The Brethren

[belly_ttt]

To his right was the Californian, the Honorable Finn Yarber, age sixty, in for two years now with five to go for income tax evasion. A vendetta, he still maintained to anyone who would listen. A crusade by a Republican governor who'd managed to rally the voters in a recall drive to remove Chief Justice Yarber from the California Supreme Court. The rallying point had been Yarber's opposition to the death penalty, and his high-handedness in delaying every execution. Folks wanted blood, Yarber prevented it, the Republicans whipped up a frenzy, and the recall was a smashing success. They pitched him onto the street, where he floundered for a while until the IRS began asking questions. Educated at Stanford, indicted in Sacramento, sentenced in San Francisco, and now serving his time at a federal prison in Florida.

More context at CNN - 'The Brethren' - January 25, 2000
I want to ask some questions of the paragraph:
1) What does the sentence in green say? IMO, the rallying point was in favor of Yarber to opposite the capital punishment. Is it right?
2) I wonder why delaying every execution can be considered as "arrogance"
3) And I think that the IRS has something to do with the frenzy, doesn't it? Because they said:"the Republicans whipped up a frenzy, and the recall was a smashing success. They pitched him onto the street, where he floundered for a while until the IRS began asking questions. Educated at Stanford, indicted in Sacramento, sentenced in San Francisco, and now serving his time at a federal prison in Florida.". But who's the Republicans here? Do they belong to the IRS?

 

[Anglika]

More context at CNN - 'The Brethren' - January 25, 2000
I want to ask some questions of the paragraph:
1) What does the sentence in green say? IMO, the rallying point was in favor of Yarber to opposite the capital punishment. Is it right? The rallying point was Yarber's opposition to the death penalty [which is still used in California] which his opponent used as a tool to persuade voters to vote against Yarber.
2) I wonder why delaying every execution can be considered as "arrogance" Same point - California has the death penalty, Yarber disapproves so he delayed executions, and this is regarded as an arrogant action in an elected official.
3) And I think that the IRS has something to do with the frenzy, doesn't it? No - they took advantage of it to investigate Yarber's tax affairs. Because they said:"the Republicans whipped up a frenzy, and the recall was a smashing success. They pitched him onto the street, where he floundered for a while until the IRS began asking questions. Educated at Stanford, indicted in Sacramento, sentenced in San Francisco, and now serving his time at a federal prison in Florida.". But who's the Republicans here? Do they belong to the IRS? The Republican Party in California.

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[belly_ttt]

Hi,
3) he floundered for a while until the IRS began asking question



. Here's what I imagine: They called for a recall. But if a recall was only a vote, how come it became to a frenzy, and they "pitched him onto the street"? He floudered for a while until the IRS asked. I see the continuity of action here: a)They pitched him onto the ground b) He floudered c) the IRS asked. IF the IRS doesn't belong to the Republicians or vice versa, so how come the IRS appeared? Or perhaps the IRS took part in the frenzy in a underhand way?

 

[Anglika]

Don't take this as literal. There is no physical action taking place. This is a flowery piece of journalism. The frenzy and being cast into the street are metaphorical.

 

[belly_ttt]

So what can I understand it?

 

[Anglika]

Yarber was a judge whose views on capital punishment are not appreciated. He is "pitched on the street" = put out of his position by those who do not like his views. In the meantime, the Inland Revenue Service begin to investigate his tax status. Things do not go smoothly and Yarber ends up in jail for tax evasion.

The "frenzy" is a fancy way of saying that everyone gets excited.