Wednesday, December 21, 2005

HANDLIN-THOMPSON.ORG


During the 2005 13th District Assembly campaign the print media reported on a phony website called Handlin-Thompson.org. This site, started by Oompa-loompaesque publisher James Devine of Union County, was designed to make one think it was actually the site of Amy Handlin and Sam Thompson. When he was caught, he attempted to pass it off on a "high school student", (Yeah right.) and quickly took it down. The phony site was replaced by an anti-Handlin site which acknowledged it was Devine's work.
Well, the election's over and the site's still up; it is now a "sore loser" site.
He uses some real wingnut "explanations" as to why his candidate, former Assemblyman William Flynn, was defeated in the past election. He neglects the most obvious and logical one, however, that being that Flynn was a lousy legislator when he was in office and the only reason he lasted as long as he did was because he was carried by his superior running-mate, Richard Van Wagner. When Van Wagner was elected to the State Senate in 1983 (Defeating Sen. John Gallagher [R-13]), Flynn had to stand alone with then-Assemblywoman Jacki Walker in 1985. Both were defeated by Joe Azzolina and the late Joann Smith; the district has been Republican ever since.
Devine then whines about the fact that Handlin was endorsed by the Asbury Park Press. This quote is a real winner:

"It is hard to imagine that the best explanation for this is that Handlin got special treatment from Asbury Park Press editor Skip Hidlay because she is Jewish, but that is the most solid theory I have heard."

Ah, yes, when in doubt there's always the good ol' "Worldwide Jewish Conspiracy Theory." I suppose Devine's recommended reading includes The Protocols of the Elders of Zion. (Now available in Arabic.) Mein Kampf is a great book to curl up in front of the fire with, isn't it Mr. Devine? Do you believe that all Jewish employees at the World Trade Center were told in advance by Mossad to take 9/11/01 off? Sicko. This puts you right in company with Iranian dictator Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
That quote is a tough act to follow, he doesn't top it, but his closing is priceless, too:

"Donations will be deposited into the personal bank account of this website's owner/operator and will be used to defray expenses for research and reporting about the corrupt politicians to whom this site is dedicated. If funding reaches the level required for disclosure under New Jersey law, a political committee will be established specifically for that purpose. Until then, anyone who wishes to know the names of any or all contributors needs simply to ask."

His personal bank account? REALLY. If funding reaches the level required for disclosure? How do we know when funding reaches the level required for disclosure, Mr. Devine?
How about you do this: Get the proper forms from ELEC (downloadable) and report what you've got already. Anyone contributing to such a website should be prepared to stand up, take the sheet off their head and be known.

Devine is the publisher of several weekly newspapers in Union and Middlesex Counties, namely The News Record, The Patriot and the Atom Tabloid & Citizen - Gazette. I wonder whether the views he espouses at Handlin-Thompson.org are the same as those on his editorial pages. I wonder if his readers know. I wonder if the towns and Union County, who publish their legal notices know.
If Flynn plays with people like Devine, then it's a good thing the voters of the 13th District rejected him!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Interesting how some people in Union County care an awful lot about what goes on in MONMOUTH county.

Anonymous said...

Therer is no excuse for race or cultural hatred, without exception. America is someplace where one's race, creed, color, religion and national origin cannot be an issue that is fair game. There is no mitigation to this statement whatsoever. Jim Purcell

Anonymous said...

Union County is very interested in Monmouth. Just wait and see who the Matawan Borough Democrats put in as the new Borough Attorney.

Anonymous said...

Union County has bought and paid for the Matawan Democrats. One of the new Dem Councilmembers is related to a big time Democratic Mayor in Union. They funneled thousands of dollars into Matawan and even bought off an ex Matawan Republican Councilman by offering his wife a job in Aberdeen

Honest Abe said...

Mr. Purcell, thank you very much for that post.
While I am very much aware that you are no fan of Amy Handlin, I am certain that you agree with me that her religion is a non-starter as an issue.
There are plenty of valid issues both pro and con based on her record as a Freeholder and Middletown Township Committeewoman. One is her apparent "late blooming" as a reformer. Agree or disagree, it is a point which can be brought up and debated.
She now has two years in which to prove herself as a legislator; in 2007 both the party and then the voters can decide whether to "renew her contract".

Honest Abe said...

With all the interest in Monmouth County by the Union County Democrats, some of you may be interested in just how the Union County Dems actually govern their county. Log onto
http://countywatchers.blogspot.com/
and read all about it!