Jim Matthews sits as a county commissioner in Montgomery County and ran as a Republican and received support from the Republican Party. I have met Matthews several times now and questioned him on illegal immigration and other issues. My opinion of him is that he is a smooth talker, though smarmy. He is the brother of that bastion of conservatism, Chris Matthews of MSNBC.
Jim Matthews |
Since he was seated as a commissioner, Matthews has done nothing to work with Bruce Castor, the true conservative among the commissioners. He has pushed Democrat and left-wing agendas. He sided with the left-wing commissioner almost as soon as he sat on the board.
On immigration he pretty clearly stated to me after the debates that he was for some kind of pathway to citizenship and that it would be hard-hearted to deport illegal aliens. He totally deflected on how he would handle illegal aliens in the county. I wrote about it in October 2007 and included the video you see below where he answers the question on illegals in the county with the following statement: "I choose not to be drawn into that conversation." and deflected putting the onus totally on the feds - that is something right out of the liberal pro-illegal alien playbook.
Matthews is now trying to weasel his way into some cabinet position in Governor-Elect Tom Corbett's administration.
This is not the first time that Matthews has been censured by the Republicans. He is up for re-election in 2011 and in the article below he does mention that he could possibly run as an independent if he doesn't get his golden cabinet position and the Republicans refuse to back him next year.
Times-Herald
The Montgomery County Republican Committee voted to censure Matthews in November 2008. The resolution was approved unanimously by 56 county Republican officials. The censure was intended to punish the chairman for publicly aligning himself with Democratic commissioner Joseph M. Hoeffel shortly after the 2007 election.
This guy is nothing more than a liberal wolf in conservative sheep's clothing and the Republican Party has had about enough of him. He took donor money and support form the Republican Party and then went and implemented a left-wing agenda.
Recently at a commissioner's meeting Ruth Miller and I confronted him on recent plans for the county to buy up farm land to designate it as "open space". Yes,, they wanted to, and have, spent millions buying up property to just let it sit there and be publicly owned. They weren't buying it to develop or for a public building, but to just sit there. It is idiotic that they would do such a thing rather than to allow a private sale of the property and for it to be used in some sort of productive manner. When asked about this I got the feeling that Matthews was talking down to me as if I was some sort of peon. I mentioned all above and he did not seem to agree with me at all. Not something a Free Market Conservative would do.
Word is that Matthews was not Republican Castor's first choice to run with him, but Castor had someone else in mind during the last election cycle. Bob Asher, the chairman of the Montgomery County Republican Committee (MCRC) - the same committee now censuring Matthews, pushed Matthews on Castor. Matthews was elected, but received poor vote totals. A far wing left loony named Joe Hoeffel is the third commissioner. Hoeffel is a piece of work himself, who seems to have his thumb in every left-wing fantasy from global warming to "sustainable development". Any way that someone could steal your money or control your life, Hoeffel is right there with it. Enough about him though. Despite Matthews's poor performance in the election, somehow Matthews has wormed his way into being not only a county commissioner, but the Chairman.
Now the MCRC has censured Matthews for not upholding the principles and promises he made to voters and the Republicans that he took donations and support from.
Here is the censure from MCRC:
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WHEREAS, Bruce Castor and James Matthews were endorsed by the Montgomery County Republican Committee as Candidates for County Commissioner in March, 2007; and
WHEREAS, the voters of Montgomery County chose a Republican administration when they elected Bruce Castor and James Matthews as Commissioners in November of 2007; and
WHEREAS, James Matthews has engaged in a continuing course of conduct since December of 2007 detrimental to the Montgomery County Republican Party; and
WHEREAS, the continuing course of conduct includes the following:
he has failed to form a Republican Administration contrary to the will of the voters; and
he has implemented policies and an agenda inconsistent with his campaign platform betraying the Montgomery County voters who elected him and those who contributed to, and worked for his election; and
he has promoted the cause of Democrat elected officials and implemented the Democrat platform; and
he has systematically engaged in the hiring of Democrat Party operatives and Democrat failed candidates; and
he has taken retribution on certain persons because he perceived they did not support him in the Republican Party endorsement process; and
WHEREAS, the Montgomery County Republican Committee has made every effort over the last year to persuade James Matthews to live up to his promises to the Party, his donors, and the voters of Montgomery County to advance the principles of the Republican Party; and
WHEREAS, James Matthews' continued actions have made it clear that he steadfastly refuses to accept the mandate of the voters that he implement the principles of the Republican Party; and
WHEREAS, the Montgomery County Republican Committee desires to make clear that the actions of James Matthews in office are contrary to the wishes of the voters and that James Matthews has not acted in conformity with Republican principles by failing to form a Republican administration and pursue Republican policies.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Montgomery County Republican Committee censures James Matthews for conduct in office not reflective of Republican principles and for failure to form a Republican administration in express opposition to the will of the electorate and in breach of his own promises to do so.
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