From the Argus Leader comes an editorial on the mystery surrounding the Minnehaha Co. State’s Attorney’s absence from the office, and the 911 call that preceded it:
It’s still not clear what’s going on in the murky matter of McGowan’s mysterious missing time, or if it was indeed precipitated by the 911 call in question. The Argus Leader will continue working to make sure the full story finds its way out of the shadows.
Until then, we must demand that our leaders in the legislature, law enforcement and other government agencies ensure that presumptions of privacy and discretion are applied evenly between people in positions of power and the rest of us.
Presuming that the absence is for a health problem, hopefully all the public employees are treated equally under the terms of the federal FMLA which allows for up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave without loss of job or benefits. And hopefully all public employees are treated equally under the federal HIPAA which protects their privacy.
Editorials don’t trump federal law, you know.