Racked by Manassas Park

A business owner named Dave Ruttenberg has run into something of a threshing machine in his attempt to protect himself from the City of Manassas Park government:

In the lawsuit, he named specific individuals, including Mayor Frank Jones, Police Chief John Evans and two undercover police officers. Area police and attorneys have asked the two officers not be named out of fear for their safety.

Ruttenberg alleged the two police officers, as well as Evans and Jones, participated in a plan to shut down his business.

Ruttenberg also alleged that the attempts to destroy his business included an undercover investigation by the Joint Narcotics Task Force, a partnership between Prince William County, Manassas and Manassas Park, which led to a 2004 drug raid on Rack 'N Roll.

There is much more on this story over at Blog Fu. (Also, here.)

Read Radley Balko as well.

The story begs a serious big journalism investigation. I'll keep you apprised of developments as they come to light.