To the Editor:

In 2004, I spent two weeks in Russia. I polite gentleman there was one of my guides and interpreters and told me he had just spent two years in prison.

Why?

He was the president of the city council for 12 years and it is typical in Russia that the new city government trump up criminal charges against a former council member, so that they will never be able to run for a government position again.

How fortunate that I live in a constitutional republic, where nothing like that will ever occur.

Kevin Schultz
Huron