She’s a Republican, incidentally. Ah, Taunton. Population: About 60,000. I remember it well from my Boston days. The city is famous for its dog-racing track. My Uncle Charlie, my mom’s youngest brother, a nice guy who blew his money on the greyhounds, went there often. And lost.
But I digress. Taunton Mayor Shaunna O’Connell was arrested and appeared in court to be arraigned on charges of charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and domestic assault and battery. Police arrested her after when her husband called police during a fight.
She hit him with a crowbar. Allegedly.
Her husband told police that an argument had turned physical. The mayor bit him on his left forearm, and then grabbed a small crowbar o struck him with it hit him with it on his right hand. Then she jumped on the hood of his car when he tried to drive away. (Police found the hood to be dented consistent with that account.) Again, allegedly. There is no “believe all men” rule in Taunton.
I could be way off base here, but it seems to me that if you are elected to a distinguished executive government position like mayor, the least you should be able to do is avoid getting into a knock down, drag out battle with your spouse that is so violent the police are called. The episode seems to indicate… an inadequate level of self-control, mayhap? Perhaps an insufficient appreciation of the inherent duty of high elected officials to model the highest standards of behavior rather than the lowest?
Whatever happened, she’s obligated to resign. But here’s the problem: she’s historic! The first female mayor of Taunton.
So I guess the town is stuck with her….
Ethics Alarms 
Taunton, Mass. Where my maiden Aunt Catherine was posted as a WAC during the War. She was a typist. We have a photo of her in her uniform, a completely masculine outfit, she is NOT happy.
This episode reminds me of a lawyer couple I practiced with. When she found out he’d been cheating on her, she didn’t attack him with a crowbar, she demoed his Porsche with one.
Republicans don’t count as historic. They’re not really black or gay or female or something.
I get a kick out of people or events being referred to as “historical” rather than “historic.” It happens a lot.
In a bucolic town a principal citizen purchased an expensive fur for his paramour. It was mistakenly delivered to his wife monogrammed with the paramours name accomapnied with an amourous note.
The wife placed the expensive coat on the pavement of the busiest intersection of the village. After a days worth of traffic traversing the coat she resent it to the parmour and a divorce decree to her philandering husband.
She then placed an info-advertisment on the billborad that nears her husbands haberdashery emporium.
No husband of any of the well heeled ladies of the bucolic village were seen to enter the shop.
Month or so later an out of business sign appeared in the doorway.
a woman scorned
She is still a “first”: First woman mayor arrested for domestic assault.
Next up: First woman mayor forced to resign because of arrest for domestic assault.
“Every hand’s a winner and every hand’s a loser…” Kenny Rogers.