The shoes of the fisherman

Those don't look like the Pope's shoes. Doesn't the Pope wear really cool red Gucci loafers or something?

Yes, he does, grasshopper.

That is what they say about the Pope, isn't it, that he walks in the shoes of the fisherman?

Right again, grasshopper.

Then I don't understand Spotty. Those look like old army boots.

They are old army boots. They belong to Joe Repya, one of the tin gods of the right wing and cheerleader for the war in Iraq. He's running for chair of the Minnesota GOP against Ron Carey. Spot wrote about Joe Repya before.

How do you know he's a fisherman, Spotty?

He has to be. With fishermen, the stories get better and the fish get bigger with each retelling. That seems to be true for Joe Repya, too. But before we get into that, let's back up a little.

In the run-up to the war in Iraq, some St. Joan of Arc parishoners made up lawn signs that proclaimed "Say No to war with Iraq." Joe Repya decided to mount a counter campaign with lawn signs that read "Liberate Iraq." One of the contributors to the St. Joan of Arc website interviewed Joe Repya, an account of that interview can be read here. The interview apparently took place in September of 2003, when the war was still fresh and new, the bloom had not yet come off the rose, and President Bush had announced "Mission Accomplished" some months earlier.

There was something in the interview that caught Spot's eye. Actually, it caught somebody else's eye who called it to Spot's attention. But Spot did find it interesting. Here it is:

Liberals scream peace at any price, said Repya. I took a few deep breaths. My pause allowed him to tell me about how he came home one day to find the police and the FBI in house. His wife had received three phone calls in 15 minutes threatening them and President Bush. The police gave the Repyas bullet proof vests and a conceal and carry permit. The suspect was caught, tried, and is now in prison. But Repya still has the bullet proof vest, and his tone implied he felt there are still threatening people out there.

Wow. Finding yourself in mortal danger for a lawn sign campaign! That's pretty unusual, thought Spot. So he decided to check it out.

It turns out that somebody did make harassing phone calls to the Repyas. The police say that the person was identified and issued a citation. A ticket in other words. Now, Spot thinks that the likelihood of spending time in the big house on a tab charge is, well, remote. As is the probability that the police gave the Repyas bullet-proof vests and concealed weapons permits. Remember, boys and girls, this incident most likely took place before the heady days of shall-issue conceal and carry permits in Minnesota. Maybe Repay was considered such a national treasure that he got better armor than the troops were then getting, but who knows?

One thing is pretty clear. Spot's tipster also did a Lexis search to find any articles about a person being charged—and convicted and sent to prison—with threatening Joe or Mrs. Repya and George Bush. None was found.

Grasshopper, Spot says to draw your own conclusion about whether Joe Repya is a fisherman.

Okay, Spotty I will.

A big thump of the tail to Spot's anonymous tipster.


Tags: Joe Repya, Minnesota GOP