And the saga continues...

I read the following article with a sense of amazement. My post to the Dispatch List with a copy of the article included this comment: "And here's a followup article, which doesn't exactly make me feel any better about the esteemed councilman. What's YOUR opinion?"

Published Thursday, November 5, 1998
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Rousso's `sorry' applies only to use of profanity

By JOHN REINAN
Staff Writer

Charlotte City Council member Al Rousso apologized Wednesday for cursing at 911 dispatchers but repeated his contention that he faced a potentially dangerous situation when he called the emergency number Monday night.

"I thoroughly and profusely apologize publicly for the words I used," Rousso said. "I apologize for the language -- that part of it."

Rousso said he felt no need to apologize for loudly and insistently demanding police assistance when he found what he called a "suspicious" van parked next to his car in an uptown parking garage.

"I can't think for the other people," he said. "They have to have their own opinion."

Rousso made two calls to 911 Monday night after he became suspicious of the van. In the calls, he cursed, threatened to report a supervisor to the City Council and told a dispatcher that a bomb had gone off and "killed about 400 people."

News of Rousso's calls prompted about two dozen people to phone city offices today, a receptionist for the mayor and council said. She declined to say how many callers were critical of Rousso and how many in favor.

More than three dozen people contacted The Observer, nearly all of them critical of Rousso.

"I don't care how any times this man apologizes," said Kathi Minter. "What he did was unforgivable. We have all been in situations like his. We just don't have his inflated ego. "He's an embarrassment to the people of Charlotte."

Rebecca Sigmon said she sent faxes to Mayor Pat McCrory and all the City Council members, criticizing Rousso. "To be a city official and act that way. I don't want him representing me,"she said.

William E. Hall was more willing to forgive. "I sort of sympathize with old Al," Hall said. "He just got a dose of the treatment your average citizen gets when you deal with City Hall."

Many callers were concerned with Rousso's claim that a bomb had gone off. Didn't that constitute a false report? they asked. Wouldn't it be a crime?

No, according to Assistant City Attorney Bob Hagemann.

"I don't think you can fairly read anything he said as communicating a threat," Hagemann said. "He was expressing frustration, fear and concern.

"The other thing, his reference to the bomb, was clearly sarcastic," Hagemann said. "There's no law against sarcasm."

Rousso got support from the executive who manages the Carillon parking garage at 227 W. Trade St., where the incident took place. "I think a reasonable person, me included, would be irate," said David Fairbaugh, vice president of Preferred Parking. "If I had called 911 and waited 20 minutes to get a response, in uptown Charlotte, that's bad."

He also pointed out that the U.S. attorney has an office in the Carillon building. That gave some credence to Rousso's fears of a terrorist attack, Fairbaugh said.

A variety of postings to the Dispatch Mailing list began to appear, as well as quite a few personal contacts via e-mail and "real time" online systems, such as ICQ and AOL's Instant Messenger. The most powerful statements are represented here, at the Break Room, for everyone to appreciate.

• The First News Article
• 9-1-1 Call Transcript
• What I did.....first..
• My Letter
• Dispatch List responses
• Letters to the Observer
• Response from the reporter