Vignali Clemency
Frank del Olmo’s reasoning on the Vignali clemency stunned me (Commentary, Feb. 18). Carlos Vignali conspired to sell 800 pounds of cocaine, so certainly he was no lightweight in the drug trade, and it was no kindergarten type of deal. Undercover cops risk their lives and spend months on a “buy” of one or two kilos. There are dealers serving longer terms for half a pound, and some are jailed years for deals involving half an ounce.
OK, Frank, so a little politics and the guy got pardoned, but let’s not pull this soft-shoe shuffle on the public about it. Almost half a ton!
HOWARD E. MORSEBURG
Buellton
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How unfortunate that an associate editor of The Times describes former Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa, U.S. Rep. Xavier Becerra and Sheriff Lee Baca as “L.A.’s Latino elite,” when their actions on behalf of the Vignali family clearly establish that they are nothing more than politicians who can be bought for amazingly small sums.
NOEL JOHNSON
Glendale
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