Slander Has a Magnificently Short Half-life | Eastern North Carolina Now

The benefits derived from slander are fleeting at best; the consequences of deliberate retribution immense.

    Publisher's note: This began as a comment to a short comment that Charles Hickman made in response to a Beaufort Observer re-post, on BCN, entitled "Too many bullies, not enough servants". Once I got started, I just had to continue, as if this cathartic moment might relieve me of the weight of what I know. It didn't. In fact, it prepared me for a promise I intend to keep.

When I make a promise, I always strive to keep it.

    What was so disturbing about those political consultants, unaffectionately known as the 'Three Stooges', Washington Strategic Group (WSG), is that they participated in the slander of my person through the mailers and the "whisper campaign" employing only pure lies about my good character. This all occurred in 2014 Republican primary, when I sought re-nomination to continue as a Beaufort County Commissioner.

    The last, and most slanderous, mailer by those 'Stooges' even proposed the slander of a 'current marijuana usage' (as per that WSG mailer) against me, in which they used comments, taken out of context and syntax, from a debate within a commissioners' meeting, when that debate was centered on the Southwest County Jail. I was hot with my utter disdain that the Gang of Four were jamming 2 million dollars of public money down the throats of real taxpayers, which was reserved for consultant fees for design and development, with no financing in place.
The Washington Strategic Group is unaffectionately known as Washington's version of the "Three Stooges". The intellectual resemblance is uncanny.
    Understandably, I was incredulous over the matter. Ultimately, during the argument (yes, I argue), Commissioner Ed Booth offered the non sequitur, "At least I don't' smoke dope", where I countered, "Maybe you should, it might make you smarter."

    Considering that the Gang of Four was possibly wasting 2 million dollars of taxpayers' money then (it is becoming more certain now that they will waste it), I was not about to defend that I do not smoke marijuana, when there was true stupidity afoot by four other commissioners, so I answered the actions of Commissioner Booth rather than defend against his allegations.

    Later, I discovered that the 'Three Stooges' (WSG) took great offense to my position on the jail, and, consequently, the saving of the taxpayers' 2 million dollars (that equals about 6% on one's tax bill in one year) until funding was in place. It was their position that the Southwest County Jail was important to them, and the candidates that they represent, so they chose to participate in the whisper campaign against me, and thus published the mailer, through their sycophant county commissioner candidate, Don Cox, intimating that I smoked pot at midnight (whatever the Hell that means).

    What is so oddly disturbing is that I have contributed a great deal of time to Ashley Woolard and Greg Dority on their various unsuccessful campaigns, as they must have duped me into believing that they were real Republicans. Everybody makes mistakes, this was mine, and it is one I deeply regret.

    Greg Dority, Ashley Woolard and Bill Tarpening's support of the Southwest County Jail 'come Hell or high water' is their position. OK, I get that now. Accordingly, their candidates that they control never took a position against it, and the Washington Strategic Group (WSG) slandered me because I did, as evidenced by that last mailer. Whatever friendship they may have had with me is irrevocably gone because of that slander, and causes me to deeply question their character, and their honor as to relative to mine, which is all I know to do. Hell, I don't care that they are not real Republicans, what troubles me is that slander is their one tool to debate an issue that they are in opposition if, which is the nature of their political business, and that is unforgivable.

    Accordingly, It matters not that Greg Dority, Ashley Woolard and Bill Tarpening (WSG) are in favor of using 2 million dollars of the taxpayers' money, without financing in place, to build a jail over 6 miles southwest of the county seat. It makes poor business sense, even by government standards, but all people are welcome to their own expressed opinions on positions, and I respect that; however, a governing difference of opinion with me on the proposed jail does not qualify these three men's slander of my character; to marginalize my position on the 2 million dollar question at that commissioners' general meeting, and now probably wasted on that Southwest County Jail. Obviously, this prompts me to question: the depth of their character as to the lengths they will stoop; their ability to make strong decisions at appropriate times if put in that position to do so; and their complete abdication of honor and integrity as people with the assumed power to know better; and I won't tolerate that on so many levels.

    My advice to two of the 'Three Stooges': Don't ever run for office again, anywhere, at any time. Should you be so foolish to do so, I will be there watching with a keen eye, and I won't hold back, and this I promise: I will never employ slander to diminish your prospects. I won't have to. You have, and you will, give up too much ammunition otherwise.

    Remember this one truth, I am reaching more people every day, through BCN and other Moderated Informational Platforms, and I won't tolerate dishonorable conduct against honorable people, from such dishonorable men.

    This is not a threat, this is my promise.

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