Just Like You or Me, Except A Connected Politician

Virgil Smith, a Michigan State Senator, and noted anti-gun Democrat just got the plea deal of a lifetime.

It likely also didn't hurt that his father is the chief judge at Wayne County Circuit Court where he was charged.

Picture this: You decide to, and proceed to shoot at your ex-wife with an AR15 after an argument as she drives away from your house. You are under no threat at the time.

Anyone with a lick of sense would tell you not to do this considering there's absolutely zero justification for doing so and if you do that you're going to jail.

Anyone who did such a blatantly criminal action could expect to be easily convicted of a variety of justified charges -- that Mr. Smith was indeed initially charged with -- such as: domestic violence assault and battery, felonious assault, and Michigan's slam-dunk felony of using a firearm during a felony charge which carries a 2 year sentence all by itself.

Looks like any person in such a situation would be looking at a nice long stint behind bars in what is quite an open and shut case, right? Awfully hard to defend the indefensible. After all, the Senator committed violence against women, used an "assault weapon" and apparently had ongoing alcohol and mental health issues that likely should have barred him from owning a firearm assuming they are true and not made up excuses for his actions:

Assistant Wayne County Prosecutor Lisa Lindsey told the court that medical records indicated Smith suffered from bipolar depression and may have been in a hypomanic episode during the time. She also said Smith had a traumatic brain injury from a rollover accident in December 2014 and was “alcohol dependent at the time of this event.”

In short that would make any normal person the media poster boy for gun control. It would be hard to find anyone in disagreement that someone doing such an indefensible act should go to jail for a very long time indeed. Your average idiot would indeed be looking at serious time for such inexcusable actions.

So of course, Mr. Smith got a sweet, sweet, plea deal:

Smith pleaded guilty to a felony count of malicious destruction of personal property of $20,000 or more in connection with the incident outside his home on Wexford last May and on March 14 was sentenced to 10 months in jail with no early release.

The Detroit News: State Sen. Virgil Smith in court Monday on plea deal fate

Even better, as part of the deal, he was required to resign his position as State Senator, but now per the judge he won't have to do so.

The judge has now ruled he doesn't have to resign but refused to negate the plea agreement as that would not be in the interests of justice, so he can continue to collect a $71,000 salary while in jail.

The Detroit Free Press: Sen. Virgil Smith keeps his job, goes to jail

Apparently, it's good to be an anti-gun Democrat Senator in Michigan.