WHAT HAPPENS IN LAS VEGAS - DOESN"T ALWAYS STAY IN LAS VEGAS

At least it didn't when it involved Fort Erie's Ward 3 Councillor Kimberly Zanko. When someone named FE Taxpayer commented about a court case in Washington State involving Zim Zanko, I thought that it must be another person by the same name. Upon further information provided by a reader named Che, I was able to read the case and the judge's decision and it did involve our local councillor and another woman who worked for the same customs broker as Zanko. The two ladies were in Las Vegas helping set up a trade show hospitality suite. And trouble ensued.

The link to the case is HERE. If you care to read the whole thing, it's pretty much a case of a man gone wild at a trade show in Las Vegas who later lost his job and decided to play victim in a S.L.A.P.P. lawsuit. (Editor's Note: a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation which is, according to one definition is"is a lawsuit that is intended to censor, intimidate, and silence critics by burdening them with the cost of a legal defense until they abandon their criticism or opposition.The typical SLAPP plaintiff does not normally expect to win the lawsuit.") Now, I do know a thing or two (actually three) things about such lawsuits. I was sued for slander to shut me up and there are two conflict of interest lawsuits against former councillors and a sitting councillor that definitely fit the criteria for a S.L.A.P.P.)

It would seem that Zanko and her friend were upset and embarrassed by a dickwad from the Washington State affiliate of the company they worked for when he suggested that they use their female charms to sign up new clients. According to them, he was heavily intoxicated at the time and he may have been confused over the part the women played in the proceedings. He merely acted in the time-honoured way that many men behave at out-of-town conventions - like an asshole who never went to university and thus missed the frat parties and Homecoming celebrations where such behaviour was encouraged, nay welcomed. (See Animal House for reference.)

Later, back in his home office, he was falling way behind in his work and not producing well, so he was fired, according to management. He tried to throw Zanko and her friend under the bus by claiming they did "work the room" and he claimed to have overheard them discussing it. Oops. That brought the two ladies out and they were "upset" to say the least.

Really, girls. In this day and age, you are "upset" about a drunk's behaviour in Las Vegas? Cry me a river. Let me tell you something about sexual harassment as it was back in my day. Ever see Mad Men?  Back when I was first in the workforce, sexual harassment was the norm in many workplaces. Some turned it around and advanced, using their sexual skills to move up the corporate ladder (to private secretary) Others were fired or demoted if they did not co-operate with the usual all-male establishment. I once did a paper on exactly this when I took courses from Cornell. It took a lot of hard work and sacrifice and better legislation to enable women to get good-paying jobs that they did not have to trade sexual favours in order to receive. The guy in the lawsuit was grasping at straws to save his job and the "girls" (I call them that because they behaved like silly girls, IMHO) handled it all wrong. Sometimes, we need to have brass tits in this big bad world. A drunken a-hole is no match for a couple of gals with brains. 

Guess Zanko and friend left their brains at Customs when they came to Las Vegas. They showed a decided lack of creativity, especially in this age of wireless phones that take pictures and videos. That's my opinion. What do you think?

Note: Since I re-read the entire case, it would seem that Zanko and friend were trying to cover their asses by filing the suit against their former colleague. Since Zanko has a long history of being "window dressing" there may be a whole lot more to the story, but you'll never get the straight poop from either of the two women.