Technically, they can probably get in trouble for calling it stalking if he hasn't actually been convicted of a crime. Thus "borderline stalking behavior".
@10 Alas, that's not going to happen voluntarily. He's the kind of insane that has no idea it's insane. He really doesn't belong running around loose. I think @4 is right to worry, and I don't mean about Fox News.
(I'm not sure how much of a fool you can be and still get hired by Fox, but taking Jason Jones seriously certainly must be near that line.)
If this guy wasn't a state law enforcement officer, and he acted the way he's been acting, I think he'd probably be facing more legal trouble than he is. On the other hand, he's already lost his job, so if that represented any restraint on his action before, it's gone now.
I just watched the the Daily Show segment with this guy, and he is seriously not right in the head. I'm getting dangeriously close to feeling sorry for him, even. How someone can function as an employed adult with so little self-awareness is hard to imagine.
What really is the scary part to me is that this guy, who really appears to be a few apples short of a fruitcake, got to be an A.A.G. at all. Man, Michigan must be one fucked up place to live.
From what I have seen this man appears to have serious dilusions and needs help. I pity him, but fear he is dangerous to himself and others. Possibly more so now. Maybe, I've just witnessed too much escalation of violence with DV abusers who get reprimanded and I can't escape thinking this way? I hope he has someone who can get him some help, and not the kind that comes at the bottom of a bottle.
@20 Honestly, as awful as he is when you read about what he's done, when you see and hear him on TV, it seems SO clear that he has some sort of personality disorder...I find it hard to believe that this was allowed to progress for as long as it did. His bizarre reactions to questions, his inability to show remorse, it's like reading a textbook description of Borderline Personality Disorder. Hopefully, as you say, he'll get the help he needs.
When you first read about the story you think "Here is an ultraconservative Asst. Attorney General who is exercising free speech to spout his misguided and completely wrong view about homosexuals." A position somewhat reinforced by the AG's original statement.
The reality is much scarier. He clearly has some deep seated psychological issues. But the scary thing is that his boss originally DEFENDED his actions as "free speech".
This is a guy who didn't keep his mouth shut about his views. He went on the Daily Show! People in the AG office had to know what was going on. You don't go nut job crazy like that and just turn it off depending on your company. That would imply that he knew the difference between right and wrong. That certainly doesn't seem to be the case in all of the interviews he has given.
Why did they not consider it harassment earlier in the process? Did they let it go because he was attacking a gay man? As bothered as I am by his actions I find the AG's action just as repulsive.... actually more so... the AG can't use the insanity defense.
Of course Cox knew what was going on - he's a raging homophobe who had a raging homophobe in Shirvell as his campaign manager. Cox intentionally turned a blind-eye to the stalking until the dumbass started going on TV and made it a very public problem.
Not to defend Cox (who I know little or nothing about), but it's probably generally good practice to have all of your legal ducks in a row before you, a lawyer, fire another lawyer, for cause, over something that's made the national news multiple times. Documentation is key, and that takes a little time.
@24 My money is on Shirvell being a shitty lawyer. He just doesn't appear to have the mental faculties to deal with complex situations. The bully power of an AG office can cover up a lot of shallow reasoning.
I hope that Chris Armstrong is extra careful for the next month or so. My bet is that Shirvell is likely to really go off the deep end over losing his job. I am afraid that the only mental health counseling that Mr. Shirvell is ever likely to receive is the court-ordered kind.
@25: oh, I agree. Hell, the man's barely competent to tie his shoes. But you don't need to be a good lawyer or even a mediocore lawyer to immediately file a wrongful-termination suit that can make life miserable for his ex-employer.
(I'm not sure how much of a fool you can be and still get hired by Fox, but taking Jason Jones seriously certainly must be near that line.)
If this guy wasn't a state law enforcement officer, and he acted the way he's been acting, I think he'd probably be facing more legal trouble than he is. On the other hand, he's already lost his job, so if that represented any restraint on his action before, it's gone now.
Someone needs to get Armstrong a bodyguard.
The reality is much scarier. He clearly has some deep seated psychological issues. But the scary thing is that his boss originally DEFENDED his actions as "free speech".
This is a guy who didn't keep his mouth shut about his views. He went on the Daily Show! People in the AG office had to know what was going on. You don't go nut job crazy like that and just turn it off depending on your company. That would imply that he knew the difference between right and wrong. That certainly doesn't seem to be the case in all of the interviews he has given.
Why did they not consider it harassment earlier in the process? Did they let it go because he was attacking a gay man? As bothered as I am by his actions I find the AG's action just as repulsive.... actually more so... the AG can't use the insanity defense.