Why I won't be supporting David Madore.

As a county commissioner, there are a wide variety of realities that they must face: the realities of budget, the realities of policy, the realities of the demands of the people, and the realities of the people working for you or with you.

For well known reasons here, Marc Boldt has failed these tests.

And now, so has David Madore.

Jon Russell, whom I cordially despise, is a friend to David Madore. For whatever the reason, Madore is blinded to Russell's basic dishonesty and lack of integrity. Fortunately for us all, Russell is leaving.

Madore has never been concerned about Russell's faux-Christianity, his multiple false identities, false educational claims, false portrayals of his wife as a doctor, and the fact that Russell never believed Washougal to be anything but a brief stop on his way to political stardom.

Thankfully, I and others have managed to detour the Russell Express and shove it off into a ditch.

The Columbian put together a going-away type story since that sleaze has scammed a job in his version of Mecca, aka Sodom-on-Hudson, aka Washington, D.C.

According to Madore, the story made a mistake in descriptive term that in aggregate wasn't worth mentioning.

First, if it was all that big of a deal, Russell should have pulled up his big-boy pants and spoke for himself.

Second, the fawning terms used to describe Russell's exit actually sickened me. That led to this exchange between Madore and I on the facebook comments under the article:

David Madore

One correction to the story, rather than labeling Students for Life as anti-abortion, the proper term is ProLife. Coston’s quote is inappropriate. This is not the time to be so unkind. When someone has served the community faithfully so long, when they leave, it is time to set differences aside and remember the good that they did.

Ray Legendre, it would have been thoughtful to see you end your story on a positive note. Whatever your differences with Jon, he did his best and sacrificed to serve his community. He will be missed.

Reply • 2 • Like • Follow Post • about an hour ago

To which, I replied:

Kage McClued • Owner/Writer at Jon Russell Watch Blog

Sorry, but Russell's service was anything BUT "faithful." He never saw Washougal as anything more than a stepping stone to higher office and he lied repeatedly during his campaigns about who he was, what he'd done and even his education.

This area will be well-rid of him and it's frightening that, for whatever the reason, you cannot see the reality of that and the reality of Jon.

It makes me worry that you can't deal with political reality when those you see as "friend" are not even close to what you believe them to be... and that's a bad tenet in an office holder.

I take some pride in exposing Russell for what he really is. I was eagerly awaiting his next campaign when I would have educated everyone to the reality of the dishonesty and lack of integrity Russell actually lived.

He will never be more than a political footnote... and he'll never deserve to be. He won't be missed. And whatever set of blinders you wear?

You'd better take them off... and quickly.

To which, David provided the following rejoinder:

David Madore

Kage, we have enough divisiveness. There are more positive uses of our time and talents than having the gift of criticism. Learning[sic] to get along is a far better investment.

Reply • Like • 10 minutes ago

Which led, in turn to my reply:

Kage McClued • Owner/Writer at Jon Russell Watch Blog

Odd, isn't it, that you never direct this observation to Jon... at least publicly. How does Russell's record of lies, distortions, false identities and the like represents "learning to get along" on HIS part?

Where has Jon Russell EVER taken public responsibility for what he's done?

Nowhere. But he's your friend. You defend him and what seems to me is obviously the indefensible.

Your response is an example of the very thing that concerns me about you.

You MUST see people AS THEY ARE... not as you WISH THEM TO BE.

Those who we elect MUST be held to the highest standard.

Would you expect me to vote for you if I knew you were lying about your education? What if it came out that you had assumed the identities of others to criticize and attack your political opponents? What if you lied about any aspect of your business that you are so, quite rightfully, proud of? Or about your wife being a doctor?

How about lying about your faith? Would that be OK? If you were to do things like that, should we give you a pass? Should we not hold you accountable for those deliberate actions?

No?

Then how is it you give Russell a pass? How is it that you turn a blind eye to the dishonesty, the years-long lack of integrity; the complete failure, if you will, for Russell's actions to even remotely resemble the reality of what is supposed to be a genuine Christian life? Does becoming your friend slam blinders over your eyes?

To be a successful politician of any stripe... for any position, you MUST engage in REALITY; not things the way you would LIKE them to be... but things the way they actually ARE.

While I appreciate your sentiment above, the fact is this: had not Jon acted in the ways I have detailed... I would have nothing to criticize, would I?

My "gift" is holding people... including you... accountable for their political actions, party affiliation notwithstanding. If what I am saying about Russell isn't true... that's certainly one thing. But we both know that it is... much like we both know that evil triumphs when good men do nothing... and remaining silent is doing just that.

Madore's failure to acknowledge Russell's perfidy and act towards him like he's a decent, honorable individual who just served his community?

That doesn't come close to passing the straight face test.

And whoever becomes our county commissioner MUST pass that test.

Cross posted on Clark County Politics.