From Cecil Times
A Republican political newcomer lashed out at State Sen. E.J. Pipkin (R-36) and Del. Michael Smigiel (R-36) Monday night, telling a candidates’ forum sponsored by the local “tea party” group that the duo was trying to stage a take-over of county politics and government and “They will destroy this county.”
The sharp outburst by Ted Kolodzey, a candidate for the Republican nomination for county Commissioner in District 3, came near the end of the two-hour forum, which was boycotted by three “Young Republican Club” members who are running for Commissioner seats and are aligned with Pipkin and Smigiel. Forum organizers placed three empty chairs at the candidates’ table with cards bearing their names: Chris Zeauskas, Michael Dunn and Michael Dawson.
Kolodzey’s accusations came in response to a question about whether he supported the actions by “members of the state delegation” seeking to force the county commissioners to accept collective bargaining with binding arbitration on behalf of Sheriff’s deputies.
Someone Noticed 
Wow, just wow. What is this bizarre fixation these people have with Smigiel and Pipkin?
Sounds like this event last night degenerated into political mudslinging which apparently culminated in this strange and fantastical tirade by some guy nobody knows.
I am just disgusted with the “Patriots group anymore… they have really turned into a self-important and arrogant bunch. They are nothing more than a propaganda tool for certain local politicians in their little “war” with Pipkin and Smigiel.
Cecil Truth: As someone not familiar with the multiple conservative movements that are at work in Cecil County as they say they’re trying to restrain the growth of local government and control associated expenditures, this one is a mystery. I guess there’s a tea-party and there’s a patriot movement? What’s the difference between these two groups since I assume they both have the same philosophical underpinnings? I suspect the real issue is the internal political strife that is going on in the Republican Party in Cecil County, just as it is with the national party. The difference here is that there’s not a moderate branch and both are playing in the conservative said of the equation. Wish I had seen it myself so I interpret matters a little more cleary.
I was there, and yes, Ted Kolodzey did go ‘”over the top” against Pipkin and Smigiel in his coments. But the tone of this event was NOT “mudslinging” and you are wrong to attack the local “Patriots” group. They did everything to make the forum non-partisan, and it was such. These ‘tea party” people were very down to earth and not political. they had an independendent moderator from Toastmasters International.
Since it is clear you were not there, your attacks on the “tea party” people and your support of Smigiel-Pipkin are suspect. Why don’t you mentionb that the Smigiel-Pipkin kids refused to attend because their ‘bosses” told them not to go?
How can these people ask us voters to support then when they are too scared, or too in the pockets of Smigiel and Pipkin, to show up at a local citizen’s forum to answer questions from the community?
Maria:
Thanks for sharing your perspective as a first-hand observer. As I try to cut through the fog that the Internet often creates, you posting helps to a larger degree.
I don’t know, seems to me the “kids” are alright… from what I’ve read they were concerned about the stringent rules which restricted candidate responses and allowed little or no audience participation.
Basically it amounted to facing a firing squad manned by their political rivals. And from all reports, their apprehensions weren’t unfounded as this event turned into yet another pointless round of Pipkin/Smigiel bashing.
It took some guts here to stand up to the “Patriots” (who fancy themselves local political bosses) and boycott their forum, knowing they would take a political hit.
I would encourage them to speak out and let the people know the truth about the local “Patriots” group… which is basically that they have become nothing more than stooges for Hodge, Lockhart and their buddies to run the county and line their pockets.
They can’t be bothered to actually organize tea parties instead focusing on divisive events like this that divide conservatives and liberty minded voters instead of uniting them.
Cecil County Truth: Is there still a tea-party in Cecil County or did it fold as infighting started? They had some visibility at one point, but I haven’t heard much from them lately.
I go to the meetings and I can assure you that Hodge and Lockhart have just about nothing to do with the Patriots, before you say things like that I suggest that you go to a few meeting and see what the group is about, they are not endorsing any candidates and all candidates from any party are welcome to come and introduce themselves and they can also hand out their information and talk to anyone from the organization that they want.
Lisa:
Both media outlets in the county hit the point about collective bargaining hard and describe it in sort of the same ways. As I try to puzzle things out around here, if I have two independent sources reporting it the same way I tend to give it more consideration. Our daily paper of record, which usually plays the more dramatic things down, called it an outburst and tirade over bargaining rights.
Assuming that both new and legacy media outlets got that right, I have to ask what would cause a tirade and out outburst over deputy collective bargaining rights. Not sure it’s fine to oppose that, but such a strong reaction, especially now that it’s no longer an issue and it only gave voters the right to decide!
In Cecil as you puzzle it out trying to put the pieces together, one must ask, what’s the backstory. Surely there is one if media coverage is right on this.
Hey Cecil County Truth, thanks for explaining this some more. It didn’t make sense when I read it and with so much out there you have got to read things critically! There is often an agenda behind these postings.
The duo is going to take over the county government and they are going to destroy the county. That does sound like a sharp outburst or is it the script for another show of Pinky and the Brain. It didn’t have logic to it.
Considering some of the politicians that we have and have had, and they haven’t managed to destroy it thus far that would be a major feat. Yes that would something for any politician or duo to be able to singlehandledly destroy the county. Oh my.
What caused the outburst? If you were there I would appreciate knowing.
When I read it I thought this doesn’t seem right, this outburst, especially when I read it to try to figure out what caused the outburst. Didn’t seem to be anything there that I could pick up.
But now you introduce something that has some logic to it, the group has become stooges for Hodge, Lockhart and their buddies. Perhaps that is it, for such a big illogical declaration.
These patriots are not my thing, but in this case I wish I had been there to se e it. There is something today to controlling local govenrment expenses, but we do not need multiple tea parties or whatever they call themselves at the moment.. I guess egos get into it and they destroy their purpose of promoting responsible spending.
As for balance of power, this county needs something to balance power. I do not think that will destroy it either.
Just the facts Mam!
Thanks Just the Facts for sharing your perspective. An episode of Pinkey & the Brain. Really now.
So the candidate doesn’t want the cops to have a binding arbitration. That caused a temper tantrum? Had to read Cecil Whig and Ceci Times to put the puzzle together. Allright you believes cops should not have arbitration. That is one thing. But either way it sure will not destroy this county. Get real. It is politics especially round here. Allways got to figure out what is behind the message. Got it. 10-4
Sgt Friday:
So the issue of binding arbitration was the heated issue. This blog supported binding arbitration for Cecil County’s law enforcement personnel and we too think that it won’t destry the county (with our without some form of collective bargaining.). If anyone wants to see the justificaiton for this when dealing with local government in Elkton, look at the history of what Elkton had to go through to finally reach a settlement. The political leadership wasn’t willing to negotiate or weren’t up to that task and eventually you had to have an independent party step in the settle things for them. Hardly an earth-shattering occurence.
I was at the debate and I did not see a tirade I saw someone very passionate about our representatives ruling against the will of the people. Cecil county over all did not want binding arbitration and they went over our heads, we the people are tired of this going on in DC and don’t like it in our county government either.
It is time to weed out the Progressive types that exist in our own party on a local, state and national level and it is not a bad thing to shine the light on something that is wrong being done no matter who it is be it a Republican or Democrat.
Pipkin and Smigiel may not destroy our county but what they did is very destructive and I think that is what Mr.Kolodzey was trying to say.
The Debate went very well and all of the candidates had the courage to show up did a great job stating their positions, I would have liked to have heard what the others had to say but they must have something to hide if they backed out.
Lisa: Thanks for adding your perspective to this discussion. Am I right in saying that this was all over supporting the possibility of binding arbitration for the deputies?
Yes it had a bit to do with binding arbitration but there is more to it then that, I spoke to Mr. Kolodzey after and I am not going to try to represent him here because I don’t want to misquote him but if you would like to know more about what he said the at the forum I can tell you he would be more then happy to speak to you personally about it he seems to be a very personable fellow.
Thanks Lisa. These types of headline grabbing things are what form impressions for many voters since they’re busy working 12 hours a day. That doesn’t give them much of opportunity to attend, monitor, many, if any, local political events. Then there’s often the problem in Cecil County of puzzling together the real meaning of what’s taking place. That’s also why it’s helpful for communities that have print media that really digs into things and provide indepth coverage of these types of things.
The labor issue is the one I walk away with after reading the Whig, new media sites and a bunch of postings. I’ve made my thought on labor contrracts clear. the Sheriff’s office deserved one and if you don’t provide mechanisms to force settlement at some point, you might as well forget settling things since they’ll just tie it up forever. Look at Elkton after all those years. Finally took a federal rep to step in to help them settle and it was still noisy. Don’t think the ocunty would be any different.
As for me, I do wish I had been there to see the event directly so I could form my interpretation since the postings are flying all over the place now.
Anyway thanks for sharing your perspective.