GOP county executive candidate Richford right and wrong about political nepotism

Mercer County executive challenger Lisa Richford distributed stunning comments last week about incumbent Brian Hughes’ hire of political pal Rich McClellan.

“Just wrong on so many levels. Call it what you may but it appears that Brian Hughes just hired his campaign manager at the taxpayers expense. I don’t care what title they gave him, you need to call a spade a spade here and stop insulting the intelligence of the residents of Mercer County,” Richford provided via an email.

McClellan served prev iously as the Mercer County Democratic chairman and campaign manager for numerous County Democratic campaigns. His new title is director of Public Affairs.

Richford estimated that McClellan’s salary crests above $100,000 annually. While Democrats had hoped to avoid discussions about questionable hires and employee pay raises, Hughes’ Republican challenger whipped the issue.

“This hiring puts the cost on the backs of the already heavily taxed Mercer County ta x payers, rather than being paid through Brian Hughes campaign coffers which would be the moral thing to do” Richford offered.

“Fur ther, the latest ELEC election report (submitted 5/22/15) shows that Hughes has accumulated over $196,000 in total receipts to date, with much of this money coming from special interest groups, Mercer County department heads and vendors that do considerable business with Mercer County Government. Surely, he has and will be collecting enough money from his political friends to pay McClellan’s compensation and leave plenty left over for the upcoming campaign.” Richford added.

Richford accurately drew attention to a Mercer County democrat machine that without blush employs friends, felons and philanderers.

Richford and Republicans have every right to attack Democrats about an issue that generates controversy, especially with Hughes and political powerbrokers gifting jobs with a distinct arrogance.

Just when Richford had delivered a superb challenge to awkward Democrat practices, an allegiance to party bigs stymied her message.

Richford added these comments about Ham- ilton of ficials securing summer jobs for family members.

“On nepotism… making a comparison about Hamilton hiring a kid for $7.50 an hour to cut grass in the summer to giving full time career pension jobs in the County to family members is comparing apples to oranges; and when I am elected County Executive I will not hire any of my family members, however, I will hire the most qualified regardless of who they are related to, what religion they are or what their political affiliation is; and we will surely not be running the Republican Party out of the County Administration Building at 640 S. Broad Street, Trenton, New Jersey like the Democrats have done for the past 12 years.”

Well, wait a minute. Richford should step away from comparisons. Hamilton officials who pull six-figured salaries certainly push the envelope of propriety when their children receive summer jobs.

This debate linchpins not with pay but with principle. As usual, when people are found out they roll out a prepared excuse that their children have a right to employment. The rich still get a little richer, even if salaries hover near the minimum wage.

One can imagine how important some of these jobs could be for teens in families that face econ-comic struggles.

Just one job for a teen in Bromley may jump start a life that understands the relationship between hard work, punctuality, hygiene, and earned income. Some issues are not just about money.

Hamilton Republicans are wrong about these distributed freebies while Democrats have erred about their brinkmanship that supports economic political incest.

With nepotism and croynism hot topics a proposition awaits all political candidates, especially incumbents.

The challenge here is for all Trenton, Hamilton and Mercer County officials to name all relatives hired during their tenure.

A real understanding about this pervasive matter requires exposure. So, in Trenton, Mayor Eric Jackson should deliver disclosure with Hamilton Mayor Kelly Yaede following suit. County Executive Hughes should make a similar overture along with local state senators, assembly members and all others.

A personal opinion believes it’s time for a third party in Mercer County, Hamilton and Trenton.

We need government leaders who know the difference between honest behavior and political patronage.

L.A. Parker