This Arrest Brings Back Memories

The arrest of a Eugene man, allegedly he knew of asbestos on a Sweet Home property he bought for demolition and later, to build a development upon, brings back memories. Click post title to go to story.

My brother built a casino once, long ago. Another contractor was hired by the tribe to demolish whatever was on the site where the casino would eventually be built. Asbestos was allegedly found and improperly disposed of. How much? Less than a shoebox full.

But the head of the tribe was indicted in a years and years long investigation that ate up millions of taxpayer dollars. Frustrated that they could not pin the tribe head on other charges, which might have been legitimate, they went after him on the asbestos charge.

My brother was subpoenaed to testify. This took him from running his business because it was a federal trial held in Portland and it went on and on.

He had eventually built that casino and been stiffed by that tribe to the tune of a very large sum of money. Subsequently, his contractor shop burned to the ground. He initially suspected someone in the tribe, but the fire department decided it must have been sparks from an abandoned fire a transient, camped nearby, had set to keep warm.

While my brother was testifying at the trial, then had his shop and his means of survival burn to the ground, he sent his kids to the lake with friends, to relax a bit. His daughter broke her hip.

Misery added upon misery. Finally, a woman judge intervened, he said. I guess she said something to the FBI agents and federal prosecutor when my brother requested permission not to testify further, due to extreme personal hardships, including his shop burning to the ground and his daughter in the hospital in need of surgery.

The judge was rather outraged that my brother was being kept in Portland to testify at a ridiculous trial. He was allowed to return home.

I don't know how much asbestos was up in Sweet Home, but I do know these records of tiny amounts of asbestos present somewhere get lost easily in translation from contractor to contractor and the piles of paperwork involved in doing anything nowadays.

If it's a tiny amount, they shouldn't be going after him. That's my take on it, after seeing what happened in a ridiculous waste of millions of taxpayer dollars, and hardships on my brother and his business, in pursuit of that tribal head over an insignificant amount of asbestos.

Perhaps this case is entirely different. I hope it is. I hope the feds aren't repeating expensive sideshows of the past.