PURCELL'S BAAAAAAAAAACK...

Not too long ago, Courier publisher and Democratic Party operative Jim Purcell stopped blogging at The Inside Clamdigger; he also discontinued his column in his paper. Seemingly as a result of strong criticism by Art Gallagher of More Monmouth Musings. The blogging is now done by "Courier Reporter" and Purcell was replaced by columnist Somdatta Sengupta, a longtime Courier staffer. Until this week.

Purcell's back.

In this week's (Issue of Oct. 9th) column, in a newsworthy bit of new news, Purcell implores us all to vote Democratic.

He opens with a criticism of President George Walker Bush, and says he cannot vote for Sen. John Sidney McCain to replace him. Although Purcell doesn't mention the Illinois Senator by name, I would presume that he wants us all to vote for Barak Hussein Obama. And Boy Wonder Robinette for veep.

Then he goes on to Monmouth County:

"In Monmouth County, it is time for the Monmouth County Republican Organization to not be in control for a while, in my opinion. Corruption is rampant and only thinly concealed from public view. The corruption is institutional and spans the county."

Wanna have that conversation now, Jim? Where is the corruption of which you speak? Don't bother trotting out the Rob Clifton contribution story. That one lost credibility when you gave Bill Barham a pass for accepting the same amount from the same contributor and didn't return it, not to mention that you chose to ignore the Aberdeen Democrats' acceptance of contributions from that town's train station developer, even when the documentation was handed to you.

Westlake? Puh-leeze. At the end of the day, a Democratic tax board appointment by the governor that had to be vetted by the Democratic County Boss. That's Victor Scudiery, Jim. Maybe you've heard of him?

Bid Rig? Jim, a lot of the perpetrators were your friends. John Merla, Ray O'Grady and Harry Larrison, among others. When others expressed revulsion that these individuals could get involved in such corruption, you stood by your men. BTW, your chairman, Scudiery, said in 2005 they were entrapped. But then he also wrote that convicted federal felon Frank Abate was "honorable and dedicated."

Purcell then goes on about Peter Carton. Yaaaaawwwwn. Alright, we know you don't like the guy, already. Get over it, Jim, this is getting to be black helicopter stuff.

Do you really think that the Democrats don't have their own "Pete Carton" waiting in the wings for the Dems to take a majority. Come on. Just take a look at their ELEC reports. It's mostly labor unions and lawyers.

He jumps back to the county:

"The family members and friends, not to mention friends of friends, of Monmouth Republicans are so insinuated within the government's infrastructure that the notion of 'best person for the job' is simply quaint and perhaps nostalgic most times, but certainly not grounded in reality."

All righty then. And just who might these family members and friends be. Names and titles, Jim. It's easy to make the accusation, but to make it stick you need facts, Jim. Remember facts?

Purcell closes with a discussion of Middletown. Naturally, he wants Democrats in office there, too. Nothing really there to see.

Which leads me to ask the great unanswered question of Campaign '08, originally posed by Art Gallagher of More Monmouth Musings, also asked by Barry Goldwater at The Voice of Reason and by yours truly at this blog, and never answered yet: "Can anyone tell me of a county in New Jersey where Democrats are doing a better job governing than Republicans are doing in Monmouth County?"

I think I know the answer, or rather, why no Democrat has answered yet. Or will answer.

With the Democrats it's not about reform or good government, it's about power. We've seen where out of county interests have funded the Monmouth County Democrats, particularly Camden and Union County Democrats like George Norcross and Raymond Lesniak. For a look at how the Democrats have been running things in Union County, check out the blog of the Union County Watchdog Association, http://www.countywatchers.com/. Do we want our great county to be like Union? Is that the Democrats' idea of "where Democrats are doing a better job governing than Republicans?"

Well?