A. His lips are moving.
On Thursday, the Intelligencer's own Margaret Gibbons reported on Judge Nicholas' ruling that the ethics policy doesn't apply to elected row officers or their staff, because they operate independently of the Board of Commissioners.
RINO Commissioner Chairman Jimbo Matthews gave the following quotes to Ms. Gibbons concerning the failed attempt of his bad policy:
Read that last paragraph again, friends:Matthews said that one of the major reasons he worked to include the district attorney’s office in the ethics legislation was to get back at Castor, his former running mate, because of Castor’s attempt to use the same legislation to go after his friends in county government. This would include long time Matthews ally, county Solicitor Barry M. Miller who worked on various Matthews political campaigns.
“I wanted him (Castor) to hurt, to feel the pain,” said Matthews. “He (Castor) was directing all his efforts at my friends so they could not be in politics, so I figured we could throw in the DA’s office and see if he likes that.”
Matthews said he will seek the repeal of the ethics legislation now that Nicholas has ruled that it does not apply to the personnel in the row offices, claiming it is not fair to other employees to have restrictions while row office employees have none.
Matthews said he will seek the repeal of the ethics legislation now that Nicholas has ruled that it does not apply to the personnel in the row offices, claiming it is not fair to other employees to have restrictions while row office employees have none.
Matthews gave interviews to more than one paper that day...here's what was reported by Derrick Nunnaly of the Philadelphia Inquirer:
County Commissioners Chairman James R. Matthews said yesterday that he would request that other row offices file their own court petitions to clarify whether the policy can apply to them.(click on the red link below to read the Inquirer article:)
Judge sets exemptions to Montco ethics rules
By Derrick Nunnally
Inquirer Staff Writer
An employee ethics policy that Montgomery County passed in April does not apply to workers in the sheriff's and District Attorney's Offices, a judge ruled yesterday.
Common Pleas Court Judge William T. Nicholas ruled that county commissioners "lack the authority to impose regulation on either the on-duty or off-duty conduct" of workers in the row offices.
The ethics policy barred county employees in influential jobs from running for office, managing campaigns, or conducting political fund-raising. The sheriff and district attorney sued the county separately, saying their employees' rights were unfairly imposed upon.
Of the 126 workers governed by the policy when it was implemented, one was a sheriff's employee and 45 were in the District Attorney's Office.
In an 11-page opinion, Nicholas wrote that writing employee rules was the responsibility of row officers. The ruling did not cover the seven county row offices that did not sue over the policy.
District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman said the policy interfered with her authority to supervise her employees.
"It stunk of politics from the beginning, and that is why I chose to fight it," Ferman said.
County Commissioners Chairman James R. Matthews said yesterday that he would request that other row offices file their own court petitions to clarify whether the policy can apply to them.
County solicitor Barry Miller said he wanted to review the ruling before recommending whether to appeal.
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