Guest Opinion: Middletown auditor's fall from grace shows we should know our candidates
Christopher Nowakowski learned the true political identity of Middletown Township Auditor Kristi Ann Morris by her incendiary, extremist and anti-Semitic social media posts and showed that evidence to her and the board of supervisors. We owe him a debt of gratitude. Leaders of both political parties failed the voters by not doing that before she was sworn in.
Democrats are on notice that there are misguided zealots everywhere. Every municipal board, school board, and governmental agency and entity — and both political parties at the county and local level — should know who their candidates and officials are. If Mr. Nowakowski can do it, so can they. So can we.
It is not enough to shake our heads in disgust. The same free speech rights that let hatesters, conspirators and racists spread their garbage also let us publicize who they are and oust them. It doesn't take "a village." It takes each person speaking up for democracy, decency and truth. Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick should not just mouth hollow words about polarization or tolerance, but forcefully disavow odious conduct from fellow Republicans who follow not only the lies and theories of his party's leaders — but also the leaders themselves who promote them.
Middletown supervisors should mail that anti-hate letter to every resident, take steps to put those ideals into practice, and educate voters as to who the charlatan candidates really are before they win elections under false colors.
Mimi Reimel lives in Middletown Township.
This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Lesson from Middletown auditor's fall: Know your candidates
