WRITEMARSH!: King James Lied During Campaign

He readily admitted to it at Thursdays's Commissioner's meeting. Margaret Gibbons (The Intellegencer) reported it, and I got it via the "Commissioner Castor Reports" sent to me yesterday.

Republican Commissioner Bruce L. Castor, Jr. released his second to last "Commissioner Castor Reports" of this year yesterday. In it, he points out that while he has tried (and succeeded, to some level) to get along with his colleagues, commissioner King James (the turd) still has some problems remembering that he was (at one time) a Republican commissioner. Castor writes:

"Last year Jim Matthews and I campaigned against Joe Hoeffel and Ruth Damsker’s plan for a $50 million economic development program as budget busting and unnecessary given that our county has a Redevelopment Authority, a Revitalization Authority and a countyEconomic Development department complete with staff and a department head.

From 2000 to 2007 under Republican leadership our county had spent over $40 million dollars on economic development and revitalization. Jim and I offered a “pay as you go” plan continuing to spend $5 million each year and to look at committing additional resources, if they were available. Damsker and Hoeffel offered a Democrat “borrow and spend” plan ballooning our debt.

Yesterday, in a 2 to 1 vote with Jim reversing his position and voting along with Joe Hoeffel, the county adopted a $105 million economic development plan [...]."

James Rex III was quoted in Friday's Intellegencer apparently admitting that he lied during his 2007 campaign for county commissioner. Margaret Gibbons apparently had a rather heated repartee with Matthews during the press portion of last Thursday's Commissioner's meeting. King James basically said this:

"Ironically, Matthews last year during the commissioners’ election campaign was opposed to the county funding a $50 million economic development proposed by Hoeffel and his Democratic running mate. Matthews on Thursday explained that his nay-saying last year was campaign rhetoric “in a sound bite environment.” (Margaret Gibbons, The Intellegencer-12/12/08)

Campaign rhetoric? Sound bite environment? He lied, pure and simple. And this, after campaigning on what Republican Commissioner, Bruce L. Castor, Jr. describes as "fiscally conservative, pay as you go" governance, rather that "borrow and spend" democratic style governance:

We presented the voters with two clear choices last year: Fiscally conservative, pay as you go Republican government or “borrow and spend”, grow the government in size and scope Democrat government. The voters chose Republican government. The policies getting implemented at the county level are Democrat “borrow and spend” policies. Joe Hoeffel is being true to his campaign promises and I am being true to mine. As long as I am a Commissioner I will continue to stand for the things I said I’d be for in the campaign. I will also oppose those things I said I was against.

I do not believe you say one thing during the campaign to get elected and then do the opposite once you’re in office. You lose the voters trust when you engage in such behavior. (Bruce L. Castor, Jr., Commissioner Castor Reports-12/12/2008)

Funny thing is, Hoeffel is calling his alliance with Matthews a "Montgomery Miracle", to which Castor responds:

The real miracle is that the will of the voters can be ignored and the results of the election can be reversed by the actions of a single individual. Fiscally conservative Republican government is out, “borrow and spend” Democrat government is in. That is a miracle no one welcomes.

To see the entire Commissioner Castor Reports" click here. It's worth the read for Montgomery County residents/voters, as well as those of us who really care about who we put into office. Remember, Jim Matthews could have literally been a heartbeat away from being Governor of PA.

Somehow, I have mixed feelings about that now...if Swann had won, Matthews would be out of our hair...and out of Montco politics for 4 years. Since Swann lost, we're stuck with the Turd for at least 3 more years. Kind of a bitter pill, isn't it?

He sure isn't the man we voted for. I still often wonder if Hoeffel has incriminating photographs of King James in compromising positions?