan's visage on one of them.

[cyn]

WAY too subtle ...

[cyn]

"I'm interested to hear what the fashion bug clerk was thinking."

" . . . "

"Totally!"