Only in The Republic of Amherst: Let the backstabbing begin...

Friday, February 12, 2010

Let the backstabbing begin...

Hitchcock's Psycho Shower Scene: Flickr.com

From:
To: Richard B. Morse
Date: Fri, 12 Feb 2010 08:46:35

Rich--

I've just read your 7:30 AM comment on Catherine's blog. My take is that over the last few weeks or so, you've been baiting a number of people to come out and play on her and Larry's blogs.

Here's my other take: You were once a measured, thoughtful citizen with strong, challenging opinions. You've now become a bitter, public asshole.

I'm sorry to say that. With no sarcasm, I truly hope all's well with you.

J

##############################################

Mrs. Morse pulling the same stupid stunt 3 years ago

Soooooooo, Overriders are already desperately eating their own--or I should say formerly one of their own.

I can't think of a more "centered" (although listing to the left) mainstay for all things Amherst than Rich Morse, who I always affectionately refer to as the "Grumpy Prosecutor"--with no disrespect intended to his vital profession.

And he freely admits to voting for every Override that has come down the pike in his relatively brief years inhabiting the People's Republic.

So when he recently started to question the wisdom of this current Override I knew Overriders were in serious trouble. This nastygram from Mrs. Churchill only confirms that!

How soon they forget:

When the 'Amherst Plan' Override failed 3 years ago Mr. Churchill received a threatening phone call from then Selectman Rob Kusner:
The Amherst Bulletin gleefully reported (with audio file no less)

Mr. Morse's offending remark from this morning (Oh my!):

Marty K's post may be the most vivid demonstration that we may not be able to have an honest debate on these issues in this town.

And last time I checked, Rivkin and Sanderson are in the majority on the local School Committee. In other words, the touchstone of effectiveness in elected office in Amherst is not whether or not one is able to work with Andy Churchill. It's forging working majorities. And for the time being they have one.

Rich Morse

February 12, 2010 7:31 AM

53 comments:

Anonymous said...: And his sharing of that private email so that you can make it public disproves her assertion exactly how? The man with all the punch lines has himself become a sad, sad joke.; February 12, 2010 at 5:22 PM
MaryB. said...: Why is a private correspondence posted on your blog? Is that how desperate you've become? Really odd.; February 12, 2010 at 5:31 PM
Larry Kelley said...: A very savvy attorney friend of mine (knowing my disposition) said to me a long, long time ago: "Say whatever you want Larry, just don't put it in writing."

Why was it okay for the Amherst Bulletin to publish Select Man Rob Kusner's idiotic phone threat to, you know, Jackie Churchill's husband?; February 12, 2010 at 5:46 PM
Anonymous said...: I think it was okay for the Bulletin to publish Kusner's threat.

You and I may think his threat was idiotic, but the fact is he was an elected official using his public office to threaten an Amherst resident (who also happened to be another elected official). That is a big no-no.; February 12, 2010 at 6:01 PM
Xenos said...: Um, why should the letter to Rich Morse be considered private? Did Rich ever agree to such a thing?

Rich owns this writing... he can publish it any way he wants, including on this or any other blog.; February 12, 2010 at 6:10 PM
Anonymous said...: why would he want to have it publicly published on this blog?

Hey, Rich Morse... why?; February 12, 2010 at 6:13 PM
Ed said...: For the record, I am disgusted with the whole bunch of them. Of course they are to the left of me, of course this is what I expect of the left, and they are just showing me why I don't respect the left.

Rationally present the override as being reasonable is one thing - but this kind of bullying - and I don't want to know how much has gone on behind the scenes.

BTW, what is the deadline for voter registration? I *so* want to organize a "No More Cops" student coalition....; February 12, 2010 at 6:19 PM
Larry Kelley said...: Indeed Xenos!

Since the email return address clearly stated it was from "Jackie & Andy Churchill" and since HE is clearly a public official and Mr. Morse--by virtue of his prolific comments on these here Wild, Wild blogs--kind of makes him a public official as well.

Cowardly, Nitwit, Anon 6:13 PM:
Maybe because Mr. Morse sees this as all too typical behavior from the powers that be (or wannabe) and how they choke off dissent--something Catherine Sanderson could tell ya a lot about.; February 12, 2010 at 6:22 PM
Anonymous said...: when was jackie churchill elected to any position?; February 12, 2010 at 6:29 PM
Larry Kelley said...: As I just said, she used an email address shared with her husband--who is an elected official--and unlike a Cowardly, Anon, Nitwit like you, she actually signed her name.

Mr. Morse is not currently elected to anything either, but then again neither is Brad Pitt (not that anyone would confuse the two) and he's most certainly a public figure.; February 12, 2010 at 6:37 PM
Xenos said...: On second thought, maybe the Churchills retain a copyright on the content of the letter. So if anyone publishes and makes some money on it they might be entitled to damages.

But I am pretty sure they did not invent the word 'asshole'. The phrase "public asshole" elicits 11,900 results on google, so that is probably not going to do it either.

Oh look: "bitter public asshole" may be original, as this blog is the only result on google. Do I owe them a dime every time I use that phrase?; February 12, 2010 at 6:39 PM
Anonymous said...: This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.; February 12, 2010 at 10:53 PM
Anonymous said...: who goes to church together?; February 13, 2010 at 8:23 AM
Anonymous said...: So are you saying sending a personal email to someone, using an elected official's shared e-mail account, and calling that person names... that THAT is the same thing as a select board member verbally threatening another Amherst resident/ elected official?; February 13, 2010 at 8:27 AM
Larry Kelley said...: No, I'm simply saying THAT makes it a public document.

At the risk of getting flamed by either wife, let's face it--neither Mr. Churchill or Mr. Kusner are overly intimidating physical specimens.

So obvious no physical threat.

And yes Mr. Kuser, was one year into his high water mark of power i.e. Select Board, but like President Obama--one year in--had shown his true colors and was already suffering a steep decline in popularity.

So Kusner's political threat was simply all talk. Churchill probably knew that (or certainly should have) but ran to the media anyway.

As for Kusner, the infamous t-shirt incident on the floor of Town Meeting was his final Waterloo.

As for Churchill, let me count the ways: The $215,000 purchase of modular classrooms never used as such, the overly generous exceedingly expensive raises and COLAs given to teachers, outrageous salary and benefits given to new Superintendent.

Any wonder why he's not running for reelection?; February 13, 2010 at 9:12 AM
Larry Kelley said...: Perhaps because he, unlike a lot of you Overriders, has a freakin core.

But thanks for stopping by!; February 13, 2010 at 10:23 AM
Anonymous said...: In the last blog "Curious Observer" asked what "Creative Special Interest Projects" I was afraid of. Larry's last comment hits it right on the head. At times we seem to bury our heads in the sand and allow things to run amok only later to look back and stare in disbelief asking "what happened". The modular classrooms are a classic example of this. At some point someone had to have approved the idea, and signed off on the plan for these. But, try and find someone to collectively say how the ball was dropped and watch the finger pointing cannibalism begin. This is why I believe we need a more structured approach before I will support this override. When these were approved the town was already having financial problems so this money obviously could have been more responsibly spent. So long story short this was a "Creative Special Interest Project" gone horribly wrong with no one or group to be held accountable, and this my friends is bad business and in turn always leads to a failing business.

Daler; February 13, 2010 at 10:24 AM
Anonymous said...: Crush em Larry.

CRUSH EM...

(fck you Abbie).; February 13, 2010 at 11:14 AM
Gibber said...: "As for Churchill, let me count the ways: The $215,000 purchase of modular classrooms never used as such, the overly generous exceedingly expensive raises and COLAs given to teachers, outrageous salary and benefits given to new Superintendent.

Any wonder why he's not running for reelection?"

Smash em Larry.

SMASH EM!!!

Fcking viper's nest.

Drive out the snakes!; February 13, 2010 at 11:20 AM
Anonymous said...: Abbie 10:11am
"I can't imagine what foolishness possessed Rich to give you a private correspondence to publish on your pathetic blog."

When will we hear from Rich as to his reasoning?; February 13, 2010 at 11:48 AM
Curious Observer, Jr. said...: I wonder what text gets removed by the blog administrator. And what doesn't.; February 13, 2010 at 12:08 PM
Anonymous said...: "Perhaps because he, unlike a lot of you Overriders, has a freakin core."

Yeah, and it just happens to resemble yours more and more Larry... which must make you very proud. You've become the proud papa of a bouncing baby horribly bitter and self important bloviator, just like yourself.; February 13, 2010 at 12:40 PM
Harry said...: Rich Morse is oddly silent about sharing the pathetic email from Jackie Churchill with the pathetic blogger Larry Kelley.

come out, come out wherever you are!; February 13, 2010 at 12:48 PM
Larry Kelley said...: Cowardly, Anon, Nitwit 12:08:
Rules for removal are quite simple, so even a dweeb like you should be able to figure them out:
(1) Double posting (I remove ONE of them)
(2) SPAM. Which is driving me crazy lately as they seemed to have breached the security of blogger.
(3) Really, really, really offensive words--and I can only think of two: 4 letter word that rhymes with BUNT, and the N-word that recently got entertainer John Mayer in deep shit.; February 13, 2010 at 1:02 PM
Larry Kelley said...: And just for the record, if Abbie had the balls--or ovaries as the case may be--to actually spell out the word FUCKING, I would have, grudgingly, allowed it.; February 13, 2010 at 1:06 PM
Ry Willey said...: Amherstgate,
Private recordings, tapes, documents, cease to be private once published. Remember the commotion the Watergate tapes caused? Was that legal?

It is quite clear that Larry once again has stirred the pot and created commotion by this among other postings. Some giving us a window into the politics in the town of Amherst.

-Ryan Willey; February 13, 2010 at 1:23 PM
Larry Kelley said...: Thanks Ry!

Just wait till you see my NEXT post, courtesy of Public Documents Law. Yikes!; February 13, 2010 at 1:27 PM
Anonymous said...: Andy Churchill delivered Marks Meadow back to his
employer "at no charge": the Town of Amherst
gave up an asset worth at least $10M (UMass Trustees recently agreed to invest another $10M to renovate
that space for classrooms and offices for LARP). There
is more.... Investigate that if you dare (and stop rehashing old news - it's OVER, Larry)! PLEASE!!!; February 13, 2010 at 7:50 PM
Larry Kelley said...: I believe Mark's Meadow was always Umass property. So Mr. Churchill delivered back to them something they already owned.

Hey, at least the modular classrooms we added at great expense that never actually served as classrooms will be sold off as surplus; February 13, 2010 at 9:03 PM
Anonymous said...: if umass buys the ports for what the town paid, great - otherwise?

the ports are all wired, maybe plumbed, in now.
wouldnt it be stupid to move em?

and town had free use of mm, so it was a give back, even if good for umass, and maybe for town in long run.; February 14, 2010 at 12:02 AM
Anonymous said...: You know what is great about the email of the Churchill's? It exposes them as bitter, angry, entitled, self-important narcissits. Their power is fading, their empire crumbling and they are lashing out at anyone who disagrees with them. They do not care about Amherst, its people, or its school children. They only care about clinging to their faiding political power and having their huge egos stroked. Now they are about to be humiliated and left out in the cold.; February 14, 2010 at 8:56 AM
Anonymous said...: prisons are heated; February 14, 2010 at 9:00 AM
Rob said...: what are you talking about?
disagree with the people (like the churchills)--fine.
assume they dont care about amherst? how do you get there except that you're trying to be overdramatic and hurtful?

can't we disagree, be critical and even find fault, but not jump to the personal attacks, the ridiculous and the criminal?

we're still just tiny amherst trying to make our town run well and give our kids an education. we may come from different places to do that, but to accuse people who disagree with our strategies or opinions of criminal behavior is ....well..... way over the top and out of bounds.; February 14, 2010 at 9:22 AM
Anonymous said...: Rob-I believe it was the Churchill's who created started the personal attacks.; February 14, 2010 at 9:39 AM
Larry Kelley said...: Now, now...can't we all just get along?

Kumbaya my Lord, kumbaya!; February 14, 2010 at 9:43 AM
Anonymous said...: No, we can't all get along.

Not until the last snake is crushed.

Only then can we go back to our flip-flops.; February 14, 2010 at 11:45 AM
bitch ass money slut hater said...: 7 dirty words carlin video; February 14, 2010 at 11:52 AM
Anonymous said...: Now that you've all had a chance to feast on me and the Churchill family, I think a few points could be made:

1) Yes, I was mad. And I gave permission to Mr. Kelley to print the E-mail. So the responsibility is completely mine. I do think that Mr. Churchill's decision to publish Mr. Kusner's voicemail to him is relevant here: turnabout is fair play. I respect the right of others to criticize what I did. And perhaps in some amount of time, I will decide that it was a mistake.

2) I don't think it was a mistake right now, however. The Email was juxtaposed in time with the final column from Sanderson and Rivkin in which they referenced "the personal nature of many responses to our writings, particularly given the fact that our families have a combined five children in our schools" as the reason that they were being driven off the field. Well, I think that what I received is merely the tip of the iceberg in terms of the off-line, off-the-record vitriol coming from people that I suspect carry what I would call The Mark's Meadow Grudge. And the vitriol may be getting down to the schoolyard, and the offspring of people taking controversial positions. So I thought some deterrence might be created if the public saw some of it in print.

3) You may have noticed the relatively tame post from me on Catherine's blog that set off the Email response (Thanks, Larry). And I think that there's a reason for that. When Mr. Churchill, Mr. Tierkel, and Ms. Bertrand came out with their regular column and entitled it "Amherst Center", I immediately noticed the premise buried in that: "All effective coalition-building and thus all decision-making in Amherst will have to come through us. Because we are in the center."
Well, no: the 2007 override vote and the current School Committee majority demonstrates that THAT is not true.

4) When Baer Tierkel began his movement to field candidates and take back Town Meeting, I was part of it. And that movement is the Number One reason that TM is relatively sane, ending last year in eight sessions in the spring. But the movement was always based on the premise that some of the occupants of TM seats, year after year, were "irrational". Now that's heady stuff, but also a bit dangerous. And now I think that movement has gotten a little carried away, unable to differentiate independents from enemies.

So for all those folks who support a lump sum override, let me state: I am an independent, not an enemy (not unlike Mr. Rhodes, I suspect).

But the way that this override has gotten on the ballot, seemingly pushed hard by the Tierkel Party without the full buy-in of other factions in town, and the sheer anger directed at people who haven't gotten on board, makes me wonder just which outcome is best for the Town. This is why voices like Mr. Weiss, Ms. Greeney, and Ms Stein resonate most with me.

Rich Morse; February 14, 2010 at 8:22 PM
Anonymous said...: "and the sheer anger directed at people who haven't gotten on board"

The only anger I've seen publicly directed at anyone (at least in the blogosphere) pertaining to the override has come from you and Larry. And, that anger has been personalized in an unnecessary and unbecoming way. I have no qualms with your positions, which I think are well reasoned. I have problems with the resentment and ridicule you direct towards those that happen to disagree with them. And you know that it was not one blog posting that led to the disparaging email. It was the slow accumulation of bitter sniping over multiple postings. Why is there such a need to put your little personalized digs into every bit of political commentary?

In terms of your view on lump vs. menu, what difference does it make who you do or don't agree with? It is one view. There is merit and integrity in both ways of looking at it (which is plainly obvious if you listen to Mr. Weiss or Ms. Stein speak of their positions). Why do you and Larry have such a hard time accepting that? If you want to be seen as being truly "independent" than you need to lose the arrogant and judgmental attitude towards those views you would like to differentiate yourself from. I don't see that coming from any of the three voices that you claim most resonate with you, which is probably why they have each earned such respect in the community.; February 15, 2010 at 11:47 AM
Anonymous said...: 11:47am said: "The only anger I've seen publicly directed at anyone pertaining to the override has come from you and Larry."

Really? In my world, "asshole" is a word we would describe as, well, "angry".; February 15, 2010 at 3:25 PM
Anonymous said...: well you are.; February 15, 2010 at 3:47 PM
Larry Kelley said...: As President Reagan would say, "There you go again."; February 15, 2010 at 3:48 PM
Anonymous said...: "And the sheer anger directed at people who haven't gotten on board"

1) The Baer Tierkel rant at Catherine Sanderson posted on his Email list
2) The recent postings of Marty K on Ms. Sanderson's blog
3) The splicing of SC video of Ms. Sanderson to make her look odd posted on ACTV by Riverwolf Productions in the guise of a student news program.
4) The shamelessly biased and unbalanced reporting by that student news program and the Amherst Graphic on the override issue

That's just for openers.

Rich Morse; February 15, 2010 at 8:06 PM
Anonymous said...: Maybe we should be re-named the People's Republic of Behaving Badly and you could anoint yourself prosecutor in chief; as long as you could grant yourself immunity of course.; February 15, 2010 at 9:28 PM
Larry Kelley said...: What do you mean "we" you Cowardly, Anon, Nitwit.

Why not start your own blog, and call it whatever the hell you want.; February 15, 2010 at 9:34 PM
Anonymous said...: Dear Readers of this Blog,

I stated in an earlier comment that "perhaps in some amount of time, I will decide that it was a mistake."

Well, that time is now. I acted precipitously and I made a terrible mistake, forwarding an Email that was sent to me in a very brief moment of anger, and making it worse by encouraging Mr. Kelley to publish it.

I have spoken with Mrs. Churchill and, during that conversation, I have recognized the error of my ways. The incident, specifically her Email, does not justify the greater significance I have tried to bring to it. It was one insignificant moment of anger, which I made worse by getting equally angry in response and attempting to punish her for it. And, upon reflection, the punishment does not even remotely fit the offense here, clearly.

To the readers of this blog, or anyone who comes out of the blue to pull up this post with the attached comments, I would ask this: that you not draw any adverse conclusion about Mrs. Churchill or her character from what happened. I know from prior experience that she is a very kind and decent person. She is also a very private person who just happens to be married to an elected official in town. So I would ask you to leave her alone and keep her from now on out of the discussion. She should not be there and did not intend to be.

If you are going to draw any adverse inferences, those inferences should be drawn against me. I acted rashly and imprudently. Worst of all, I was not a gentleman. I would ask you to recognize that I am apologizing publicly and unconditionally to Mrs. Churchill for my action here. The fault is all mine.

I would also ask that this be the end of it with no further comment.

Rich Morse; February 15, 2010 at 9:50 PM
Larry Kelley said...: The prosecution rests.; February 15, 2010 at 10:03 PM
Anonymous said...: What the hell people... RM wants to retract his decision for posting email? What did they threaten you with? How did they get to you? Have you gone over to the "dark side"?
Wake up Amherst taxpayers. No more paying for corruption on our backs, how come AROD, knowing that this town is "broke" doesn't offer to give back some of his "perks"? NO more prop overrides. No more dirty dealing contracts!
Live within our means people!; February 19, 2010 at 3:08 PM
Anonymous said...: Aw come on Rich, grow some balls.

Otherwise, you're fine.; February 19, 2010 at 3:46 PM
Anonymous said...: A REFLECTION ON READING RM'S PUBLIC APOLOGY....EEEEK...HACK....CHOKE...
"they dragged you down to the bowels of the town hall, in the dark and damp basement. They tortured you with whips, chains and melted wax...until you confessed that they were greater than you. They were more powerful than you. You RM, have sold your soul to the devil(s) of this town....you poor poor lamb....oh, do you hear that? it's a dinner bell ringing...got to go!; February 20, 2010 at 12:16 AM
Anonymous said...: All of you need to stop drinking the town public water, really....Amherst a "tiny" town? Are you serious? We need to wake up, open the eye's and see it for what it is, or has become;a cesspool of waste and laziness of the taxpayers who live here. It (the town) should be called and listed as a "city" and the city should have a mayor, who will answer to the people, IE; taxpayers. A mayor that would be held accountable for most actions regarding spending/budgets, etc...no more committees that get slapped on the wrists (if even that)...that spend and toss money out the window at a whim. Call it a tea party call it a civil war, but don't ignore it! It's in your face, wake UP people!!!!!!; February 20, 2010 at 2:08 AM
Anonymous said...: Why all the hate? I am a family friend of the Churchills, and they are good people. They care about amherst. They have kids in the schools. The morses are good people too. Let's all just shut up.; June 14, 2011 at 10:20 PM
Larry Kelley said...: Even good people make mistakes. If everybody just "shut up" then the good people would not know of their mistakes.; June 15, 2011 at 6:32 AM