Interesting FOP Meeting

Swung by the meeting today, just for fun (note to FOP: don't bother going through the sign-in books, we didn't bother today --- or did we?) and observed a few things that desperately cried out for commentary:

• Recently expelled members attempted to gain entry into the meeting, but were rebuffed by the Sergeants-at-Arms. They left looking (in our opinion) kind of satisfied, as if they had proved some point by being denied entry into the building owned by an organization they no longer belong to. Does anyone have any idea what that was all about?
• Steve Robbins, candidate for the Pension Board, was telling people at meeting that although he was approved by the board to seek reimbursement for up to $5,000 dollars in his bid to become the patrolmen representative, he would not submit any receipts for reimbursement and instead was running out of his own pocket, as his opponents are. This seems to remove what was becoming a large issue in the campaign. Robbins also had copies of all his timecards for the past few years demonstrating that he was, in fact, on his own time and not the city's dime when he attended Pension Board meetings.

Just to be clear, THIS IS NOT AN ENDORSEMENT OF STEVE ROBBINS. But unnamed and anonymous postings on this site and those of other candidates liberally tossed about the accusation that Robbins was on city time when attending meetings. It appears to us that this rumor can be laid to rest.

We make no judgments as to the possible reimbursement of the $5,000 dollars however. It would seem to us that the possibility of recovering out of pocket expenses for an election might enable a candidate to spend a little more lavishly than one who is not backed, but Robbins agreeing not to seek reimbursement renders this moot. We would prefer maybe something along the lines of the Federal Election Commission that provides "matching funds" up to a certain limit for qualified candidates, but that in and of itself would seem to be counterproductive to an endorsed candidacy.

What say the readers? In light of one of the more gentlemanly campaigns conducted by all parties, we are actually taking an interest in this election as we haven't in the past.

UPDATE: Thanks to Fitzgerald, King and the other guys cooking at the BBQ after the meeting. Tasty eats as always.