Jackie Corley at Bayshore Journalista likes to post ELEC reports on her blog, so I thought I'd post one on mine. Why, it's none other than her boss, Courier publisher Jim Purcell, who, in addition to being a journalist, has been Democratic Party Chairman in Union Beach since July 7. Why would an "impartial" journalist become a leader in one of the two major parties he reports on while still masquerading as an "impartial" journalist? This would explain his anti-Clifton, anti-Kyrillos, anti-Handlin screeds. And his strident pro-Aberdeen (read Democratic) stand in the ongoing dispute between that town and all-GOP Matawan over redevelopment of the train station area.
Some people have thought that Purcell's reasoning has been "Azzolina's Revenge", whereby Assemblyman Joseph Azzolina, Sr. (R-13) gets back at the Monmouth County Republican Organization for denying him the party's line at the Party's April convention. Azzolina went on to lose a close primary to Freeholder Amy H. Handlin.
Azzolina is also owner of The Courier.
The revenge theory loses steam when one finds out the fact that Purcell declared himself a Democrat in March, nearly a month before the convention! So Purcell couldn't have known the convention's result; indeed he couldn't have even voted for Azzolina in the primary if he wanted to, regardless of who got the party line.
Looks like ol' Jim's got his own agenda going on here.
4 comments:
So a Democrat is perpetrating revenge through a Republican-owned newspaper, ay? I smell conspiracy theory.
Nice blog, though. I'll keep watching.
My best,
Jackie Corley
Thanks for stopping by!
No conspiracy, just interesting.
Unlike many other Republicans, I don't subscribe to the theory that it's all Joe Azzolina "getting back" at the party. I will actually miss him greatly as a representative of our county; he's a very effective legislator.
I do enjoy your writing! Your use of humor and wit make for an enjoyable read!
Dear whoever you are:
I was neither secretive about my party affiliation when I was a Republican, nor am I about being a Democrat.
I cannot count the number of journalists involved with media, be it locally or nationally, who are also involved somehow with politics. It's not even close to being a new idea.
Locally, I certainly am far from being alone. As for my "objectivity," I treated Democrats equally when I was a Republican and I treat Republicans equally when I am a Democrat. No one from the Beach is concerned about this, because we do not practice the feral brand of politics practiced in other areas, which is one reason I reside in this community. We are neighbors and friends, Americans before members of any stupid party or other.
Meanwhile, my party affiliation does not, in any way, change the facts that have been presented about Mr. Kyrillos, Mr. Clifton and Ms. Handlin. I stand behind my work there, as well as Ms. Corley's. Unless you are saying I forged the documents provided regarding Mr. Kyrillos, I think your argument lacks sense. As for Mr. Clifton, he has already admitted taking the money from the PAC and is giving it back (albeit months AFTER the election).
I made my views plain about the GOP when Mr. Dowd was chairman and when Mr. Niemann became chairman. Mr. Niemann lied about most of his campaign promises, so I left the party. I did it in March, because I already knew that Mr. Azzolina's selection was being rigged by the county when Niemann wouldn't let Old Bridge's vote in.
In the meantime, the Founding Father believed in a two-party system. By all appearances, you believe in a one-party system. But, that's facism and I'm sure that's not what you're talking about...because that would be moronic.
Ms. Corley brought this site to my attention today and I am making my one and only response to it. I am not big on computers and have absolutely no use for this venomous nonsense anyway.
Accordingly, if you were something close to someone with any real commitment, you'd post your name. Frankly, your refusal to do such makes you someone trying to annoy. Well, go sit at the kids table and have a good day.
Jim Purcell
Yeah, it's really not about Mr. A "getting back" at anybody. With him leaving office, we just have more freedom as a newspaper to pursue a harder, investigative format without having to worry about stepping on anybody's toes.
I don't get any directives from Jim or Mr. A as to what stories to pursue. The storylines I've been working on are things I'm interested in, i.e. potential abuse of power, irresponsible development, etc.
By no means do I ascribe to any theory that "Republicans=bad." I think it's more a problem of incumbency and apathetic voters, like when someone is in office term after term without legitimate questions being asked of them, they tend to take certain short cuts or pursue issues for personal gain and at the expense of the citizenry. If Democrats were solidly in power in the county for a few decades, I'm sure we'd be seeing the same problems that I believe face us today.
It's just a matter of keeping the two-party system vital and focused on a public discourse based on ideas.
My best,
Jackie Corley
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