SHAMEFUL PEOPLE

Citizens were wondering about the new face introduced by Ed Slavin as Jamin Douglas Rubenstein.

Slavin rambled on about his new partnership with Rubenstein and how their new project “staugustgreen.com” was promoting what Slavin calls “the answer to the Tourism Master Plan conundrum”.

We have all listened ad nauseum to Slavin’s glowing praise of the St. Augustine National Historical Park, National Seashore and Scenic Coastal Parkway and read his endless re-posting of a letter he wrote to the local newspaper which has failed again and again to gain traction.

At the meeting and on his blog, Slavin pleas for us to ask our legislators and teachers, our friends, relatives and neighbors, to view this new website www.staugustgreen.com.

Rubenstein is a 33 year old lawyer. Maybe not a bad partner for Slavin — who is disbarred and can no longer legally practice law.

Maybe Ed Slavin advises Rubenstein on matters without the burden of a law license? They apparently connect on the Tourism Master Plan, the St. Augustine National Historical Park, National Seashore and Scenic Coastal Parkway as well as the staugustgreen.com website; not to mention their perceived need to address the city commission.

Maybe they connect on how it feels to be arrested and accused of drunk driving? Of course, Slavin has no drivers license, but Rubenstein, shown here in his February 2008 booking photograph, was arrested for driving his Isuzu while under the influence; refusing to comply with field sobriety tests and breath analysis as required by law.

Rubenstein was observed straddling the center lane marker, almost striking an object or vehicle, weaving, swerving, following too closely, drifting with tires on the center line, stopping inappropriately as well as accelerating or decelerating rapidly according to authorities.

Rubenstein had a strong odor of alcoholic beverages, his face was flushed, his eyes were bloodshot, watery, his pupils were dilated and his speech was slurred as observed by the officer on the scene.

In St. Augustine, when a police officer pulls behind you with his emergency lights and siren on, you pull over – as the other drivers on SR 312 did that night. Why didn’t you? We don’t lead cops on chases through dangerous intersections, refusing to stop, forcing officers to corner us in a bank parking lot while we are trying to avoid capture.

Are we supposed to understand a man who when asked a simple question if he had consumed any alcoholic beverages today replies “yes, no and yes”? Are we supposed to believe a man who can hardly stand outside his car without falling over? Are we supposed to follow a man who repeatedly refuses to take a required alcohol test who instead responds to police officers with “I am a lawyer”?

Being a lawyer doesn’t give you the right to drive drunk. Shame on you for risking your own life and the lives of our citizens in St. Augustine. Maybe your native Brooklyn, NY friends would allow you to endanger them but St. Augustine says “NO THANK YOU”.