Pete Musico offers an example of how not to give an apology. At his sentencing hearing in a Jackson, Michigan, court last week, he seemed to blame Congresswoman Maxine Waters for his plan to kidnap the Michigan governor. He and two co-defendants, all members of a Michigan militia group, were found guilty after a trial by jury of aiding a terrorist plot. His pre-sentencing statement, at least in the portions reported in the media, did not say anything about the impact of his crime on his victim, which was arguably not only the governor, but all elected officials.
In contrast, his co-defendant Paul Bellar did apologize to Governor Whitmer for his “highly inappropriate” comments, and apologized to his family as well. Both Mr. Musico and Mr. Bellar, along with a third co-defendant, Morrison, expressed regret for their poor judgment.
They each acknowledged a lapse in judgment, but somehow that doesn’t satisfy, leaving listeners believing that they still don’t understand the seriousness of what they did. They seemed contrite, but it’s hard to tell whether that’s due to remorse or to their impending incarceration. They will have years in prison to reflect on this.