keithsheridan.com
CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE

Talk Left is at a legal conference somewhere that sounded warm and has the inside scoop on what it cost to prosecute Tommy Chong for selling those empty bongs. For only 12 million tax dollars, the public is now safe from this nefarious purveyor of glass art objects. I'm sure the taxpayers are sleeping more soundly knowing they spent the money on putting a taxpaying sixty year old man safely behind bars, instead of paying for any frivolous municipal services.

Add to that the lost tax revenues from the destroyed business. As I recall, the bong industry contributed significantly to the economy and I think Chong was doing around a million or so in sales himself. He certainly employed artisans and craftsmen, paid rent on warehouses and salaries to shipping agents.

Operation Pipe Dream callously disregarded their economic security in order to get an easy bust and in today's economy I would call that - depraved indifference.