PBA support not technically an endorsement for Dems

By: Cara Latham
   PLUMSTED — The president of the Plumsted/Jackson Police Benevolent Association, Local 168, said this week that a press release sent to local newspapers announcing its endorsement of Democrats Mitch Geier and Elizabeth Lane for Township Committee was inaccurate.
   Rather than officially endorsing the two candidates, PBA President Earl Meroney said the PBA members had agreed to "support" the two candidates, but never had plans to announce to the press that they would endorse them.
   "The PBA advised that we would support him, but we never said that we would endorse him publicly," Mr. Meroney said in a phone interview Tuesday. "We never said we endorsed anybody. We said we’ll support him, but the word ‘endorse’ never came out of my mouth."
   He said the membership the PBA has never endorsed a political candidate.
   A press release along with a letter dated Oct. 19 that was addressed to Mr. Geier and Ms. Lane from the PBA was forwarded to the Messenger-Press by Mr. Geier last week.
   The press release quoted PBA member Ernie Freestone, who said that "our PBA members feel strongly that our township needs new leadership," and that "we all want to keep our community ‘rural and safe,’ but doing things the same way we have for the last 20 years just doesn’t cut it."
   The letter to the two candidates stated that "the membership after long deliberation has elected to back the Geier-Lane Candidates." It also said that the PBA "has for the past several years attempted to add officers, equipment, and further training to bolster the safety of all our members with limited success."
   Mr. Freestone said a vote was taken, and the PBA members agreed to support Mr. Geier and Ms. Lane.
   "As a PBA, we don’t endorse any side of the political parties," said Mr. Meroney. "That’s up to the public to listen to the candidates and go from there and base their opinions on it. We stay neutral, and our goal is to work with the committee no matter who it is, new or old, to work towards making our town better and keep a good relationship with the Township Committee."
   In a letter sent to the Messenger-Press Tuesday, Mr. Meroney stated that "while a single officer who is a township resident may express his own opinion, he may not and cannot speak on behalf of the PBA."
   "The PBA hopes that the residents will take the time to learn about each candidate’s position and use their own judgment to make an informed decision come Election Day," the letter stated.
   "It’s just a matter of semantics and getting things out at the same level," he said about the wording of the letter. "We still strongly support Mitch."
   Mr. Geier said in a phone interview Monday that to him, the wording meant the same thing, that he still had the support of the PBA, whichever way they said it.
   "I’m thankful that they are maintaining the support for our campaign," he said.
   Republican candidate Michael McCue said Tuesday that he does not have a comment on the matter other than that the PBA "certainly" has "any right to endorse whoever they wanted to."
   He said that the PBA had never met with him nor his running mate EricSorchik, nor did the PBA make any effort to talk to them about anything.
   "I support the Plumsted Police Department whole-heartedly, and I intend, if I’m elected, to continue to support the (Police Department)," he said.
   Mr. Sorchick was out of town and could not be reached for comment.