Mickey Bashfield, he of the Matty Moroun-owned Detroit International Bridge Company, is really sad because people are trying to score political points off Monday's Ambassador Bridge bomb threat. Come on, you guys, that's not cool. In fact, to quote Bashfield, it's the last refuge of scoundrels.
Specifically, he was referring to backers of the New International Trade Crossing. They repeated their talking point that a second bridge down the river adds a layer of redundancy to the Detroit-Windsor border system that could come in handy in the event of a real security risk. Granted, if your security risk is some yahoo calling in bomb threats, said yahoo could simply threaten two bridges at once.
Of course, Bashfield's statement also casts his DIBC colleague Dan Stamper as a scoundrel for saying, before the bridge was reopened to traffic: "We cannot confirm, but suspect, that this has something to do with Canada’s disinvestment at the border by cutting back on customs’ agents."
An interesting theory, especially considering another threat was made the next night at Comerica Park. Was Canada to blame for this one as well? Police are mum, but I emailed DIBC's Marx-Layne PR rep to see if Stamper had more info on his not-at-all confirmed suspicion that fewer customs' agents led to the bomb threat, and perhaps the Comerica Park threat as well. Who knows, maybe there's some disgruntled baseball fans still upset by Canada's "disinvestment" in the Montreal Expos.
The response to the inquiry: "No, nothing new that would interest you." -- JTW
