Lawmakers decline to criticize Janklow

Washington Times ^ | Thursday, September 4, 2003 | By Charles Hurt

[JohnHuang2]

Congress reconvened yesterday minus Rep. Bill Janklow, South Dakota Republican, who was charged last week with second-degree manslaughter for speeding past a stop sign and colliding with a motorcyclist.

Even as whispered speculation swirled around the Capitol corridors that Mr. Janklow's political career is finished, Democrats and Republicans alike struck a solemn tone. Lawmakers offered condolences to everyone involved in the accident, advised against prejudging the Janklow case and declined to demand his resignation.

[JohnHuang2]

Thursday, September 4, 2003

Quote of the Day by kcordell

[Finalapproach29er]

He should write back to Nader and tell him to go ##** himself. Nader is a bastard.

[At _War_With_Liberals]

"turning his vehicle into a lawless, dangerous missile"

Nader thinks EVERY car is a dangerous missile. He makes this clear in his statement.

[Finalapproach29er]

Your right. Nader doesn't even own a car. He's a freak.

[goldstategop]

Bill Janklow needs to resign NOW!

[Jaded]

Janklow Joked About Speeding Before Crash

By BARRY BEDLAN
Associated Press Writer


(AP Photo/ERIC LANDWEHR)
Two months before Rep. Bill Janklow was involved in a fatal crash in South Dakota, allegedly running a stop sign at more than 70 mph, he publicly joked about being stopped for speeding in Nebraska.
"I got to meet two of the Nebraska Highway Patrolmen yesterday - very polite gentlemen who cut me a little bit of slack and so I appreciate that," Janklow said at a House subcommittee hearing.

The comment was included in an official transcript of the hearing obtained Friday by The Associated Press.

The hearing on livestock ownership was held in Grand Island on June 21, the day after Janklow was pulled over in northeast Nebraska and received a written warning.

Janklow, 63, now faces second-degree manslaughter and three other charges for a crash Aug. 16 in his home state that killed a motorcyclist. A hearing is scheduled Sept. 25 to determine if there is enough evidence to bring the congressman to trial.

A copy of Janklow's written warning from the June incident, obtained by the AP, did not indicate how fast he was clocked when stopped outside Norfolk, about 60 miles south of the South Dakota border.

According to the hearing transcripts, Janklow had boasted to the audience that he was attempting to drive 1,100 miles in one weekend to attend events in Iowa and South Dakota in addition to the hearing in Nebraska.

"Bill Janklow deserves a Purple Heart for doing what he is doing," Rep. Tom Osborne of Nebraska, a fellow Republican, is quoted as saying at the hearing. "I do a lot of driving, but I have never tried anything like that in less than 48 hours, so we really appreciate his coming."

Through his attorney, Janklow declined to comment about the warning.

The Nebraska State Patrol disclosed the incident after a request by the AP. State Patrol spokeswoman Terri Teuber said it was not apparent why Janklow received a warning rather than a ticket.

Janklow's driving record in South Dakota shows numerous citations from the early 1990s, when he was ticketed 12 times for speeding. However, the records also show he has not received a ticket for speeding since October 1994, just before he was elected to his third term as governor.