By Paul Gable
This election cycle has had more crazy rhetoric, bogus claims and political spin than most.
The older I get, the less patience I have for political spin and interpretations of statements and the written word, by politicians, that make no sense.
What is fact and what is fiction in the political arena is quickly confused and expanded when it gets into the world of social media.
A perfect example of this is the attempt by Angie Jones to explain why she resigned from the Treasurer’s office while still attempting to be elected the next treasurer.
The press conference by Jones last Friday was an attempt to change the message from why were tax penalties removed from her brother’s tax bill to alleged mistreatment of Jones in the Treasurer’s office.
The press conference statements are contradicted by an earlier statement by Jones when she announced her candidacy.
From the Angie Jones June 10, 2016 Press Conference:
“As most of you know I have resigned from the Horry County Treasurer’s office to accept a position in the Horry County Clerk of Court’s office… I will no longer subject myself to the hostile work environment and malicious attacks that I have endured over the last several months.
“This all began in February 2016 when I was approached and was asked to give up my job title so that my opponent could run his campaign as the current Deputy Treasurer. I was assured I could keep my salary and the only change would be my job title. I refused and it has been a nightmare from that point forward.”
From a March 11, 2016 article on Angie Jones in the Horry Independent announcing her candidacy:
“Of course, I’d never run against Roddy. We made a good team.”
I don’t care how Jones or her campaign team try to parse those two statements, they are in total contradiction of each other. If Jones was suffering a “nightmare” since February, she wouldn’t have made the comment she did to the newspaper in March.
Since the nightmare “rhetoric” only emerged in June, I can only conclude it was created to attempt to explain a virtually unexplainable resignation.
According to sources familiar with the events, an investigation into the removal of the tax penalties from a tax bill to Jones’ brother was conducted by the Horry County Human Resources Department.
Treasurer Roddy Dickinson, reportedly, requested HR conduct the investigation, as an independent third party, because he is supporting Jones’ opponent Jonathan Hyman.
According to those sources, three sworn statements were taken from employees in the Treasurer’s office. After the investigation was completed, Jones, reportedly, resigned her position as Deputy Treasurer.
Click on link at right to read Dickinson’s response to Jones’ press conference allegations: response
Attempts by this reporter to uncover a written application and supporting documents justifying the removal of the tax penalties, as required by state law, were unsuccessful. These attempts included a meeting with Horry County Auditor Lois Eargle and inquiries at the Treasurer’s office.
There has been much talk among Jones supporters about a letter sent by Roddy Dickinson last week supporting the election of Hyman. The letter was not produced on county time or with county materials.
This is exactly the same type of letter that Auditor Lois Eargle sent for Reese Boyd two years ago in the Horry County Council District 5 election and that retiring Clerk of Courts Jeannie Roberts did for current Clerk of Courts Melanie Huggins Ward in 2004. Both Eargle and Huggins Ward are strong supporters of Jones.
Election day is tomorrow June 14, 2016. It seems like it has been a long trek with considerable interest in certain races. Hopefully this means a large turnout at the polls.
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