A Lake Shore city councilman was cited for shoplifting in Baxter on Sunday, June 24, at Gander Mountain.
John Bukovich blamed his medication he is taking causes him to “get goofy.” His claims he is taking an anti-depressant that has negative side effects.
Councilman Bukovich was issued a citation for shoplifting $225 of merchandise from the store.
This is not his first shoplifting incident. In 2008 he was caught shoplifting at Mills Fleet Farm, also in Baxter. Charges against him in that situation were dismissed.
Bukovich is a former police chief for the city of Lake Shore. In 2003 there was a controversy swirling around the former chief, however, charges against him were never filed.
Bukovich was quoted by the Dispatch saying, “It’s embarrassing. I could back and fight it (the incident at Gander Mountain), and get this one dismissed too, but I’m tired. I don’t want to do it anymore.”
Understandably, Councilman Bukovich is tired of these encounters.
Perhaps it is time to step down from the council and deal with his illness, rather than bring more embarrassment upon himself and the council. (His current term as a councilman ends this year.)
However, if he chooses to serve the remainder of his term in office and declares he will not seek re-election, that is a viable option.
Either option would be honorable on his part.
—Keith Hansen
Comments (19)
Add commentJust the facts
If someone is caught red handed stealing, then how in their wildest imagination do they think they could fight it and get it dismissed??? Stealing is stealing. Facts are facts, taking something without paying for it is stealing. All, the excuses, rationalizations, and justifications, do not change that. We are not surprised when children make excuses, but expect more for adults.
Well merlyn,
compare that to Eric Holder lying to Congress just like Bill Clinton did. And now Obama covering up for Holder. What do you expect the children to think? The highest power in the nation is a crook covering up for a lying employee, probably because he himself is part of a conspiracy to violate the Constitution criminally. It's pretty hard for children to expect anything any more.
And that is a fact.
How is this letter mean and small, Eyolf?
I have a lot of compassion for people with mental health issues, but Councilman Bukovich has been caught twice in the last few years stealing items from local businesses and he, himself, is blaming it on his medications. One has to ask if he is having so much trouble with lucidity that he can't tell whether or not he bought something, is he competent to do the task he has been elected to do?
merlyn3248 says: "Facts are facts, taking something without
paying for it is stealing." And yet it has done nothing to stop Obama from giving amnesty to the illegals!
NPR, mouthpiece for liberals!
And it's 2012, not 30 years ago. Why is it the left always lives in the past?
Mr Hansen is 200% correct
and I would like to thank you for adding some common sense and logic to a matter that is quite frankly, out of control.
People like Bukovich ARE what's wrong with America. Just like Clinton sitting there lieing on TV to Congress, and then when he was caught red handed, finally admitting it. ALL this does is send a message to kids of any age that you do NOT have to take responsibility for your actions at any phase, and if you are really up against the wall and caught, just get a lawyer and they will handle the rest.
America is sick, Bukovich is sick, Clinton is sick, anyone in denial is sick. Its time to fix sick.
Hilarious, Scary...
So you think Reagan was right about giving one-time amnesty as part of comprehensive immigration reform. Good to know. I find it hilarious that you are trying to simultaneously attack Reagan and support Obama for doing, not the same thing, but copying a pilot program that turned out not to work the first time. I guess that's a little like Holder and crew taking the failed Operation Wide Receiver and making it much, much worse.
If you want to see what was really going through Reagan's mind regarding amnesty, you might want to read former Attorney General Meese's writings on the subject:
http://www.humanevents.com/2006/12/13/reagan-would-not-repeat-amnesty-mi...
Scary
Scary - It is certainly not surprising to me that you have no ability to see the flaw in your argument. Here's the large, not so subtle difference. Reagan "signed the bill into law". Regardless of what the law says, he followed the constitutional process. He didn't simply choose to not enforce existing laws or punish states for trying to enforce existing laws. Reagan's approach was constitutional. President Obama's approach is despotic.
How did this conversation
How did this conversation turn political? Can't we just stick to the subject? Should this man resign his position or not? I think he should, but I think it was rather mean to publish this opinion piece. There was a front page article the other day. That was enough.
news
If this is the only thing big enough to make the front page of the Brainerd Paper then I think this writer should quit and take up quilting...This country has problems with ,gas prices ,food prices, people losing houses , so many problems and this is what we have to read...Sorry for you people.Get a life!!!!!!!
Sounds to me like humybird is
Mr Bukovich.
Well said Keith
Straight and to the point without getting personal. I would also encourage him to rethink his GM postion with a local eatery. If he doesnt know what merchandise is his and what is not, how can he be trusted to make sure the chicken gets in the freezer.
????
If he doesn't know he is stealing, what is he taking from the owner of his current business he is working for.
Safety issue ?
Back to the original question, should he resign? I would say yes. If his judgement and thinking is impared to the point he does not know that he is taking something that does not belong to him, how can he have the judgement to hold office? Or manage a business? Is it safe for him to operate a motor vehicle on the roads? Also, if he were taking medication that caused confusion or some type of imparement could he potentially get a DUI for driving under the influence of a mood altering substance???
merlyn
Driving on medication should be an issue. He pulls around a huge center console boat, it has to be more than 20" long. Gander Mountain should get a cut of his fishing guide earnings. How about the safety of the people in his boat with him when he is guiding.