BLOG: My Representative, Mary Hayashi, Was Arrested on Charge of Felony Grand Theft

My home here in Pleasanton is in District 18, Representative Mary Hayashi's district.

Representative Mary Hayashi rewarded me for my vote by getting arrested on a shoplifting charge and embarrassing me and every voter in her district who voted for her.

Hayashi is quoted as saying it is a "mistake and misunderstanding."

But, according to the San Francisco store, there is a videotape recording of her leaving the store without paying for the items. If true, that action is felony grand theft.

I expect that Hayashi will receive special treatment because she is an elected representative. Her husband is a sitting judge on the Alameda County Superior Court. She may get the felony reduced to a misdemeanor.

Because the evidence seems to be irrefutable and Hayashi will probably receive a slap on the wrist for the felony she allegedly committed, I believe the slap on the wrist should be a sentence to unpaid public service for three years, eight-hour days, five days a week, plus the maximum monetary penalty allowed and an extended period of probation. If she did this, she should also be required to report to a probation officer, and she should carry a conviction on record for the rest of her life.

Hayashi, elected by the people and serving for the people in a position of public trust, demeans the district. It's a slap in the face to the people who voted for her and says something about her reckless behavior and her mindset in general.

Going forward, I think that every time she appears in public, I, for one, will wonder if what she is wearing is paid for or shoplifted.