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Father of the Year - Not

By Jeralyn, Section Juvenile Offenders
Posted on Fri Feb 11, 2005 at 11:14:26 PM EST
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This is the act of a supportive father?

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- Zachary Crank, the 16-year-old son of Wyoming Attorney General Pat Crank, was ordered to perform community service after pleading guilty to possession of marijuana.

The younger Crank pleaded guilty Thursday in Laramie County Circuit Court, where he was sentenced as an adult. Crank was ordered to pay court costs and submit to random drug testing on top of his community service. If he completes those tasks and stays out of trouble for the next year, his record will be expunged.

Attorney General Crank said he turned his son in after learning about the marijuana. Zachary Crank was cited at the family's home.

"Kids make mistakes," Attorney General Crank said. "My son has owned up to his mistake, and we're supportive of him." (emphasis supplied)

With a father like that, I wouldn't be surprised if the kid ends up with a major case of distrust and hatred for authority.

Sidebar: Before becoming state Attorney General, Crank was a federal prosecutor in Wyoming. He sent a lot of people away for long periods for drug offenses. Isn't it interesting that when his kid breaks the law, it's a "mistake" rather than a crime?

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    Father of the Year - Not | 28 comments (28 topical)
    Re: Father of the Year - Not (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Feb 12, 2005 at 03:47:43 AM EST
    Well, hard to say, there are multiple reasons that turning his kid in might have made big sense. If he thought it was possible his kid was going to get busted as part of a dealer's plea bargin - best to go in early. Perhaps he'd read Scarlet Letter and understood the effect of lying on the soul. Hard to say. But the dad was correct: it was a mistake. And he did get arrested for it - preventing him from voting in most states, ever owning a firearm, making it impossible (probably) for him to join the military, etc, etc. What part of that did you think was hypocritical? -C

    Re: Father of the Year - Not (none / 0) (#2)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Feb 12, 2005 at 04:36:45 AM EST
    Quite correct TL! A better father would have ignored the kid's problem and stayed out of his life. Coould have left it to the village.

    Re: Father of the Year - Not (none / 0) (#3)
    by roger on Sat Feb 12, 2005 at 04:42:59 AM EST
    The above two comments are a good example of why I hardley post here anymore. What's the point of arguing with people so deluded? Inform on your family, WWHD? (what would Hitler do?)

    Re: Father of the Year - Not (none / 0) (#4)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Feb 12, 2005 at 06:36:12 AM EST
    Yes, these are the new family values.

    Re: Father of the Year - Not (none / 0) (#5)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Feb 12, 2005 at 06:38:50 AM EST
    It is not the job of an Attorney General to condone or hide criminal activity. He wouldn't do it for anyone else, why should he do it for his family? Wouldn't having done so make him a hypocrite? And wouldn't he be pilloried here if it ever came to light that he did? This guy chose to send a message to everyone, including his son, that criminal activity will not be tolerated. He took a stand for morality (something I assume the author of this post would not do) yet you still ridicule his choice of the word mistake? So your contention is that turning in your own kid is dispicable, but as long you are going to do so, you better use a stronger word than "mistake"? Sheesh.

    Re: Father of the Year - Not (none / 0) (#6)
    by pigwiggle on Sat Feb 12, 2005 at 06:42:34 AM EST
    When I was 16 or 17 my father, a police officer, found the plants I had been growing in my closet. At 1:00 am he watched as I cut them down and put them in the fireplace. We sat out in front of the house and he teased me as the smoke rolled out of the chimney. My father is a great man, this guy is a jack ass.

    Re: Father of the Year - Not (none / 0) (#7)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Feb 12, 2005 at 07:40:03 AM EST
    This is the act of a crank, and his supporters are supporting a crank. Nuff said.

    Re: Father of the Year - Not (none / 0) (#8)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Feb 12, 2005 at 08:01:55 AM EST
    Yup Craig and Roger: The dad should have stayed out of it and the tried to weather the political storm when the word gets out. I find that hitler, nazi comments come from people who have nothing cogent to add to the conversation. They just disagree, but are too lazy to argue with civility.

    Re: Father of the Year - Not (none / 0) (#9)
    by clio on Sat Feb 12, 2005 at 08:19:42 AM EST
    I would be ashamed to admit that I knew my child so little (and,perhaps, s/he held me in such contempt) that I did not know s/he was using illegal drugs, including alcohol, in time to defuse a total disintegration in my authority. I would be abashed to publicize that I have so little parenting ability that I must invoke the power of the government to control my own child. I would be embarrassed to have all the world know that I valued my political position and elected office over the well-being of a child entrusted to my mercy and care. I would be chagrined to reveal that I do not know the meaning of loyalty, much less love. I would be humiliated to stand naked before my peers and in my community, exposed as an utter failure as a parent, and as a whited sepulchre as a human being. Above all, I would be afraid that when it came my time to require mercy, wisdom, loyalty, honesty, uprightness and, even love, I would be treated as I have treated all those who have looked to me in vain for those qualities in my own conduct and life.

    Re: Father of the Year - Not (none / 0) (#10)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Feb 12, 2005 at 08:28:02 AM EST
    He taught his son and reminded everyone else that no one is above the law. And in doing so, probably acted in the best interest of his kid. Not all parents want their kids smoking dope and he isn't the first to get the law involved. And given the fact that he was AG... well, if anyone had to, he did.

    Re: Father of the Year - Not (none / 0) (#11)
    by roger on Sat Feb 12, 2005 at 09:35:26 AM EST
    Wile, I find that people who use the word "the" generally have nothing to add to the argument. Go buy a sense of humor

    Re: Father of the Year - Not (none / 0) (#12)
    by roy on Sat Feb 12, 2005 at 10:16:02 AM EST
    Calling his son's actions a "mistake" might not be interesting at all. As best I can tell, Crank's career has had more to do with wolves than drugs. Other than some comments about meth use, I can't find anything about his record on drugs. How did he normally deal with young first-time pot offenders?

    Re: Father of the Year - Not (none / 0) (#13)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Feb 12, 2005 at 10:25:53 AM EST
    Jackie O. used to say that being a parent was the most important job in the world. Given the choice, Crank apparently choose the easier law enforcer job over the difficult job of being a parent. So much for family values. JC

    Re: Father of the Year - Not (none / 0) (#14)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Feb 12, 2005 at 11:14:54 AM EST
    Cliff says And he did get arrested for it - preventing him from voting in most states, ever owning a firearm, making it impossible (probably) for him to join the military, etc, etc. Yet the article says If he completes those tasks and stays out of trouble for the next year, his record will be expunged "Expunged" means removed completely, right? I know cops who have had records expunged so that they could get onto the force. So if his record is expunged, he can do all those things you seem to think he can't. Inother words, he does some community service and it's like it never happened. And he'll pass all those future background checks, he'll be able to become a hairdresser or a general or a gun dealer...or even President.

    Re: Father of the Year - Not (none / 0) (#15)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Feb 12, 2005 at 12:32:51 PM EST
    "Expunged" means removed completely, right? Right. This kid got a sweet deal, facilitated no doubt by his dad, who took advantage of his position in the legal system (and used state monies) to teach his son a lesson without causing any long term negative impact on his son's (or his) future career. And yes, I join others in wondering what kind of deals Crank gave similarly situated first time offenders who were not family members. Somehow I don't think others got off so easy. That's where the potential hypocrisy lies, plain and simple. Don't know for sure, but it looks pretty opportunistic to me.

    Re: Father of the Year - Not (none / 0) (#16)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Feb 12, 2005 at 01:10:19 PM EST
    Let's not even be fooled here, folks, that kid got a deal due to daddy. It would be interesting to know how first-time offenders are treated in Wyoming, considering that the state is 92% white.

    Re: Father of the Year - Not (none / 0) (#17)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Feb 12, 2005 at 01:17:35 PM EST
    Roy, he's attorney general of the state now. As I said in the post, he was a federal prosecutor in Wyoming before that, prosecuting drug cases. My last case against him was in 1998.

    Re: Father of the Year - Not (none / 0) (#18)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Feb 12, 2005 at 01:18:00 PM EST
    ytt - I missed the expunged thing - good catch. Ya'll think the circumstances might have led to lienency rather than the fathers position? Pig- You were growing pot in your closet without your dad noticing? And yet you think he was great dad. He did what he had to do to help you, another dad did it a different way. I've got three kids and have to use three different styles to be effective. YMMV. -C

    Re: Father of the Year - Not (none / 0) (#19)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Feb 12, 2005 at 01:27:03 PM EST
    His getting a deferred (with future expungement) is not unusual. His being charged as an adult is. Most states have "minor in possession" statutes. They are handled by diversion through the juvenile court. Diversion is better because it doesn't require the defendant to plead guilty. The charges are just dropped at the end of the period.

    Re: Father of the Year - Not (none / 0) (#20)
    by kdog on Sat Feb 12, 2005 at 01:54:28 PM EST
    I hear that Roger, how anyone can defend the actions of this "mental absentee" father is beyond fathomable. My parents pulled me aside as a teen, explained the pros and cons of all the drugs, told me I'd have to make my own decisions but I should know the facts and their feelings on the issue. I grew up to be a responsible adult. Imagine that, parents raising their own kids, teaching right from wrong, and not even having to involve law enforcement! PS...It's just a plant for the love a god! Yet it will get you executed in Thailand, land you in a cage here at home, lead some mental midgets to rat on their own children. What the freak is wrong with people? Hate pot?, arrest mother nature.

    Re: Father of the Year - Not (none / 0) (#21)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Feb 12, 2005 at 02:25:42 PM EST
    I grew up to be a responsible adult. Are you sure? Weren't you worried about failing that piss test for the new job? j/k I love you K-dog! Good luck at the new job

    Re: Father of the Year - Not (none / 0) (#22)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Feb 12, 2005 at 03:17:44 PM EST
    This wasn't a father teaching his son right from wrong, this was entirely politically motivated. Don't b.s. yourself, kids can sneak all types of things past their parents...hell, I've done it numerous times, and BOTH of my parents are cops. When I got caught doing something "illegal" thankfully they never arrested me. FAST way to lose respect from your kid.

    Re: Father of the Year - Not (none / 0) (#23)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Feb 12, 2005 at 03:24:48 PM EST
    Just to add... This kid wasn't committing a violent crime, and this story did not merit the hype nor the father's response. If this had been alcohol it would have been a non-event. Daddy's probably going to start buying him sixers for frat parties soon.

    Re: Father of the Year - Not (none / 0) (#24)
    by pigwiggle on Sat Feb 12, 2005 at 03:39:42 PM EST
    “Pig- You were growing pot in your closet without your dad noticing? And yet you think he was great dad.” Uh … missed the part about getting caught? A bit slow today, bet you had a good night.

    Re: Father of the Year - Not (none / 0) (#25)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sun Feb 13, 2005 at 06:14:42 AM EST
    pig - Well, yes, the first booze in two weeks. To the poitn - you were able to bring in the soil, lights, seeds, fertilizer, etc without being noticed. Then you were able to grow them large enough to burn without being noticed. Plus those lights make noise and the growing process causes lots of smell. (Ahem.) Funny he missed that. -C

    Re: Father of the Year - Not (none / 0) (#26)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sun Feb 13, 2005 at 12:56:28 PM EST
    He wouldn't do it for anyone else, why should he do it for his family? Uh, because it's his family? But since this dad doesn't seem to think much of the blood-is-thicker . . . rule, I hope he's not counting on his son to forgive him--ever--on the same account. I don't know what sort of relationship he previously had with his son, but he's likely not going to have any at all now.

    Re: Father of the Year - Not (none / 0) (#27)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Feb 21, 2005 at 06:40:05 AM EST
    I'm Canadian, and while my American girlfriend is far more liberal than I am, people like you, victims of a fascist propaganda campaign started during the Reagan-era and escalated by Clinton and both Bushes, are precisely why I don't tell her that my family and I smoke marijuana on a semi-regular basis. We're all successful in our lives (moreso than the typical Jesuslander fascists who want to throw innocent marijuana smokers down the river) and we would not do anything different.

    Re: Father of the Year - Not (none / 0) (#28)
    by glanton on Mon Feb 21, 2005 at 07:41:44 AM EST
    Aside from his father being a police officer, pigwiggle's story is almost identical to an experience I had as a teenager. My mother let me watch my plants burn and as we watched, she explained to me that if I was upset about what had happened, I ought to try getting caught by the police with that stuff. A distinction between family and state is a good thing, an essential thing for a humane society. For a parent to turn his child in for breaking a minor law like that, that only affects the child, very much reverberates with fascist undertones. Sophocles wrote some pretty decent plays about this kind of stuff. That prosecutor ought to give _Antigone_ a read sometime.

    Father of the Year - Not | 28 comments (28 topical)