Today\’s quote comes to us from New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer. And, before you read it, I suggest you brace yourself, because you might fall over – either from disbelief or because you are laughing so hard.
Do you remember Eric Garner? He was the serial miscreant who police tried to arrest while he was illegally selling cigarettes. Garner, who had been arrested over 30 times previously, resisted arrest this time. After trying to talk him into going quietly, and having him physically push them off, he was taken down by one of the officers, who – given that Garner was far taller and heavier – did so by grabbing him by the neck. Garner, once on the ground, and after the takedown had ended, famously gasped out “I can\’t breathe, I can\’t breathe” – hardly a surprise, since he suffered from a number of different ailments, including diabetes and respiratory issues. While in the ambulance en route to the hospital, Garner died of a heart attack.
Would any of this have happened if Garner had obeyed the police? Nope.
So what does New York City do? It hands his family a settlement of $5.9 million dollars. Courtesy of the taxpayers who voted this administration into office. I hope they\’re happy about that.
So what was Scott Stringer\’s quote? The one that you will either not believe or bust out laughing over? Here it is:
“While we cannot discuss the details of this settlement, and the City has not admitted liability, I believe that we have reached an agreement that acknowledges the tragic nature of Mr. Garner\’s death while balancing my office\’s fiscal responsibility to the City.”
Got that? The city admits to no liability. But it is handing Eric Garner\’s family a settlement of $5.9 million dollars.
For what? Because he was a nice guy? I\’m a nice guy too, where\’s my $5.9 million? Because he no longer can stand on a street corner and illegally sell cigarettes?
My great congratulations to the Garner family, which just got rich for …… sorry, I can\’t finish that sentence, because if the city is not admitting any liability I don\’t know why the city just made them rich. Do you?
Scott Stringer wins Quote Of The Day honors, for sheer ridiculousness. I congratulate Mr. Stringer for his great “victory”.
