Fiorello H. La Guardia

[pnorman]

I was Googling to get some info on the Norris-LaGuardia Act of 1932, and here's a delightful hit:

"According to Try and Stop Me by Bennett Cerf, La Guardia often officiated in municipal court. He handled routine misdemeanor cases, including, as Cerf wrote, a man who had stolen a loaf of bread for his starving family. La Guardia insisted on levying the fine of ten dollars. Then he said "I'm fining everyone in this courtroom fifty cents for living in a city where a man has to steal bread in order to eat!" He passed a hat and gave the fines to the defendant, who left the court with $47.50.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LaGuardia

I LOVE that!

pnorman