CNN.Com: Martha Stewart found guilty on all counts.
Can’t say I’m terribly surprised. She’s made so many enemies that I really doubted she was going to be let off. I’m not a fan (my mother-in-law is threatening to make WWMSD bracelets — What Would Martha Stewart Do — she’s a big Martha fan) and I didn’t really care all that much about following the trial. I have enough to think about with unpacking the rest of the house (no… we’re not completely unpacked yet — if you want to help me haul books upstairs and unpack and live near me, let me know) without having to consider how to arrange flowers for March, especially with four creatures who live to destroy anything that moves. I’m still trying to figure out how to decorate the house let alone make centerpieces for fancy dinners that I’m not currently having. I’ve heard rumors about how badly she treats her people and I have no desire to associate myself with any of that. Add on that we’re still paying off student loans and I can’t afford to do most of the stuff she does.
The reason that she was tried and even charged is that there has been a white collar crime wave lately and the federal government is making an example of her. She’s in the public eye and her actions are watched a little more closely as a result. She may have had an agreement with her broker to sell the stock or she may have lied — I don’t know and I don’t care. The government basically used her to prove the point that they will prosecute those who commit white collar crime.
The only thing that really disturbed me was the juror that claimed that “this was a victory for the little people”. ‘Scuse me? How is this a victory for the little people? Martha is a self-made woman. She was poor as a child and built her empire as an adult — if anything, she showed that one can make themself into something if they’re tenacious enough. THAT is a victory for “the little people”. Having her found guilty does nothing for “the little people” — she’s already ruined because she was even charged and put on trial. If only people weren’t so media-hungry that they had to give stupid soundbytes!
It was a victory for “the little people” in that a famous rich person wasn’t able to buy their justice.
The reason Martha was prosecuted was because she LIED to the feds and they were able to prove it. Granted people lie to the Feds all the time, and they know it, and when they can prove it they nail em with everything they got. If Martha would have just told the truth and not tired to continue her lie and keep her image she would still be free.
Like mama always said, “Tell the truth and you won’t be punished as bad.”
Ironically, she wasn’t punished for what she did — she was punished for not being truthful about it, which makes me wonder if she really *did* engage in insider trading. it’s kind of like oj being found not guilty but being found financially liable for his wife’s death in the civil trial.
This is a great blog. I think the theme is pretty decent.