Response to Dagney, Thomas, Hamer, Back Letter

To the Editor: 
A letter to the editor signed by Edward Dagney and three others printed in the Aug. 10 edition of the Herald asserts that certain Middle Township Democrats (all members of the Middle Township School Board) have continuously pledged to support Mike Clark’s reelection bid for Township Committee in 2016. They used the words “false” and “disingenuous” to describe a press release from the Middle Township Regular Republican Organization (MTRRO). Perhaps Dagney and the other signatories to this letter should look in the mirror before making such accusations.
The facts are that Dagney, Stephanie Thomas, Burgess Hamer and Calvin Back all signed the nominating petition of Township Committee candidate (and fellow School Board member) Patricia Taylor. This fact is public record, available for anyone to view in the County Clerk’s Office.  The petition signed by these folks states the following, “We, the undersigned … pledge ourselves to support and vote for the person(s) named in such petition …”
To any objective observer, it should be abundantly clear who is being disingenuous here. Which begs the question, why did these School Board members sign a pledge to support Taylor and then publicly declare that they have always supported Mike Clark? Both statements can’t be true unless they believed that by helping Taylor get on the ballot, they would also be helping Clark get reelected.
The logical conclusion one must draw supports the MTRRO’s position on Taylor’s candidacy from day one. Taylor is running for one reason; to try and help the Democrats retain power in Town Hall by drawing votes away from Republican candidate Dan Lockwood. It’s the only logical reason Clark’s self-declared, steadfast supporters would sign the Taylor petition.
 As an organization that has worked hard to keep partisan politics out of our School Board elections, the MTRRO is truly dismayed to see the total politicization of the School Board now brought about by Taylor, the Mike Clark campaign and Dagney’s, Thomas’, Hamer’s and Back’s shortsighted and utterly partisan political attack on Lockwood. The signatories of the letter owe it to the voters of Middle Township to declare their true motivation for signing the Taylor petition. Otherwise, it would seem all too clear whose actions can best be described as false and disingenuous in this process.
The author is county chairman of Cape May County Regular Republican Organization.