Castor Right Again, Jimbo Has Egg on His Face

Jimbo and J-Huff once again voted against Republican Commissioner, Bruce L. Castor, Jr., on a lousy ordinance penned by King James III's royal solicitor, BABs...and once again, Castor's "nay" vote was more than justified.

You see, this ordinance was nothing more than a quick, "cover our ass" ordinance made up in a back room (or back alley) to squash any action that may have been taken against the commissioners for violating statute 98-02, which required 5 requests for proposal be sent out to procure services for the county.

Barry, being the astute attorney that he has proven time and again to be, didn't foresee the ramifications of his new ordinance, 10-03, beings that the commissioners would have to "approve" vendors for all county offices, including the duly elected (or acting) row officers.

The Sheriff's Department has formally filed suit against the county, challenging the legality of the new ordinance as it pertains to professional services and the row offices. The Public Defender's office and the office of the President Judge have also chimed in.

According to Margaret Gibbons in today's Intelligencer:

County President Judge Richard J. Hodgson said the policy does not fit the courts needs, whether it is hiring private defense attorneys to represent murder defendants or experts to help the court in its own decisions, according to Matthews.

The public defender's office, which hires expert witnesses to help in that office's defense of its clients and contracts with private attorneys to represent the office's clients in preliminary legal proceedings, also informed Matthews of its concerns.

Keith Phucas, of the Times Herald, quotes Commissioner Castor:

“(The new lawsuit) is just like the ethics ordinance (litigation),” Castor said. “Every time we try to take control of the row officers, it’s like a power grab.”

Well, Jimbo, next time you'd like to waste the taxpayer's money defending a lawsuit against another of your cockamamie "get out of jail free" ordinances, do yourself a favor...consult with a REAL lawyer, not that nincompoop you hired because he handles your campaign finances and likes to go to PJ's with you for drinks, paid for by checks he approves and your human resources manager signs from your campaign fund.

A real lawyer like Republican Commissioner Bruce L. Castor, Jr, for one...