Why Voters Need To Pay Attention When They Vote

CNSNews posted a story today about Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber.

According to the article:

Democrat Gov. Kitzhaber has granted a reprieve “for the duration of my service as governor” to Gary D. Haugen, who has twice been convicted of aggravated murder. Haugen – who wants to be executed – was first convicted of killing the mother of his girlfriend and later was found guilty of murdering a fellow inmate.

The irony here is that Mr. Haugen claims that the state allows him to refuse the reprieve and has asked the state to execute him. He has filed a lawsuit against the state to invalidate the reprieve so that he can be executed.

Meanwhile, in another case in Oregon, the Governor has refused even to discuss clemency in the case of a man facing prison time for collecting rainwater on his property. Gary Harrington is scheduled to begin serving a 30 day jail term this week.

The article reports:

Gary Harrington of Eagle Point, Ore., was sentenced July 25 in Jackson County Circuit Court to 30 days in jail and over $1,500 in fines for violating Oregon state laws that say all water is publically owned–making the 3 reservoirs on his property used to house rainwater and snow runoff illegal.

CNSNews.com has repeatedly contacted the governor’s office via phone and email to ask if the governor has any intention of pardoning Harrington or commuting his sentence. But the governor’s office has not responded to any of those inquiries.

Does this mean that if I have a water feature in my backyard and rainwater falls in it that I am breaking the law? Doesn’t the state government of Oregon have anything better to do than send people who collect rainwater to jail?

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