[zeugma]

"There is largely a culture in state and local government that violating public meetings and open records laws is not the same as committing a crime," Chamberlin said. "It's largely treated as a nuisance rather than a law."

Is anyone surprised by this at all?

Drive 5 mph over the speed limit, and they whack you with all the fines they can muster, but when they break the law it's just business as usual. 

[summer]

Drive 5 mph over the speed limit, and they whack you with all the fines they can muster, but when they break the law it's just business as usual. 

"Steal a little; they throw you in jail. Steal a lot; they make you king." Something like that. And, yes, I agree with you.