PICK UP TRASH, PLAN A PARTY, WHATEVER…
The story of former Wal-Mart executive Thomas Coughlin may be in the running for the longest Wal-Mart story ever. We first reported on Coughlin here nearly three years ago, but his actions keep putting him back in the news.
This time it’s for planning a party.
From Bloomberg:
If Thomas Coughlin, Wal-Mart’s former No. 2 executive, has learned anything from his encounter with the law, it is how to manipulate the justice system.
For one thing, because of poor health he gets to stay home and avoid even the most accommodating of white-collar prison camps, as those un-jails are dubbed.
Then there is his notion of community service. Less imaginative felons wind up collecting highway trash. Coughlin goes to a party.
It’s true. Coughlin persuaded his probation officer to let him count as community service the hours he spent last month schmoozing with old hunting buddies at a banquet for the National Wild Turkey Federation, local chapter.
Well, why not? The event raised money for the nonprofit, conservation group, according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, which first reported Coughlin’s big night out. So what if the federation promotes killing wild turkeys while working to conserve them?
Coughlin got to count not only his time at the banquet, but time spent attending planning meetings and rounding up auction items.
No spooning out soup to the homeless for this millionaire.
I don’t want to suggest that The National Wild Turkey Federation is not a worthy conservation organization, it is.
My concept of court-ordered community service however is the re-directing of the miscreant’s skills to a greater good that they would not have previously engaged in. Yes, allow a talented singer to give concerts at school assemblies in rural areas, but not at popular night clubs in New York City.
If Coughlin’s skills are in planning and fund raising, then how about doing so for Kinky Friedman’s Utopia Animal Rescue Ranch or for a fund to help educate the children of migrant workers in Zhejiang, China?
Getting to hang with your rich hunting buddies doesn’t count.
“Getting to hang with your rich hunting buddies doesn’t count.’………Now, if one of those rich hunting buddies turns out to be Justice Scalia,or,—-Dick Cheney—-well,there could be some interesting developments and ,er um,unintended consequences?
Shalom Schaden,
The rich aren’t like you and me; they’re well, rich.
B’shalom,
Jeff
This is SAD. He starts in loss prevention makes a fortune and wants even more. Further a judge lets him basically WALK!!
Shalom Coughlin,
First, thank you for stopping in, for reading and, most importantly, for taking the time to join the dialog by writing a comment. Building a community is all about our conversations.
You typically can’t buy a judge, but the lawyers you can buy with a few million dollars can sure make it look like you can.
B’shalom,
Jeff
[...] on each other, but when Walmart’s right it’s right. That Tom Coughlin is claiming emotional distress just makes me want to see him squirm even more. From The Associated Press: [The] trial is to start [...]