WAH WAH WAH

Seems Brookshire, with the Newsless Herald in tow, has taken issue with the recent direct mail piece that gives only a few of his "accomplishments." He and his buddy, Kevin Burcham of the Newsless Herald, have really taken issue with the mailer. Not the facts of the mailer but because there is no identifying name on it.

Burcham devoted valuable front page space to go on and on about how terrible the mailer was because there was no name on it. Quoting state law, interviewing state officials and even quoting man on the street statements about how awful it was that someone would send out this mailer without putting their name on it. But guess what. Not a single word about the content of the mailer.

Just a few pages over, Brookshire has a half page ad in Burcham's paper also seemingly taking issue with the mailer. The ad in part states:

Brookshire, like Burcham, did not take issue with the content of the mailer. He simply made innuendos that he was being falsely accused of something but didn't even bother to try to say what part of the mailer is false.

Liberals like Brookshire hate the truth and know they can not deny the facts of their actions and history. The only other avenue is to distract, redirect and hope people will lose the facts in the minutia.

I have no idea why the author of the mailer didn't put their name on it. Maybe there just wasn't enough room on the mailer for that many names. Maybe whoever sent it out wasn't aware that there were all the laws that required someone to identify themselves when they exercised their 1st amendment rights to free speech. I don't know. I do know it's standard practice for the liberal left to take great offense with the messenger but try to ignore or deflect the facts. Everybody should be thankful to the author of the mailer for getting the Matt facts out to the voters. After all, don't we all wish that more people knew the facts about Barak Obama before he got elected?

Come on Matt. Put on your big boy britches. This isn't the 8th grade. This is grown up land. If you have any truth in you, man up and admit that everything in the mailer is true and you stand by all of your past actions. Be the liberal you are.

Some Loudon County residents have expressed frustration regarding an anonymous political direct mail they received attempting to discredit Loudon County Mayor Candidate Matt Brookshire.

Brookshire is the Democratic nominee for the position and faces his Republican opponent Estelle Herron in the Aug. 5 General Election.

Early voting for the election is already underway.

The mail in question was delivered through the United States Post Office with a postal permit apparently from Matrix Media out of Maryville.

Despite ethical concerns by some citizens, a legal issue is also at question. The mail states it is "Not paid for or authorized by any candidate or candidate committee."

Tennessee law requires any political advertising either advocating election or defeat of a candidate must have a disclaimer saying who paid for the item. "It would appear to be in violation of this. The next question is then, who did it," said Assistant District Attorney Frank Harvey. He said this was clearly something that was sent out in order to defeat a clearly identified candidate and was therefore in violation of the state law.

Tennessee code states: "Whenever any person makes an expenditure for the purpose of financing a communication that expressly advocates the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate, as defined by § 2-10-102, or that solicits any contribution, through any broadcasting station, newspaper, magazine, outdoor advertising facility, poster, yard sign, direct mailing or any other form of general public political advertising, a disclaimer meeting the requirements of subdivision (a)(1), (2), (3) or (4) shall appear and be presented in a clear and conspicuous manner to give the reader, observer or listener adequate notice of the identity of persons who paid for and, where required, who authorized the communication."

"The statute is clear. It says 'shall appear.' Shall is the legislative mandatory," said Rick Hollow, general council for the Tennessee Press Association.

"There certainly appears to be a nonconformance," Hollow said. "It is clear that it says you've got to name who is responsible for it. Who paid for it. That is the entire crux of this entire code section."The statute says violation is a Class C misdemeanor.

The News-Herald received several letters regarding the mailings with concerns expressed about the identity of the person who sent them out.

"The mailer stated that it was 'not paid for or authorized by any candidate or candidate committee,' but did not identify the author. What a cowardly act," said Gerald L. Denney of Loudon.

Another letter writer, Al Colombo of Lenoir City, said, "To the authors, you have a right to your opinions, and apparently any distortions of the truth or facts - if you can get away with it, right? Is this why you found it necessary to hide your identity?"

"If you have an issue with any candidate deal with it in an honorable, above board way," said Reta Jones of Lenoir City. "Let's not let sneaky, underhanded, plain ole dirty politics be the way of life in Loudon County."