Unfit For Public Office

It's no secret that I am supporting Tom Greene for Snohomish County Sheriff. So when candidate Rob Beidler responded to some questions on Sound Politics, no one expected me to go easy on him.

But I wasn't exactly really tough, either. I had a few main points:

• It was unethical to accept the endorsement of the deputies' union, since that raises a lot of questions about fair dealings with the union in the future, should he be elected
• Greene is far more qualified
• Beidler's support is not as broad as he makes it out to be, and alone isn't good enough to get my vote, anyway

Then I had some questions:

• Clarify your vague attacks on Greene's abilities and characteristics
• Respond to attack on Beidler by the current sheriff
• Clarify your own claims

I noted that I can't take his word for his claims: I need evidence. He didn't seem to understand that. He said:

The response from pudge- "Really? How do you "know" this? Because Rob says so publically? Well, what does he say privately? And how can we take your, or his, word for that?" I am not thin skinned but I have to take that at least a little bit personal.

He takes someonea voter's lack of trust, based on his lack of experience and putting himself in a situation where questions SHOULD be raised, "personal?"

That raised a big red flag for me. An elected official should take it for granted that many responsible citizens will not just take his word for anything. Then after defending himself as doing the right thing, and being the best for the job, on absolutely everything I brought up, he had the gall to attack me for "refusing to be wrong." He can "explain away" what he's done (or not done), but I can't "explain away" things that Greene's done. He's attacking me for doing my job as a citizen, and for doing things that are no worse than what he is doing, and I am not even running for office!

This guy is clearly showing himself to be unfit for public office. It's pretty sad.