Wednesday, July 22, 2020

Limerick Supervisor Calls Others Racist re: Joe Gale

Image from screenshot.
State Sen. Katie Muth, D-44th dist., in white jacket, had what appeared to be a spirited discussion with Limerick Supervisor Kenneth Sperring Jr. after last night's supervisors meeting.



It's an imperfect world and one of the things that makes it imperfect is the fact that I can't quite be in two places at the same time.

Last night two important meetings were held that both carried potential for generating news.

One, most certainly, was the second meeting this month of the Boyertown School Board in which the five-member majority's preference for a full-in-person return to school got walked back -- mostly because the superintendent told them it can't be done this close to the opening of school.

The other was the Limerick Supervisors meeting. 

There was nothing particularly Earth-shattering on the Limerick agenda, but given how last month's meeting devolved into a shouting match over masks and Montgomery County Commissioner Joe Gale, the possibility of more news was coming out of that meeting was not to be taken lightly.

My bacon was saved, so to speak, when Linda Weaver, who is a member of the Montgomery County Democratic Committee, let me know that despite the fact that Limerick does not broadcast their meetings, the Limerick Democrats would be streaming it live on Facebook.

This allowed me to cover the Boyertown meeting on my computer, and keep an eye on Limerick on my phone.

This is, certainly, not the ideal situation. Particularly given that the sound level was very low.

But when your paper only has one municipal reporter, these are the lengths that one must go to in order to get the news to the people.

I will forgo a full report on Boyertown, mostly because there are a lot of moving parts and I already gave you the headline. Plus, my brain is mush as midnight approaches.

So, On to Limerick


The agenda included a number of land development issues, but despite the evident interest in some of them, I could not devote my attention to them while Boyertown was debating whether to send all kids back to school in person next month.

So here is the quick and dirty version of the last five minutes of the Limerick Supervisors meeting.

Like last month, the first theme is masks. 

According to the video, the meeting room was as packed as chairs four feet apart will allow.

About a half-dozen people, many of them standing against the back wall,  or more were not wearing masks. which are required indoors to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus..

Weaver texted to me that all the supervisors came in wearing masks, which was a switch from previous meetings, but four removed them after sitting down in chairs at the dias, which are about six feet apart.

Only Supervisor Patrick Morroney, who is the board's only Democrat, kept his mask on throughout the entire meeting.

During the public comment period of the meeting, which comes at the end, a face-mask-wearing state Sen. Katie Muth, D-44th Dist., came to the microphone and chided the supervisors for not wearing masks.

"The political tension that is palpable in this room kills people," she said in apparent reference to the way in which the public health directive to wear masks has transmorgified into a political statement.

"Montgomery County had this curve flattened," said Muth, apparently referencing the potential for cases, and deaths, to surge once again if people ignore the mask-wearing mandate. 

"Freedom does not mean you have the right to hurt others," she said.

This may have been a reference to a statement on the issue made at last month's meeting by Chairman Thomas Neafcy: "my rights do not trump anyone else’s rights and your rights don’t trump my rights."

Muth concluded "hopefully, we can wake up tomorrow and realize that we are in the middle of a deadly pandemic, with no end in sight unless we all work together."

Another speaker noted "we've just spent two hours in this room breathing the exhalations of more than a dozen people" and, turning to them, he added, "not one of you would be allowed in a Wawa for five seconds."

Another speaker told the maskless supervisors "I'm disgusted that you would hold a meeting and violate the governor's orders."

Morroney thanked those supervisors who worse masks into the meeting, but said he was disappointed they were taken off once the meeting began, adding "I am also disappointed in the selfishness of those in the audience who are not wearing masks."

I should note here that I have also now been to in-person meetings in New Hanover and Lower Pottsgrove townships since Montgomery County moved to the green phase, and no one has raised the mask issue at all in either of those two places.

Therefore, I think its fair to consider the possibility that perhaps this drama -- which happens to be coming from a whole bunch of Democrats -- is connected to the fact that Neafcy is running for the 146th state House of Representatives seat, hoping to unseat one-term incumbent Democrat Joe Ciresi. 

This is not far leap when you consider that Morroney told the crowd "you know what to do in November." 

But hey, that's just me. I could be wrong.

And now that I've buried the lead, let's get to the headline and theme number two, which is what Morroney was referring to when he made the election reference.

Like last month, he tried to introduce a motion to write a letter calling on Montgomery County Commissioner Joe Gale to resign after a statement he made referring to the Black Lives Matter organization as "urban terrorists."

"How you respond will tell how you feel," Morroney said to the other four supervisors. The response was silence, as none of the other supervisors would second his motion, even for purposes of discussion.

"The rest of this board, for not addressing the Commissioner Gale issue, are racist," Morroney said.

And that's all she wrote.

42 comments:

  1. Thank you Evan for doing what you do, to get the news out to us. The local people

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  2. The term "racist" is now a synonym for a**hole. Overuse and incorrect use has devalued a word that used to elicit a pronounced emotional response. It was used rarely and with respect for the consequence of it use. Now it's only a term used to describe an adversary and no longer carries any stigma. Sad.

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  3. Thanks for showing that this was completely a political stunt by moroney.

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  4. Nothing more than political stunts by the new Limerick Democratic committee than have been taken over by outside people like Preston Luitweiler who ran for supervisor only living here a year and his failed state rep candidate girl friend Linda Weaver bringing their leftist policies is why I left the party truly sad. Preston ran in Lower Providence were he lived for 40 years and they rejected him. Blue collar democrats step up and say enough or I'm afraid Joe Ciresi will lose his seat they hurt him ever time with these crazy stunts.

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    1. Joe Ciresi is going to lose his seat because the voters have figured out he lies and makes promises he can't keep .Ciresi is nothing more than a used car salesman

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  5. What was witnessed at Tuesday evening's meeting is that the Democrats are the new school yard bullies.If you don't agree with them they throw temper tantrums to try to get there way. What took place is social distancing the same you would see in a restaurant no difference no mask while eating dinner. Then you have Senator Muth grandstanding instead of doing her job. She should have been fighting for the taxpayers of Limerick who are forced to pay a additional $200,000 for a road project after PENNDOT and the Governor rescinded a grant that was awarded 3yrs ago .Mrs Muth is nothing more than failed Leadership

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    1. Well if this doesn't sound like Tom Dibello I don't know what does. Tom- why don't you go back to worrying about your burning clown car of a school board that we all had to endure watching on Monday evening. Finally people are beginning to see you for what you are...a far right-wing nut/conspiracy theorist who panders to the far-right fringe. Good thing your senate run will be cut short by the army of upset parents who will be lining up to kick you out of your school board seat in 2021. I have seen the #IMPEACHDIBELLO comment floating around more than a few parent group pages online. In terms of the taxpayer dollars...you didn't seem too concerned in the early 2000's when you tried to swindle the taxpayers of Limerick by charging generators for your personal use on their dime. Its pathetic the extent that the members of the limerick board (and dibello/zasowski for that matter) will go to not call-out trump loving Joe Gale for his racist remarks. If thats not disgusting I don't know what is. Senator Muth continues to stand up for the health and safety of her constituents time and time again regardless...thats the kind of courage and leadership we need in our government...not someone who sits back and searches breitbart and fringe far right facebook pages to post about COVID 19 and how they believe masks are detrimental to our kids health. give me a break. Go drive your base model yellow corvette back to hazleton.

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    2. Hi Katie Muth I wrote the post not DiBello your sick enough to pretend to be someone else trying to CYA I hope he runs against you because you got to go. We miss John so much because your not a leader

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    3. No just a concerned constituent who is sick of the limerick supervisors (and school board( for that matter. All we are getting are politicians who want to spew nothing but hateful rhetoric and serve their own selfish interests. I hope dibello runs against Katie so maybe you will eventually see how the far-right wing / self-serving ideology is a thing of the past in limerick and this region. We love that we finally have state leadership that isn’t bought and paid for like Sen. Rafferty who did little more than pass a gas tax that we are all still paying for. I’ll take down to earth leaders like Katie anyday who will show up to stand up to bullies like neafcy and the board. I guess that would be news to you if you thought Rafferty was a leader.

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    4. Limerick is not ready for your leftist rhetoric that's why the last township election was a landslide, for the record myself and other democrats so heavily voted for the current board. Peddle your craziness somewhere else. As for Miss Muth she is a bully and unstable she yells and belittles people she disagrees with and not a leader with that temper. Some of us have a brain and vote the person not the party that's why Joe Ciresi won because he's center and get's republican vote's. Muth is far left and most of us are center and we see that now she won't get my vote again.

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    5. HAHA....how misogynist of you to call out a leader like Senator Muth who is standing up for her constiuents (and did not yell mind you), but was screamed at after the meeting for making eye contact with the board. Apparently you did not watch the tape or maybe you switched up the narrative like your boy Trump loves to do. I wonder if you have the same thought about Neafcy after he bullied Morroney after the previous board meeting by cornering him by his car, or Clinton Jackson who supposedly led a expletive filled tirade before the last school board meeting. Not to mention Dibello whose adopted daughter posted a heartwrenching narrative of her past abusive history with her father recently....seems to me like your buddies in Limerick have a lot of skeletons in their closet and are trying to mask it with a misogynist attitude towards our current senator (who won limerick BTW in 2018). And as for Ciresi....I know there are quite a few Democrats and Independents who aren't too pleased with him flip flopping on every issue to appease the both sides of the aisle. People want someone who will stand-up regardless of whats popular....but it seems that someone like you would prefer someone who will just lay down to get the votes while you ignore the bullies and abusive individuals that you apparently have put into office like Neafcy, Dibello and that bunch.

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    7. I'm a democrat and I will not vote for your wife since you fit what's happening in the party....your post is exactly why some of us are sicken with our party we are not the party of JFK anymore. You can't win a debate with facts so you smear yell and bully to get your way. I'm not a supporter of DiBello but I would give him my vote before you or your wife it is clear who you are sir and this just why people are changing to independent. And you are so bad that you attack Joe who has been great to our town of Limerick and your wife has done nothing. I have spoken to your wife often and when I look into her eyes I wonder who's driving. We will lose what we have gained because we now are attacking each other. You have a nice day Mr. Muth I'm the only adult in the room and I'm leaving now you have no class.

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    8. haha like I mentioned I am a proud supporter of the Senator and I am a constituent in Limerick and certainly not her husband (I'm actually a registered Independent). But you think what you want Tom. Maybe the truth hurts since it seems like you have one too many skeletons in your closet...I picked up that post from a parent friend of mine. A lot of people in the district are now sick over your apparent abusive history and the fact that you are making decisions about our children. It appears that you need a little soul searching since you refuse to acknowledge the true problem that exists in our township by repeatedly attacking the character of our Senator. Best of luck in your run for re-election next year because by the look of things you will certainly need it.

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    10. Hi all, a spirited discussion. However I have removed the post from anonymous that is said to have been from Tom DiBello's daughter as I cannot confirm it and it is potentially libelous.
      Whether or not it is true, she is certainly free to post anything she wants on her own pages, but I cannot allow it here without more confirmation. -- EB

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  6. Don't come here and try to ruin our town life long resident go back to where you came from #votethemout

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  7. Based on the behavior of these so called recently transplant radical democrats I will not vote for Joe Ciresi. If this is his party of support I am very disappointed in Rep Ciresi.

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  8. "Excellent article" Oliver Cannady lost his mind we limerick democrats denounce these extreme polices where is the old guard with some smarts like Rick Fidler and Bill Miller it's no wonder we have a republican controlled board through these bums out and get some blue collar democrats involved, we lose here because of it and Biden I'm afraid will lose the left is not my party nor do I want them in it.

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  9. I believe the Democratic Party are the true racists they only care about the black vote and nothing else.To my black brother and sisters walk away from the Democratic Party

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  10. This is Linda Weaver. For the record, I am asking the Republican supervisors to livestream their meetings like the surrounding areas so people don't have to attend in-person meetings during a global pandemic. I also ask that they follow the mandate on the door of the township building and wear masks like everyone is supposed to do to help protect themselves and others. As far as being a "recently transplanted radical", I was born on a farm in Spring City. My paternal grandmother was a Kolb. My father was Paul Weaver's cousin. My roots in this area are much deeper than most. As far as being a "radical", that is laughable. I taught special needs students for 42 years and I believe all people are equal and deserve to be treated with respect. Even cowards who take cheap shots and need to remain "anonymous" rather than be identified and tied to their uncivil remarks. I just wonder why you don't have the courage of your convictions and identify yourself so we can engage in an adult conversation?

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  11. Linda that's not Limerick my family's been here over 150 years your not from Limerick your an outsider and a transplant period. And as far as anonymous it's a page right out of the democrat play book deal with it.

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    1. How welcoming you are to the hundreds of people who have moved into Limerick! It doesn't matter if you were born here or chose to move here. Everyone is of equal worth. No one is better than another.

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    2. Agreed but don't come here and tell people that have lived here for generations how to live Preston and Linda just moved in and want to dictate to the board on how to operate and impose their leftist views on the town not going to happen that's why I left the party

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  12. Wow, Anonymous. You have a lot of time on your hands and a lot of hostility.
    I would submit that there is nothing extreme about asking the Limerick Township Board of Supervisors to televise or live-stream their meetings, as we have asked for over a year, and as most neighboring municipalities do. With the onset of the pandemic, this makes even more sense. Many neighboring communities conduct meetings now by Zoom. Instead. Limerick Township has reduced the number of meetings, refused to even consider holding them on-line, and instead required any resident interested in participating in their local government to attend in person -- where up until this week, all but one of the Supervisors who do attend refuse to show the public the common courtesy of wearing a mask. The issue of wearing or not wearing masks would be moot if the Supervisors conducted meetings on-line during this pandemic.
    The politicization of this issue is coming from those who make refusing to wear a mask in public a political statement -- at the potential expense of the health of their fellow citizens.

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  13. Mr. Luitweiler sounds like anonymous are several different people I will admit I was one other post. Limerick runs just great and I'm thankful for the supervisors we have and that made it this way. You move into your 950,000.00 dollar home and you want them to change because you and Miss Weaver are here...this is one of the reason's you did not get my vote sir and if you want to change what we have go back to Lower Providence we like Limerick as she is and don't count on my vote as a democrat if you have the gall to run again. And as to the reply of Miss Weaver being a transplant I agree with that anonymous.

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  14. It’s Senator Katie Muth. Not Miss. Not Mrs. It’s Senator.

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  15. Anonymous I consider you the lowest form of human waste for bringing a child of a elected official into a political fight. I have had my differences with Tom DiBello in the past but never should the children be used in this manner.I find you to be a despicable human being and a coward hiding anonymously in the shadows Signed Tom Neafcy

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  16. If Mrs Muth wants to be called Senator start acting like one not some little child throwing a temper tantrum

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    1. Agreed she was terrible at the Limerick supervisors meeting. I would use the word "Unhinged" ordering people to put on masks like she's a God. Please note it's not that she asked it's the way she did it, I would never of thought she was an elected official.

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  17. I’ve lived in the township for 6 years and would like to attend these meetings but reading about the arrogance of certain supervisors refusing to wear masks in a room of people during a pandemic obviously makes that impossible. There’s no reason in this era of technology that these meetings should not be streamed to the public and unless certain participants don’t want their rude behavior towards constituents broadcast to the township.

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    1. Morroney is the only rude one and why is it they do exactly what the Springford school board does including democrats Hanover township and Lower Pottsgrove and only here following CDC guidelines is a problem. I'll tell you why it's all politics PERIOD just STOP it's time to just STOP.

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  18. I am upset at the way people who are new to this area are treated and called transplants. Unless you are from Native American descent, we are all transplants to this area. We attended our first Limerick Township supervisors' meeting several years ago while our new home was being built. We wanted to be actively involved in our future township. My husband made a comment about an alternative to the plan they were proposing during the public comment portion of the meeting. One of the supervisor's called him "moronic". I was shocked at the way we were treated. I looked around in disbelief only to realize that, unlike our former township, there was no recording of the meeting. I suppose the Limerick Township supervisor felt free to say such an outrageous, demeaning thing since there would be no public record of the remark. During a global pandemic they continue to refuse to livestream the meetings in a move that would surely increase transparency and permit greater community involvement. They hold in-person meetings with non-mask wearing attendees and even some unmasked supervisors. The residents of Limerick Township deserve better.

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    1. This is what we are talking about you move in with your new ideas when we have lived here decades and you want us to change how about you learn to live with how we do things and if you want change go back to where you came from you must of done researched and moved here for what she is so stop trying to change her.

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    2. This is exactly what I am referencing in my previous comment. How dare you or anyone tell other people to "go back to where you came from?" Limerick has grown with hundreds, probably thousands, of new residents over the last few decades. Are the ones who agree with you permitted to stay and the rest of us must go? Do you have any idea how hateful and divisive your comment is? Judging from your comment and the behavior I've witnessed, the only new idea I'd like to see in Limerick is treating all residents with respect and showing concern for their well-being by live-streaming meetings and wearing masks during a global pandemic. These are not earth-shattering concepts.

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  19. That would be nice tell your fellow Limerick Democrat committee members to start it's obvious your on the committee. No hate here just tired of the bulling and yelling lately at meetings and I attend often....the systems works learn to deal with it, your not getting a participation trophy here.

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  20. Evan! I’ve been reading your digital notebook for a long time and DAMN BOY you hit it big time with the Anonymous commenters! Congratulations I’m so here for this haha!! Love it your readership is so up!!

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  21. Today I was able to find some time to fully unpack my thoughts regarding the recent media coverage of the 7/21 Limerick Board of Supervisors meeting. I want to make it abundantly clear that I represent myself and only myself. I am not controlled by the local Democrats, I do not have some hidden agenda regarding local political hopefuls. In fact, my agenda is probably the furthest thing from “hidden”, just look at my front lawn.

    In public meetings we state our names and addresses yet no one has asked me directly what my intention is or where I am coming from, that has only been assumed because of what my message is.
    I have been called a lot of names over the past two months, and now according to the Limerick BOS I can add “political operative”, to the list of names given to me by Commissioner Joe Gale such as violent, radical anarchist, and troll. While I am not named specifically in their statement, I can only assume they are referring to me as I spoke during public comment to let the BOS know that as resident of Limerick, I would like a statement released condemning Joe Gales memo from 6/1.

    I want to make it abundantly clear, I do not work for Joe Ciresi. Mr. Ciresi doesn’t tell me what to say or do. Yes, I voted for him and plan to do so again, and honestly, Mr. Ciresi doesn’t even know who I am. I can guarantee that I am not motivated in my activism to keep him in his state rep position.

    How dare Evan Brandt and/or the Limerick BOS infer that I am using the Black Lives Matter movement as a way to keep Mr. Ciresi in office. I have much more respect for the murdered black men, women and children in this country than to sink to that level.
    Google my name. You’ll see what my agenda is. To have Commissioner Joe Gale removed from office as he is unfit and his racist actions and beliefs.

    The BOS’s message which states Joe Gales statement has nothing to do with Limerick, is shameful. Their “so called” unifying message from 6/1 regarding the police response to criminal behavior, is far from it. It is cringeworthy, and while the BOS may have intended the message to be one that unifies, as a white woman I read it as a threat, imagine how someone without my unearned privilege would think when they read it?

    To the issue surrounding Live Streaming and Masks? Its really not that hard to do the right thing. If my 4 and 6 year old children can zoom and wear a mask. Surely these adults can, if they actually wanted to.

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