Shortly after graduation Sisk became legal counsel to Tennessee’s newly elected Governor Ray Blanton. Shortly after she graduated, Sisk offered her a remarkable opportunity to serve as an extradition officer. She found herself being quickly promoted to the prestigious and powerful position as the chair of the Tennessee Board of Pardons and Paroles. Her financial headaches were over, her children were secure, and she had a blossoming career.
After notifying the governor she was shocked to see the
program not only continued but flourished to include violent and sadistic
felons.
She met with Sisk several more times. She made it clear she would not parole undeserving
inmates. As pressure grew to get her in line, she made
a demand. Either the program ends or
she will go public with it. They
responded by giving her a substantial raise in pay, making her the second
highest paid government official in Tennessee.
She persisted. What
followed was a nightmare of incredible proportions. At one
point she was arrested and jailed on trumped up charges. When none of that worked, they fired her.
Gone was her livelihood. Gone was the children’s security. Gone was her blossoming career. That would have stopped most people dead in their tracks; but not this lady.
She was determined to end the graft. She now
knew her only hope was to make it a matter of public record. She therefore decided to sue the state of
Tennessee for wrongful discharge making the hideous “Cash-for-Clemency” program the linchpin of her argument.
Before he was a U.S. Senator from Tennessee and before he
was an accomplished actor, Fred Dalton Thompson was an attorney – a good one
and a brave one. He risked his career by
agreeing to expose this very powerful and corrupt state government in a trial
that he believed he could never win.
The essence of their struggle was a key component in
Thompson’s closing argument to the jury.
“But you know a remarkable
thing happened. She didn’t
collapse. She fought back. Not just for a job, but because she had to.
Have you ever fought
a fight – alone – knowin’ you were gonna have to pay a price for it but you did
it anyway because it was the right thing to do? I hope I never see the day when I stop
believing people do that sort of thing.”
And with that, a public record of Blanton’s malfeasance was finally achieved.
Leadership is born of courage. Without courage, progress and change are
impossible. Our country badly lacks such
leadership today.
It is now time for all of America to become acquainted with
Marie Ragghianti. It is also time that we
too pray that we “never see the day when (we) stop believing people do that sort of
thing” and that a Marie
Ragghianti will be found to lead us, very soon.
Note: To learn more reference;
Book: Marie: A True Story by Peter
Maas
Film: Marie: A True Story - 1985
