POLARIZING FIGURE
GOP Commissioner Joe Gale draws critics, supporters
NORRISTOWN » Montgomery County Commissioner Joseph Gale’s racially- charged statement earlier this month again dominated the Board of Commissioners’ meeting Thursday morning.
While a majority of the 28 residents commenting spoke out against the elected leader, about a third defended the embattled politician’s lengthy public statement condemning riots in Philadelphia, which Gale released on June 1.
“I’m so sorry, Joe Gale, but you do not represent me,” said Norristown resident Alina Joseph. “You do not represent our council and the numerous
Montco residents that have stood up and spoken against you. So I just want you to know that you cannot continue this racist rhetoric for too long. We will stand up and we will fight.”
“I just want to commend Joe Gale for his courage and his ability not to be afraid to speak an opinion,” said East Norriton resident John Harris.
In the June 1 statement, Republican Gale called for “law and order,” while criticizing “looting, violence and arson” during times of unrest in major cities such as Philadelphia following the Memorial Day death of George Floyd, at the hands of Minneapolis police.
“The perpetrators of this urban domestic terror are radical
left-wing hate groups like Black Lives Matter,” Gale wrote in the public statement, which was immediately condemned by fellow commissioners, Valerie Arkoosh andKenneth E. Lawrence Jr.
Arkoosh and Lawrence, both Democrats, voted to censure Gale for his comments at the last commissioners’ meeting on June 4.
A change.org petition calling for Gale’s resignation began circulating some weeks ago and had 86,533 signatures as of Thursday afternoon.
Demonstrations and rallies have taken place in the weeks since Gale made the statement, including a march to Gale’s Plymouth Meeting home.
The most recent protest occurred on Monday evening where state Sen. Daylin Leach (D-17th Dist.) called for an investigative action in the Pennsylvania General Assembly to appoint “a special committee ... to pursue possible removal” of Gale from office. As an elected official, Gale can only be removed by resignation or action of the state legislature.
The Monday press conference and rally was brought on by PA Women Rise, the “biggest most powerful grassroots community that Montco has ever seen,” according to organizer and Narberth resident Danielle Kwock Phillips.
“Thank you to Joseph Gale, who has become our biggest ally,” Phillips said during Thursday’s meeting. “I can’t thank him enough that he has mobilized a community of women, people of color, of minorities who are now civically engaged and active.”
Phillips said the organization, which has more than 1,700 followers on Facebook, also joined forces with Leach on the matter. She added that there are nine other state senators endorsing the legislation and “willing to vote for this.”
On Thursday, as protesters both for and against Gale demonstrated outside the courthouse, Gale defended his previous statements and thanked supporters for their loyalty.
“Your prayers and support go a long way in providing me the physical and spiritual strength to fulfill my promise of speaking the truth no matter the backlash and never wavering from the responsibility to be a voice for the voiceless,” Gale said during the meeting.
“There is absolutely nothing illegal, unethical or improper about exercising my constitutional rights to free speech,” he continued. “I stand by every word in the press statement I released on June 1 titled ‘Riots and Looting in Philadelphia.’”
In the public comment portion of the meeting, faith leaders and community residents repeated the call for his resignation.
“Commissioner Gale called the organization that provides leadership for Collegeville, Black Lives Matter, a left-wing hate group,” said Collegeville Mayor Aidsand Wright-Riggins. “You maligned my granddaughter. You maligned the members of my community. You maligned Montgomery County. I, as a minister, as a mayor, as a member of this county ask for your immediate resignation.”
Rev. Ashley Rossi, associate pastor of Carmel Presbyterian Church in Glenside, said, “It is not too much to call you a racist. You do not see God’s children as created equally and therefore you are unfit to serve this very diverse county.
“As a Christian, as a pastor and as a fellow child of God I will pray for the restoration of your heart. As a citizen of Montgomery County, I will work for your removal from office.”
Rev. Dr. Vernon Ross Jr., pastor of Bethel Community Church of Pottstown, urged area residents to double down on efforts to contact local and state legislators about supporting the state Senate legislation as well as the formal complaints with the state’s human relations and ethics commissions.
Upper Merion Township resident Mark Jones, who also leads Black People Revolutionizing Montco & United Men of Color, said Gale’s statements affect others.
“I stand with a group of children every day on [Route] 202. Children. Your statements hurt them,”
Jones said at the Montgomery County podium. “We just want people like you to understand we want to matter.”
Jones encouraged Gale to have a conversation with the people of Bridgeport.
“...Please put your money where your mouth is and come and talk to the other half of your constituents that you’ve offended,” Jones said.
Some commenters took a portion of their allotted time to address the county leaders about the February firings of former public defenders Dean Beer and Keisha Hudson.
Jones then turned his attention to Arkoosh and Lawrence. The two elected officials issued personal comments on their respective social media accounts, put out a joint statement and took action to censure their colleague.
“To Mr. Lawrence, Ms. Arkoosh, while I appreciate your statements, that is absolutely not enough. We cannot tolerate any form of racism,” he said.
In support of Gale, Plymouth Meeting resident Bill McKee blasted Arkoosh and Lawrence for the condemnation.
“What you’re doing to Joe Gale is wrong,” McKee said.
“Joe Gale has a right to speak his mind about B.L.M. whether they like it or not,” added Norristown resident Matt Faust.
On two occasions, speeches mentioning instances about abortion and Planned Parenthood were interrupted by Solicitor Josh Stein. He asked that topics “remain to county business.”
Gale, who was in a grid seen during the virtual meeting, advocated for the speakers.
“I spoke about Planned Parenthood last week. It is related to county business, and every time anyone brings it up, you immediately interrupt them.
“Meanwhile there’s other members of the public up at the podium saying police should be defunded, and I don’t see you interrupting them,” Gale continued. “I don’t remember that being a topic of county business. So please make sure that you equally address public comment appropriately and hold everybody accountable appropriately.”