by David Safier
I mentioned that the story of newly elected state rep Vic Williams (R, LD-26) stiffing Iraq vet Tasha Downum for her rental deposit was
developing. The latest development is, Jim Nintzel picked the story up from my posts and ran with it in Tucson Weekly's
The Skinny.
Nintzel talked with Downum and moved the story ahead a notch. When I wrote my posts, Williams had not contacted Downum about the unreturned $400 deposit — now $1,845 after a small claims court judgment against Williams (He didn't show for the hearing). But after I talked to Williams, then Nintzel followed up, he decided he'd better do something.
So what does he do? He takes sleaze to the next level.
It was only after we talked to Williams–and a day after he had been slapped around on Blog for Arizona–that Downum got a call from a woman who identified herself as Williams' attorney. (If Williams is now paying an attorney to make calls on his behalf, the expenses on this measly $400 are really piling up!)
Downum tells us that Williams' representative assured her that Williams would be sending her a check–but she then asked Downum if, in the meantime, she would mind faxing a letter to Williams stating that her claim against him has been satisfied.
Downum was having none of that: "I told her, 'I'm not signing anything until I receive the money.'"
Let me get this straight. Williams wants a letter from Downum saying she's satisfied with the way he dealt with the claim before he deals with the claim??? Maybe he thought he could just wave her letter around and say, "See, it's all over. She's satisfied." And not pay her.
There's something Williams doesn't understand about being a public figure. If Downum was foolish enough to let herself be conned into writing a letter of satisfaction before Williams paid her (which she wasn't), does he think the story would go away? I've already shown that I'm on this until Downum gets her money back, along with the extra money the judge tacked on for good measure.
Vic, pay up. Send Tasha a check for the $1.845, preferably before Christmas so she can splurge a little on her five year old son's presents. He deserves a little extra after being separated from his mother for a year while she served in Iraq. It's time to put this one behind you.
I'm not the only one on the story now. Here's how Nintzel ends his piece:
So will Downum finally see a check from Williams? We'll let you know in the second installment of Screwed-Over Iraq Vet Watch.
