Dear Editor:
What do I really know about David Ax? (In response to: ‘Ax owed apology, truth, The Citizen, Aug.30, page 6). Well, I don’t know the man personally. Regarding his relationship with his wife, children and pets, I can’t vouch for that. I can only go by good friends of his, such as you to verify that. However, it’s irrelevant to the issue at hand.
I agree with your statement that the voters don’t care if he had a federal job or for that matter, if someone unknowingly was breaking the law. However, they do care that if someone did know they were breaking the law, and failed to inform the local government and its citizens. Especially since, he conveniently, told the township supervisor right after the polls closed that ‘he ran an illegal campaign or thinks (he) ran an illegal campaign.? This is not political crap, as you call it in the opinion.
I also like how you spin the facts, and help justify Ax’s actions by stating, ‘Where were the experienced politicians to tell Ax all about the outdated Hatch law and advise him he can’t run.? First of all, isn’t it Ax’s responsibility to find out what the law is and once he did find out, which he did ahead of the election, to come forward and deal with the consequences of his actions. Second and more important, we are a Republic and our country is based on the rule of law. Don’t try and brush off Ax’s actions by stating that the Hatch Act is outdated and that justifies the means. Using your logic, if you think the 1939 Hatch Act is outdated, then the U.S. Constitution put into effect in 1789 must really be outdated. If the law is unfair, unjust, outdated, whatever, the law can be changed through the legislative process. But until then, we must follow the rule of law, not pick and chose which laws we want to follow.
Regarding, your ‘We? statement and your self amusing ‘Frog? comment that DePalma is in my pocket: no one, and I mean no one ever speaks for me, period. The only reason I called DePalma, was to find out, if, what was reported in The Citizen was correctly stated, what could ‘we as a community? do about it if we’re unhappy about Ax’s personal ambitions and actions. As a matter of fact, I have only spoken to DePalma one time on the phone, regarding this issue, and I have only seen DePalma at a couple of board meetings.
We all make mistakes, I’ve made my share, however, the character of an individual is how one deals with them when confronted with the facts. What are we supposed to do, roll over and allow individuals to justify breaking the law and call it a day? Using your logic once again, if someone commits robbery or fraud, it’s OK, because they probably had a good reason. I don’t think so.
With regards your ‘Hidden agenda? comment. Unless you think that means caring for my community, who spends my hard-earned tax dollars and holding our politicians accountable for their behavior, then I guess I’m guilty. I guess I’m also guilty of using my first amendment rights by ‘hiding behind the safety of my keyboard? and standing up for something I believe.
Isn’t it ironic, that you ‘call me out? to have my own town hall meeting (but I’m not running for treasurer), yet, the person who should be defending his actions, and or apologizing for them should be Ax himself. His silence over the last couple of weeks has been deafening. So much for taking responsibility, for one’s actions.
It’s time that one of the other candidates, stand up and runs against Ax as a write-in, for the November election. Since Ax won’t take responsibility, it’s up to the voter’s of Groveland to do it for him.
In closing, there was nothing of any merit or substance in the opinion that persuaded me that the facts reported by The Citizen, and our currently elected officials were incorrect. Therefore, one can only assume that Ax’s, actions and intentions were only about Ax, and not the community.
Harry Branca, Jr.
Groveland Twp.