I was quite shocked to learn of my opponent’s extensive arrest record for which he appears to be on probation till 2012. The arrest covers such things as Criminal Damage to Property, DWIs, and so on . . . . This was all found on the site http://www.mncourts.gov/default.aspx?page=1927 . This information was forwarded to me by concerned citizens who were worried that a person with this record would ever run for public office.
When a person runs for public office they need to know that their life becomes public and that their judgment is one reason people may or may not vote for them. We have serious issues to solve and cannot be in fear that our tremendous City progress would be derailed by bad behavior—past, present, or future—on the part of a potential City leader.
We have worked hard to grow our City and improve our reputation as a community so that we can continue to attract good businesses and promote residential growth. Scandal only hurts these efforts and casts a negative light on us all, branding Isanti in a way that would be a detriment to our future.
It was a struggle over the past few weeks as to whether or not to share this public information. I would have hoped my opponent would have been honest with our City and detailed the reasons why even with this record he was still fit to serve - but unfortunately this has not happened. We have had tough campaigns in the past but this is beyond that. This rises to the level of doing real harm to the City's reputation if he is elected. How would one oversee the operations of a police force and liquor store when there is such a record? This is more than one mistake at one point in time. This is a record covering several years, with the most recent conviction occurring in 2009. To be clear these are not arrest and convictions that happened 10 or 20 years ago but in the past few years. These are the sad facts - not rumor are myth but verifiable facts.
I am aware of several people who have wanted to disclose this information, but I believe it is my responsibility in order to prevent others from becoming the target of any negative backlash. Some will be upset by this post but I believe strongly the public has the right to know if their potential City leader is on probation for committing an act of violence and can be sent back to jail to finish their sentence.
7 comments:
First of all I don't think it is any ones business to report someone elses record. I'm sure he has been very busy between his 2 jobs and trying to meet the people of the city all at the same time. I'm sure he will come out and tell us about himself when he gets the chance. Every time I look at your blog all you do is look for bad things to say. What has he done to hurt you? I think it is wrong to report such stuff about someone you don't even know. Grow up!
Well the only thing that I can see on the blog the last few weeks that might fit your category of bad things is about my opponents arrests and convictions. He has made frequent stops at a number of area businesses and has failed to mention the his record or try to explain it. He seems to have had many opportunities to do so.
You obviously know him and have a connection so your perspective is going to be skewed to protecting him. That is only natural. Mt job is to protect the citizens and taxpayers of Isanti. The voters deserve to know thatperson they may elect could end back in jail if he violates his probation or gets arrested yet again....
As for he has done to me that is an interesting list... first his claims that I am stealing his ideas is hilarious.... many of the plans and policies we have in place I had developed before he even moved here 2 years ago. The ideas for our future I had published on my blog and in the paper before I even knew who he was.... his campaign and supporters are spreading their little rumors and lies all through town..... I at least have the guts to put my name to it and only use independent verified facts ie... an arrest and conviction record
You think it is wrong to publish these facts and I understand that but I also think it is wrong to lie to the voters and present an image that is false and will do great harm to our City's reputation and future.... we can disagree on this but those are my thoughts....
I don't know him personally but I have met him. He is a very nice gentleman who has hope and wants to help change our city for the better. In the meeting we had, he had nothing bad to say about you and from what I understand, he is not afraid of you. I have confidence in this young man, whether he has a record or not! At least he is working for a living and not looking for reasons to bring people down. Maybe he didn't tell the people he met with because he may have thought it was not neccessary! This city had many good plans and policies before you got in office too. We did fine without you too.
The City was doing so well it would have been bankrupt by now and your taxes would have been double.... I would love to hear these great plans considering they are nowhere to be found and no is able to examine them.
All my information is published and anyone can rip it apart and dissect it and make it better.
I find your statement of working for a living quite sad.... I worked full time until we had children and then my job became raising our children and volunteering in our community then becoming involved with local government. I hope you will not continue to demean all those families that have chosen to have a parent stay at home to raise their children.
Again could you provide some specifics.... what were these great plans that the city had....
George stop engaging these people that just want to rip you apart! Where is this guys blog or anything! This makes me so mad a guy moves here a few years ago and does nothing for the city and has no idea what has ever happened here and then thinks he should kick out you out.
This BS has to stop right now. Does he even know what you have done for us? does he know the corruption you stopped and how bad things were?
Tim is right stop letting these people try to hurt you. We support you so much please you have to win!!!
I'm sorry, but I disagree with the first poster. I was born and raised in this city and after reading George's opponent's ideas in the newspaper, I just shook my head in disbelief! Who or how did he intend to PAY for all of his big money ideas? The taxpayers? Santa Clause? The Tooth Fairy? This city is just working itself OUT of a major financial fiasco generated from years past, we certainly don't need to dive right back into another one - ESPECIALLY a self-inflicted one!
I've always been leery of relatively new citizens to the community seeking the office of Mayor and this is why - they generally have no clue as to what has come before them, nor do they care to do their homework in order to find that information out.
As far as his "record" - I'm sorry, whether he's a nice guy or not, whether he's done anything to hurt me or not - this man has an arrest & conviction record and I feel that yes, it matters! As a voter, I deserve to know that. As far as you being so sure that he'll come out and tell us about himself when he "gets the chance", well, I'm not so sure. He HAD the chance to tell us all about it in the newspaper article and chose not to. hmmm. Trust me, the reason that he didn't mention it was not simply because he "forgot".
It is also MY responsibility to know as much as I can about each candidate so that I can be an "informed" voter when I go to the polls. There have been many times over the years that I have voted for the BEST candidate for the job, and unfortunately, though many were my personal friends, they didn't get my vote.
I would probably have some respect for this man had he started out running for a seat on the council and allowing me and others to kind of "get to know him", but heading straight to de-throne the Mayor is a bit too much for me.........and a whole lot of other people in this city.
And yes, I was leery of George too - but I watched his votes on items that came before the council (when he was a council member), listened to the reasoning behind his votes (especially those that I didn't agree with), was impressed with all of the homework he had done in order to "back up" his facts and decided that he was actually a pretty smart man and one that I
wanted to be the Mayor of this city and my vote indicated that as well when the elections came around. Had George taken office and steered us down what I considered to be the wrong path, I certainly wouldn't have hesitated to vote for someone else the following election.
George has EARNED the support of the great majority of the citizens & businesses in this city, and it wasn't because he came on the scene proposing all kinds of "fun" ideas for projects that we, as a community, could NOT afford and his opponent would be wise to take a lesson from that.
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