Politics Doesn't Need to Be a Blood Sport
By the time you open a newspaper this morning or read it online, you'll read the story of one of my opponents in November, Democratic candidate Alex DeSevo and the troubles he now faces.
As the news broke on Middletown Patch yesterday, I received dozens of calls from reporters, residents, and friends to comment on the events that took place. This is an incredibly unfortunate situation and my thoughts and prayers are with Mr. DeSevo and his family.
While no one but he knows exactly what transpired to culminate in his arrest on CDS possession charges, I truly hope if he indeed has a problem, he seeks the help that he needs to put his life back together. At the very least, the fact is that Mr. DeSevo is now dealing with these charges that have been lodged against him and the surrounding circumstances.
As a "politician", I completely understand the spotlight that comes along with seeking elected office. It's easy to turn on the news and see your daily dose of Anthony Weiner or any other elected official who has made a wrong turn along the way.
The higher the office, the higher the pay and the higher the scrutiny that comes with the job. Very understandable. On the local level (at least here in Middletown) do the job with minimal compensation. Whether it's for the Board of Education or the Township Committee, we mostly volunteer our time and energy to do what we believe is best for the town.
It's easy for the public to lose sight of that and it's easy to understand why. Most of the people I talk to think that I am a full time mayor with a pension and benefits making a six-figure salary, the burden of which is borne by the taxpayers. Wrong on all counts.
It would be really hard to support my family on the $67 per week stipend from the township. I can only assume that it's this perception of what the office is that makes Alex Desevo front page news today. I doubt he would have even made the paper if he wasn't a candidate.
This morning I read a posting from a good friend of mine who I spoke to yesterday who runs a very successful political blog Web site. For those who have never been to it, check out www.moremonmouthmusings.net.
After reading his take on the story, I can conclude that if this happened to me or one of my Republican colleagues, that our opponents would be celebrating. I am also reminded of the negative and personal attacks that I and other members of the Committee have endured despite any regard for our families.
It doesn't have to be that way and it shouldn't be that way. Politics doesn't have to be a blood sport. Sometimes it takes a personal tragedy to reminds us of that.
Tom
12:43 am on Tuesday, June 28, 2011
There is something utterly disingenuous about this article by the Mayor of Middletown. Under the pretext of being civil and mature about the problems of a political opponent, Mr. Fiore gives a shout out to his favorite right wing blog- MoreMonmouthMusings. If you read the comments on that blog about Mr. DeSevo's troubles, you will see a litany of vile comments posted mainly by Republicans under a host of pseudonyms. Mr. Fiore's post can be found among the swill laden comments and it appears he even lifted the title of this article from something Art Gallagher wrote.
It is obvious to me that the real impetus behind this article was to highlight Mr. DeSevo's problems on the off chance there is even one Middletown voter who didn't manage to hear about it elsewhere. I find it embarassing that our Mayor chooses to comment on and publicize a blog where references to "man butter" on men's faces gets past the blogger's review. Just when you think we've reached rock bottom......
Tony Fiore
6:34 am on Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Tom,
You are entitled to your own opinion. Because I commented on a blog post that makes me disingenuous? Maybe you should read what I wrote instead of making silly accusations. And for the record sir, I am not and have not tried to highlight Mr. Desevo's problems. Maybe you shoud re-read my comments in the article here on Patch or in any of the other 8 interviews I did on the subject. Joe Caliendo's comments were more of an indictment on Desevo than anything from me.
Tom
8:18 pm on Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Maybe you should re-read my comment Mr. Mayor. I said there is something disingenuous about this article in the Patch given that you are also exhorting people to read More Monmouth Musings, a blog which routinely uses politics as "blood sport". That is the the disingenuousness I speak of, not that you chose to comment on that blog in the first place. And thank you for proving my point- 8 interviews on the topic of Mr. DeSevo's arrest? I hope you gave at least 9 interviews on the topic of our new local methadone clinic as that is something that truly impacts the quality of life of Middletown residents.
I also find the lifting of the title and idea for your article from another's blog rather unclassy. While the original blogger, an unabashed Republican defender, may not mind your "borrowing" so liberally, it sets a poor example for Middletown's students who are always taught to cite their sources and to give credit when their ideas and words are not their own.
Tony Fiore
9:11 pm on Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Mr. Gallagher was well aware that I borrowed his story title and he was more than ok with it. Not only did I credit his work I credited his site and linked to it. And just to put your mind at ease, I did more interviews on the clinic than this story. Just to recap what I said in those dozen interviews, I don't like the fact that they are there and that we have very few legal options if any to prevent it in a business zone. I am working with Senator Kyrillos to propose legislation that would help towns better regulate these facilities.
Tom
10:48 pm on Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Anyone who writes commentary against engaging in politics as bloodsport while directing readers to check out a blog that is, in large measure, dedicated to doing precisely that, can only be called disingenuous. At least Art Gallagher accurately labels his blog as "Fair and Biased News and Commentary"-he is a partisan blogger and any who reads it is certainly aware of that fact.
I don't expect partisan bloggers to maintain high moral standards. When Mr. Gallagher posted one of the nude photos of Anthony Weiner that most legitimate news agencies had the discretion to omit, I took it for what it was- an attempt to capitalize on a political opponent's transgressions- i.e. using politics as bloodsport. So when you as mayor of all the citizens of Middletown pay lip service to toning down the personal nature of political discourse, while at the same time praising Mr. Gallagher's blog and directing citizens to read it, I find your commentary against "politics as bloodsport" disingenuous.
The borrowing of Mr. Gallagher's title and concept is a separate issue. Whether you linked to his site or not, your usage of the same title, ideas and concepts contained in Mr. Gallagher's post within days of it being published- without stating specifically where you got your title and idea from - is at a minimum uncredited use of somebody else's words and ideas. This is true whether Mr. Gallagher said it was OK or not.