Comments on: Hoeffel says Knox’s exit is a ‘big boost for me’

By: James

James — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 23:51:59 +0000

We voted for the GOP agenda and got the Dem agenda. Lock stock and barrel. No exceptions. Everything Hoeffel campaigned on came true and noe of what Matthews campaigned on did. That is whay people are so upset in our county.

By: David Diano

David Diano — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 18:09:44 +0000

James-
Well, I had a very different impression. I’d had a positive impression of Castor from all the cases he was prosecuting as Montco DA.
But then hiis attitude was that just because he got the most votes in the election, that board of commissioners should be a GOP rubber stamp, with him doing the stamping, really turned me off.
Hoeffel and Matthews agreed to work in a bi-partisan fashion, representing the Dem and GOP that voted for them combined. Castor’s attitude was to dismiss the concerns of Dems, since he got the most votes.
AS a result of Matthews cooperation with Hoeffel, Democrats got into position that would have been given to Castor’s GOP cronies.
If you want to call the Dems “cronies”, that’s fine. But, if all we are going to get is cronies, I’d rather have a mixture from both parties keeping an eye on each other. It’s a form of checks and balances.

In Delaware county, the courthouse is so politically corrupt that there are NO Dems in the voter registration/election departments.

By: James

James — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 13:30:29 +0000

Gosh, David, I read those accounts and didn’t come away with anything of the sort. What I remember is the Democrats screaming like little children that a TV ad Castor did for Matthews doomed their candidates. Nevertheless, Jim Matthews has hired every failed Democrat operative and adopted all of Hoeffels campaign priorities (the ones Matthews attacked). Further Matthews has adopted none of the priorities he campaigned on and admitted publicly that he passed an “Ethics Policy” designed to “hurt” other GOP office holders. Matthews gave Hoeffel power over how 10s of millions of dollers in stimulusfunds would be spent and hired all Hoeffels past campaign advisors into top high paying positions in the government. Matthews did all this because of his jealousy and hatred of Castor. The party raised a million bucks to get Matthews elected. This is how he repays the party, by empowering the opponent’s run for governor? Matthews has been censured by the GOP and shunned by its leaders and at its events. Nobody wants his “endorsement.” All GOP candidates seek out Castor. Matthews is a man devoid of integrity, a liar and a hypocrite. Hoeffel knows this and has simply used Matthews to advance his own interests. Matthews is too blinded by his desire to “hurt” those who are not in lock step with him that the fool can’t see he has been used.

By: David Diano

David Diano — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 02:35:42 +0000

Nan-
I followed the news at the time.

When Hoeffel and Matthews decided to work together, all Castor did was whine and cry like a baby in the newspapers. He didn’t want to work with anybody if he couldn’t be in charge and get jobs for his cronies. Boo. Hoo.

Wanting a dictatorship (and acting like the first syllable) showed how shallow Castor is.

By: Nan

Nan — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 02:03:17 +0000

Example David? That is not how it is reading in the press.

By: David Diano

David Diano — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 01:05:57 +0000

Len-
You left out what a childish crybaby Castor is.

By: Len

Len — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 22:40:51 +0000

I’d say there is some poetic license in what Barry quoted, David, but he pretty much nailed the gist of what goes on down there in Montco. Jim Matthews is a fool, and Hoeffel uses him and his dislike of Castor for everything it is worth. Heoffel has benefited tremendously from what was a dysfunctional GOP that paired the popular Castor with the morally bankrupt Matthews and hoped for the best. What they got was a disaster. The silver lining is the party there is no longer dysfunctional because everyone in the GOP has turned on Matthews who simply doesn’t care. Matthews surrounds himself with toadys who tell him what he wants to hear. None of them will tell Matthews he is an emperor with no clothes, and Hoeffel is laughing himself all the way to a possible governor nomination. Got to hand it to Hoeffel. He saw a opportunity and he took it. Castor is young enough that he will live to fight another day. And Matthews is a Dead Man Walking politically.

By: David Diano

David Diano — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 22:21:00 +0000

Barry-
That’s a hell of a “quote”. I didn’t realize you took notes of your dreams.

Hoeffel Campaign-
I agree with the merits of Joe’s argument about Knox dropping out being good for him (for progressives looking for a progressive candidate).

Ironically (and unsurprisingly), Onorato and Doherty feel it’s to their advantage, too. I’m sure Wagner will have similar remarks if asked.

By: Barry

Barry — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 20:42:49 +0000

Hoeffel is further quoted as saying “as long as I can keep Jim matthews’ hatred of Bruce Castor alive, I will continue to have a free hand in Montco to drive my progressive agenda there and build up goodwill from the left as well as my campaign war-chest by fleecing county vendors. The additional leverage I have over vendors throughout the southeast from my position as soon-to-be Chair of the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, again, thanks to my naive friend Jim, is a bonus I never hoped to achieve. Amazing how stoking Matthews’ jealousy of Castor has advanced the Democrat cause even though we were defeated at the polls. Of course, that will end in less than two years, so we better get in as much as we can!”