Former State Senator Jeff Woodburn has joined a dating app. Bumble. No irony intended. His perfect first date includes strong coffee (and no mention of his pending trial for domestic violence, simple assault, and criminal mischief?)
That sounds mean, so let me preface with a reminder. I believe in forgiveness and salvation if there is true penance (repentance, contrition). Accepting that human nature, being what it is, makes this difficult. But people can change. The matter before us, however, occurred while Mr. Woodburn was a sitting New Hampshire State Senator. The trial is a measure of action taken in the past, which includes admissions of assault and issues with anger.
Rather than accept those elements and admit that he was out of line, the defendant continues to insist his multiple “assaults” were acts of self-defense. When you acknowledge anger issues, destroying property, and throwing things at people, insisting that biting a woman more than half your size is self-defense seems a bit of a stretch – when you’ve spent the majority of your political life trying to deny people their right to self-defense.
And what was the point of leaking protecting material sealed for trial if your self-defense case is so strong?
Eh!?
But people can change. It’s true.
And word has it Jeff has dropped 80 pounds and turned himself into a lean, mean fighting machine. That’s just a turn of phrase. Good for him. Yes, I’m serious. Men who carry all that weight significantly increase the chance of a heart attack. Having had one (not because of weight), I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.
Maybe the workouts are helping him channel his issues with anger. That would be good too. But it does not absolve him of actions two years ago or the consequences he hopes to dodge. Speaking of dodging? The trial has been delayed again — more time for Jeff to get his side of the story straight.
A story that, on the whole, has been more about a few prominent North Country Democrats refusing to #believewomen to protect a political asset (at the time Sen. Woodburn). Rather than accept the possibility that he stepped out of line (not for the first time) and that it should cost him something.
It did — his Senate Seat. We won’t know if there is any additional price to pay until the trial where a jury will get to decide if his claims of self-defense create reasonable doubt.
However that goes, we will write about the verdict without the benefit of being forced to do so by the state of New Hampshire.
