Anne Arundel County Councilman Daryl Jones, after having spent five months in prison for failing to file tax returns, recently remarked, "You show me a lion without scars, and I'll show you a lion that can't lead" ("For Daryl Jones, long road back to Arundel council," Nov. 18). I think we've all had enough of politicians trying to give their embattled images a makeover so that they appear to be a phoenix rising from the ashes. While I can appreciate the tenacity of a person who has successfully navigated challenges, surviving self-inflicted wounds doesn't count as an endorsement for a person's ability to lead.

Mr. Jones' return to his County Council seat, coincides with Julius Henson's assertion that he's interested in running for a state Senate seat ("Jail behind him, Julius Henson seeks a Senate seat," Nov. 15). After spending 30 days in jail for conspiracy as the result of his connection with election day robocalls, he apparently now feels that he should be allowed to have even more influence over what goes on in the state. Earlier this year, ousted Baltimore City Mayor Sheila Dixon said that she was considering a return to politics. Is having served time or being threatened with it now a prerequisite for public office?

We, the people, still have the power to send a message to crooked politicians every time we step up to the ballot box. They're welcome to "consider running" all they'd like, but we should quickly disabuse them of the notion that they're welcome back in our political arena. We all deserve better representation than this. It's time that they be shown the door.

Brigitte Jacobson, Baltimore
