The Sheriff  of Nottingham reports that today we might get a ruling on Pete Candland’s request for information on his 3 questions.  An earlier report from Kipp Hanley at the News and Messenger  on June 12 informed us:

In his letter to Horan, he asks three things: a formal opinion to the board stating that Jenkins’ additions regarding political consultants and vendors are not part of the county’s personnel policy and would be superseded by state code. He also asks that Collins’ termination process – which he states he began based on Horan’s previously issued opinion – be rescinded.

Finally, Candland states that if Horan doesn’t agree that Jenkins’ additions supersede state code, he would like to have a formal reason for her opinion and hints at a possible lawsuit for an “improper termination.” He also asks that she remove herself from any potential litigation given the fact that she “had determined they [amendments] were a legal action of the board.”

Unfortunately, the Sheriff reported that Supervisor Stewart and the county attorney who is back from leave (on a Wednesday?) have been trying to hammer out language to make the rocket docket amendments directed more towards Candland.  As things now stand, the amendments are broad enough to leave most supervisors in the position of having to fire members on their staff.  According to the Sheriff:

 “Chairman Stewart and County Attorney Horan are aggressively torturing the language of the Jenkins’ amendments to make them fit the plan to extract a punishment to Candland without impacting any other Supervisor or their staff.”

 

Ouch!  Supervisors, you are the laughing stock of the county.  You have been had.  The citizens are laughing at you and the employees are laughing at you.  The Sheriff’s gift has been a drama that will continue as long as you all allow it to go on.  Every new episode makes you all look smaller and pettier.  The words that were said to me yesterday were “They sound like jealous bitches.” (referring to some of the BOCS)

I winced on your behalf.

It’s time to just admit that Jenkins was dead wrong and being a vindictive expletive.  No one is still positive  why he wanted to punish Candland.  Did Candland not display the correct level of homage when he entered the Kingdom?  Its time to just admit that Corey was dead wrong for  pushing through that stupidity that aimed at Candland  and Candland’s aid.  Its time for all the supervisors to just admit that voting YES to the amended resolution was foolish.  If something isn’t right, don’t vote for it.  If you don’t understand something and its ramifications, don’t vote for it.

Right now, Pete Candland has enough political capital to take him to the Lt. Governor’s seat.  People from the entire state are watching PWC try to find its ass with both hands. The only problem is, it is Corey who jockeys for the office of Lt. Governor, not Pete Candland.  Corey’s political capital is rapidly circling the drain with every attempt he makes to save the unsavable.

Candland has become the new folk hero of the county because he stood up to the Powers That Be.  3 weeks ago the residents were ready to kick the new supervisor to the curb because he came out of the gate during the budget process making the Gainesville District, arguably one of the wealthiest in the county and the state, look like poor relations for whining about the tax rate.

He certainly redeemed himself on the discretionary fund issue  last week and has become the darlng of the county  once people realized that Candland was the victim of an unholy alliance between Jenkins and the bully pulpet, Chairman Stewart.    Most people can forgive one screw up, howlever, and chalked  the budget gaffe  up to being a newbie, and now not only are the county residents cheering him on, but so are a lot of the employees.  Why?  Finally someone has the integrity to not only give lip service but to also do something about it.

Political vengence is ugly.  One glance at what was on the rocket docket speaks to the entire intent of those amendments.  Most  politicians are a little more subtle and craftier than that when they want to punish someone and mete out some political gotcha. Stewart and Jenkins need to admit defeat.  Repeal those amendments and let’s start over.  Corey, your future political career very well might depend on it.  No one wants a mean-spirited buffoon as a Lt. Governor.  Mr. Jenkins, that was just ugly and made you look like a very small, nasty human being.  Is that what you want as your legacy?  You are better than that.

 

18 Thoughts to “Virginia and Prince William County watch: The BOCS has no clothes!”

  1. Need to Know

    This is amazing to watch. Peter has not been in office for more than about a year and only started his political career last year with his run for the Gainesville seat. However, by simply doing the right thing for his consituents and refusing to back down under pressure from the powers-that-be he is rocketing in popularity and support beyond politicians of both parties who have been jockeying for power and playing the same old disgusting political games for years or even decades. I think there is a lesson here and I hope the members of the BOCS who are on the wrong side of this situation learn it quickly.

  2. Need to Know

    Sorry, typo – been in office for more than about a half of a year.

  3. I suppose I don’t believe in political parties for local politics. How nice it is to just ignore party labels.

    Let’s face it, is discretionary spending a Republican or democratic persuit?

    How about frying your opponent who doesn’t cave it? D or R? We have one of each.

    I like labeless politics.

  4. Elena

    Here is the problem I see. If state law already covers the issue of using your county employees for electioneering, why the additional language by Jenkin? Corey is one who I believe abuses his office the worse probably. During his bid for Lt. Govenor, previously and currently, how often is his office misused. I am on his e-mail list for rule of law crap and his bid for Lt. Govenor, I even get information about supporting George Allen’s bid for senate. I never approved my e-mail for anything but county business. What else is happening in his office that soley electioneering. What about that 30 grand he spent for mailers to a citizens time that he tried to then limit the ability of people to speak?

    I have concerns about my tax payer dollars being spent on campaigning purposes, but to some extent it is not realistic to believe there will be absolutely no co-mingling, its the blatent misuse that I find offensive. I would like to know, what is the actual issue with Mr. Collins. Prove to me that he is there only campainging for Pete Candland to be relected (although he just started serving his term as supervisors)and I will support the premise behind his dismissal. For now though, I am not sure how Mr. Collins is different from any other person serving their Supervisor.

  5. Elena

    I love the new online group “NoLabels”!

    http://www.nolabels.org/

  6. Need to Know

    “and now not only are the county residents cheering him on, but so are a lot of the employees.”

    Moon – you are absolutely right! I’ve tried to emphasize on MH for a long time that my concern is not rank-and-file County staff, teachers, firefighters, etc. but senior County management. I know many County employees in many parts of the County government and the school system and they are wonderful, hard-working people who are just caught in the middle of this s***.

    Senior County management over the past decade or so, however, has morphed into a tool of the BOCS and their political supporters and campaign donors. This transformation started under Connaughton and has become increasingly bad, and counter to the interests of PWC citizens and taxpayers. It’s no wonder that senior staff is rallying to save Corey and the other BOCS members who decided to exact vengence on Pete for not playing by their rules. The outcome of this fight is really who controls PWC – the special interests, or the citizens.

    Go Pete – we’re behind you!!!

  7. Need to Know

    @Elena

    I still don’t understand exactly how these amendments work. Do they mean that anyone who has ever volunteered on a campaign can not work in a supervisor’s office or for the County government? I know for a fact that paid staffers from Corey’s office and Marty’s office have joined them at campaign and other purely political events. Giving Corey and Marty the benefit of the doubt and assuming that those staffers were there on their own time and not being compensated with taxpayer money, I don’t see a problem with it. However, has the BOCS created a situation for themselves in which staffers who attended Corey’s and Marty’s political events must also be dismissed now as well?

  8. No one understand how the amendments work, including those who created them and voted them to life. That is the problem.

    I am going to reiterate, staff does what it is told to do. There are some sweet paychecks out there. Who wants to give those up?

    The dog wags the tail. The tail doesn’t wag the dog.

    I do not blame staff, senior or otherwise for this. I blame those who who voted yes.

    Those amendments should have NEVER attached. If Candland was doing something wrong, settle it in closed session.

    The bottom line is, he didn’t do anything wrong. What about Pete’s first campaign manager–didn’t she work for him also? What’s the difference? Methinks its probably a matter of past tense and that is the underlying problem…AGAIN.

  9. Ear To The Ground

    Hi Moon. If you’ll indulge a former county resident a little more, I’ve been talking to some Republican friends. I’m not as politically active as them so their comments are interesting. More have met Corey than I thought. As I wrote yesterday, some of the most active people are telling me that their little birdies are telling them that some Republicans who weren’t seriously thinking of challenging Corey now are. Mostly because of how vindicative he’s been and how he’s tearing into a conservative who wants the county to stop wasting money. Others think he’s a nice guy but are unaware of what’s been going on up there. I’ve been giving them links, actually typed out a list I’ve been emailing people, of Moonhowlings, the Sherriff, Al Alborn, BVBL and some others. Some of them read a lot last night and their responses when they called me today were essentially OMG!!! They’re coming around to thinking that no way do we want Corey in state office. If he does the same there he’s doing to you guys the Republicans will never win an election in Virginia again. I told them about Peter Candland. The consensus here now is that you should keep Corey and send us Peter. This is going viral among Republicans down here.

    1. I don’t think Pete Candland has designs on state office. This is his first elected experience. After the way he has been treated, he might decide this is enough. That is a very interesting report you bring regarding the people you have spoken with though. I suggest they direct their concerns directly to Corey. Perhaps he will listen, although I doubt it.

  10. ETTG, The sheriff has new material up. Here is a taste:

    The Sheriff suspects some rouges among these chirps and will have to proceed with caution on some of the reports. One birdie warns the Sheriff that if my identity is discovered, Chairman Stewart has stated he will personally “wring the b*st*rd’s ****ing neck.”

    Who knows who the birdies are. I am always suspicious of rumors from people I don’t know so i would qualify whatever is said with “Rumor has it …_____.” However, there are lots of new allogations down in Sherwood Forest. I didn’t see any opinion from Horan nor did I see any retreat from the rocket docket amendments.

    If Corey is making threats…he needs to watch it, even if he is speaking metaphorically. He has a lot of eyes on him now. One has to ask why he allowed those amendments to go through. What on earth did they have to do with the discretionary funds? NOTHING!

    Germain? Surely he knows better.

  11. @ETTG,

    Gorey supposedly made a lot of remarks before the election about Candland pretty much being in his pocket. I guess he found out maybe that wasn’t exactly how things were going to be. It’s refreshing to see someone who isn’t paying to play and who isn’t “going along to get along.”

    I am all for a cooperative working spirit in a governing body but our BOCS was taking it to a new low.

  12. Ear To The Ground

    @Moon-howler

    Thank you Moon. We are reading. I’m hearing a lot from birdies also. Can I come back again? This is fun!

  13. @ETTG

    We are open 24 hours a day around these parts. Some of that time is self serve though. We have links to other blogs, archives, and other news sources in the tabs up top.

  14. Elena

    Ear to the Ground,
    Welcome and keep it comin’!

  15. Nelson

    All of this county business is very confusing. How do we know who is telling the truth? Are these people in charge all crooks?

    How do you know who to trust?

    1. Welcome to moonhowlings, Nelson. Truthfully, I don’t know, there is so much arrogance floating around.

      I just know that the amendments have made no sense to anyone I know.

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