Rumors . . .
Hearing it through the grapevine doesn’t make it true.
The internet is playing a vital role in this year’s historic election. Unfortunately, this includes circulating some falsehoods on several local blogs. I had hoped these unfounded rumors would naturally evaporate in the light of facts and common sense, but apparently they haven’t.
Here are two examples of negative rumors regarding my campaign:
The first is regarding Dixie Spehar. Contrary to this rumor, I have never discussed hiring outgoing Commissioner Spehar as my aide, and I don’t intend to do so. I wish Commissioner Spehar well and thank her for her service, but should I win the election, I would not offer her employment.
The second is regarding the endorsements of me by Mayor DiGennaro and outgoing Commissioner McCoy. Mayor DiGennaro publicly stated that he is NOT endorsing any commission candidate. Outgoing Commissioner Sonny McCoy has stated that he prefers me over my opponent. As you may recall, Commission McCoy and his opponent (now one of mine), both Republicans, had a well publicized, personally negative conclusion to their primary election. Commissioner McCoy’s dislike of his opponent apparently is extending beyond the defeat he suffered in the primary.
I personally believe that a sitting Commissioner, lame duck or not, should not endorse a candidate. I respect Commissioner McCoy’s service to our community, however any implication that I, if elected, would be influenced by him is completely untrue and actually ridiculous. After all, if Commissioner McCoy had won his primary, I would now be vigorously opposing him on a variety of his stated positions, as any thorough reading of my blog and platform would illustrate.
The kind of negativity and divisiveness these rumors incite are precisely the problem with our political system, precisely the cause for mistrust of elected officials. I ask my opponents and their supporters to focus and debate the the real issues of this campaign in a fair and open manner.
September 26th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
Heather,
Thank you for addressing this issue. Please believe me it is important to many of us. Much time and effort was put forth in voting out two commissioners that most of us felt were way out of touch with us ordinary citizens. To think that they could continue to have influence on the commission through association with a new commissioner is frightening. You must understand that rumor or not, you need to distance yourself from these people every opportunity you get in order to convince the voters of your sincererity.
October 10th, 2008 at 9:50 am
Thank you, John. I must say that I am extremely frustrated by the persistence of rumors like these, now being sustained in public forums by my Republican opponent. It seems that some people misconstrue common courtesy for collusion. Anyone who knows me, who has heard me speak (not just during this campaign but throughout my civic involvement here), who has read my platform or this blog would know that my positions on issues like the role of government, unbridled development, transparency — just about everything, really — are quite different from those of the outgoing Commissioners and the current Mayor. That is why I am running. It is disheartening to learn that people cannot engage in the democratic process with respect and without resorting to such underhanded tactics. I just wish more folks would do a little homework and stop spreading falsehoods.