by Jason Pramas (Open Media Boston Staff), Oct-22-10 OMB Editorial

Whatever the outcome of Boston City Councilor Chuck Turner’s trial in federal court over the next several days, I can say as sure as poor DJ Henry was executed in upstate New York by the Mount Pleasant 5-0 a few days ago for DWB (Driving While Black) that Turner was targeted for political elimination for being – first and foremost – an outspoken progressive black politician by former US Attorney (and Republican) Michael Sullivan. These kinds of events are the “exceptions” that prove the rule that we are not living in a “post-racial” society yet. Far from it.

The government’s case against Turner is light on facts and heavy on weirdness. They had to pay their “star witness” Ron Wilburn $30,000 to attempt to entrap Turner – and also former State Senator Diane Wilkerson, who looks to really have done the deeds she’s accused of doing … having pleaded guilty to eight counts of attempted extortion in June. Both Turner and Wilkerson stood accused of malfeasance that still remains totally small potatoes next to the major league corruption that higher level (and significantly paler) politicians commit in here in the Commonwealth on a regular basis.