Thought for the Day (UPDATED)

Thought for the day...

The Monmouth County GOP runs this county with an iron hand, at least its top leadership does and no one familiar with politics in this county would argue that point. I have been targeted personally, and not once or twice. The GOP leadership's attacks on me and my newspaper have been falacious and have been venomous and without cause. I have not printed anything that has not had my name on it. I have not printed anything as fact when it was opinion, I have stipulated such. I have not printed erroneous data. I have presented fact. I have had the same stand since I began this kind of involvement years ago. I have been told to shut up by some GOP leaders, and that hasn't worked. I have been libeled and slandered, and I am still here. I am still doing the same thing I have always done: discussed, argued, debated and I have done this without derision of others. I have not stopped and, by the way, will not.

I suggest that no group or person should claim leadership of anything who needs to use slander, libel and lies as a means of persuasion. This is also true where it involves bullying, force or economic intimidation. Some people get scared and can get bullied and some don't. My solution to these ways of doing business is to stand up to them and do something positive. Nothing is ever going to change with one party adopting the deluded methodology of another. But in the same vein, bad actors are never going to be done with their work until they are put out of business through socially and societally acceptable means. I have put up with the GOP's garbage for a long time. Now is not going to be any different.

The answer now is going to be the answer I have always given: I will not shut up or go away or stop anything I am doing. You do whatever you are going to do, and sink as low as you want, and at the end of the day we'll see who was right and who was wrong. Let's do it in public and let's do it clean, and let's make sure that the bad actors make the meeting.

I believe that the 'bad actor' bloggers in the GOP are going to have their day in court. I believe that whomever they are tied to will be apparent. I also believe this is an occasion where compromise and discussion ends and seeking redress is something that has to get done, without negotiation, abridgement or anyone being saved by ayone else. No matter who these people are, they have rights. They don't have more rights than me, though, and they don't have a right to interfere with my rights. And they do not have power to change people's rights yet.

And by them losing their executive privileges, which they have because these are elected and appointed people involved, they will lose the ability to misuse governmental authority. So there we have it. This will be the only time I address this in any informal way. That is all I have to say about that.

UPDATE as of 5PM: I have spoken with several county Republican leaders today who are shocked by the behavior demonstrated on some other blogs.

Monmouth Republican Chairman Adam Puharic has stated that he does not know who these people are. He stated he does not condone this behavior and, furthermore, if this person(s) is a Monmouth Republican there will be consequences. I do thank him for that. This was a very decent way of addressing this. I have spoken with other leading Republicans who have said the same.

I am grateful for their kind wishes. I am glad there are leaders in both parties that understand there are rules of conduct and even ways of disagreeing that do not encroach families or personal lives, or at least it should not.

It is this basic decency that allows politics to not be a bloodsport. Political disagreements can be charged, contentious and even caustic, but there is a line and I am grateful for the support that Republican leaders, many of whom I disagree with on many issues, would recognize this. Nevertheless, this action(s) will be pursued vigorously by me and I will know the person(s) involved with this and lay their identities into the public. Among other avenues, it is my intention to make these identities public and to create a discussion around them and their actions. I also do intend other avenues to address this, which are appropriate. I will not tolerate the lies that have been made against me and I am going to be seeking redress.

There is no truth to any of the accusations against me and I am very glad that I have not had to dignify this to those who know me whom I agree with and those whom I disagree with. I cannot see how the behavior of some of these people involved have reflected anything positive or good about the party and the alleged ideology these alleged Republicans and others have so vehemently espoused. My thanks to Chairman Puharic and others.

Your words and kind sentiments are appreciated in this matter, as has been everyone's whom I have spoken with.