Friday, March 31, 2006

Harlin Demands Apology

I look forward to publish Mr. McGuffin's response no matter what it may be


HOWARD COUNTY CHAIRMAN DEMANDS PUBLIC APOLOGY

Ellicott City, MD - Howard County Republican Chairman Brian Harlin called on Howard County Democratic Party Chairman Tony McGuffin to publicly apologize and refute his undignified political attack. By knowingly making false statements to the news media, McGuffin illustrates his failure to lead and offer positive debate. Instead McGuffin offers the residents of Howard County his vision, that of attacks and politics of personal destruction.

"Chairman McGuffin, in a leadership position with the Democratic Party, should apologize immediately for his false statements and pledge to conduct himself and his committee in a more dignified and honest manner," Harlin said.

In Wednesday's Sun article by Larry Carson titled Rakes Exit May Bring Shift, Howard County Democrat Central Committee Chairman Tony McGuffin was quoted with the following:

McGuffin scoffed at Harlin's charges. "He's just making all this up. That's what they do. They say what they want to be true and think if they repeat it enough, people will believe it," McGuffin said.

McGuffin is clearly calling Harlin and all Republicans liars, accusing Mr. Harlin of using tactics that the Democrats in this state are famous for. Earlier in the article Harlin charged that Ken Ulman and others in the Democrat Party had begun a series of attacks against Mr. Rakes because he did not vote with the Party.

"I think it's absurd the way Ulman treated Rakes," Harlin said, referring to comments Ulman made last summer after Rakes reversed course and opposed a housing bill he had supported. Ulman said at that time that Rakes did not understand the bill and that "his constituents should be embarrassed for him."

"He can't take it anymore," Harlin said of Rakes. He said the Democrats' credo is, "If you don't do what the Democratic Party tells you, we'll get rid of you."

In Thursday's article in the Howard County Times by Earle Eldridge, Harlin's claims are substantiated by Rakes and members of the Party:

Citing health reasons and "politics," Howard County Councilman David Rakes said this week that he will resign his District 2 seat March 31.

In an interview this week, he added that political feuding between himself and some county Democrats helped him to decide to step down. "Politics had become very difficult for me on the council," said Rakes, who this week sent a letter to council members announcing his resignation.

Earlier this year, county Democratic party officials, who had grown angry at Rakes for what they called a defection, said publicly that they would not back Rakes and would support Ball's effort to unseat him.

The late Wendy Fiedler, who was then chair of the Democratic Central Committee, said Rakes' vote for Merdon "ended his political career as a Democrat" in Howard County.

Harlin's statements in the Sun article that the Democratic Party forced David Rakes out of office were clearly factual. "Health reasons," were a classy way for Councilman Rakes to step down without tearing down his party in an election year.

Mr. Harlin's responded to the McGuffin charges saying, "After reading this comment and others by Mr. McGuffin, you can clearly see who is taking their cues from the national Party.

Republicans in the state of Maryland may not have a voice in the press, but we will not stand idly by while liberals like McGuffin attack our character. I have seen McGuffin's type of tactics used by Liberals in this state for many years and it is time we put a stop to it. I don't believe that the Mr. McGuffin's far-left liberal views are representative of the majority of Democrats in Howard County."

1 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

I think the point is that McGuffin publically called Harlin a liar. Harlin backed up his claims with other public statements from Rakes, and the late Wendy Fielder. It appears as though McGuffin only reads his quotes in the papers.

If an apology is not in order at least Harlin's point of toning it down is well taken.

8:53 AM  

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