Lasseter Wants Character Reference Letters

Submitted by Jim Regan

I’m going to assume everyone is aware that District 1 Commissioner Shirley Lasseter plead guilty to bribery and corruption charges in June.  Her sentencing will occur on Sept. 5 in the Atlanta Federal District Court. So let’s not waste time rehashing the past.

But did you hear Shirley has sent an email to several influential Gwinnett residents asking that they write “character reference” letters to the sentencing judge?  Two of the residents identified so far are Jim Maran, Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce, and R.D. Betcher, Duluth Police Chief.

Personally I am absolutely outraged that Shirley had the gall to state in her e-mail that the reference letters will, “make a huge difference with the Judge.”  And also for saying, “I am so sorry if I have disappointed any of you in any way. Certainly not my intentions to do so.”

Well Shirley let me speak plainly; the good citizens of District 1 trusted and elected you to represent them as commissioner.  You repaid this trust with lies and corruption.  Of course you disappointed them and the only reason it wasn’t your intention was because you didn’t think you were going to get caught soliciting or accepting a bribe.

Personally, I am going to write my own letter to Judge Pannell and ask him to sentence Shirley to the maximum prison term possible.  Danny Porter said Gwinnett government has a culture of corruption; we need Judge Parnell’s help delivering the message that citizens want and expect honestly and integrity in government.

Let's honor Shirley request by having the good citizens of Gwinnett deliver a letter writing campaign to Judge Parnell with our character references!

     Judge Charles A. Pannell, Jr.

     2367 Richard B. Russell Federal Building

     75 Spring Street, SW

     Atlanta, GA 30303-3309