Over the last 48 hours, (or so) there has been much said about Stephanie and Billy Burke.
Mayor McDermott was recorded on the steps of City Hall in what I truly feel was a personal conversation between three people. I have spoken to all three involved and I personally feel confident this was the case. As the Burke's were leaving one office inside City Hall, Mayor McDermott was walking out of another Office and they simply ran right into one and other. The Mayor said he had received Billy's e-mail and wanted to discuss it, would you join me in my Office? Stephanie stated his Office was being used, it's a beautiful day, let's go outside and talk, so they did.
(Billy had stated to me they were in the building with the tape recorder because he had been told three different stories about absentee ballots and he went in to record the Clerk to have evidence. I asked Billy if the Clerk knew she was being recorded and he replied, "no".)Their conversation with the Mayor, (IMHO) was one that was intended to be inside but the Daughter of one of the people working for City Hall was using the room to do her homework. So the intent, (as all parties understood) would have been private. As they were walking out the front door, Billy Burke reached into his pocket and hit record on his tape recorder. In my personal opinion, this was extremely out of line and I personally expressed this to Billy not only last week when he brought it up to me, well before any search warrant was brought forth. Billy fully expected this to happen and asked me to be prepared to bail him out. I was upset the day he mentioned it and I became even more upset after he was arrested and continued to use the Court of Public Opinion as his defense on the Blogs. I expressed that any good lawyer would have immediately told him to shut up and not say a word but they came to Salisbury News, the Daily Times and other places to express their disbelief that this had happened to them.
Billy called me the morning after he was arrested upset because I didn't have his back, yet I had already expressed almost a week earlier that I felt he was completely out of line. Look, I'm extremely up front and honest with people. Many may not like my being so forward but after I said my peace and even if I'm upset, that doesn't mean I don't have your back.
My problem started just as soon as Billy & Stephanie showed no remorse whatsoever and in fact pleaded to everyone to stand behind them as this was all about a conspiracy. No, that's not the case at all. In fact, the arrest warrant was issued well before the election and Mayor McDermott asked that they hold off the arrest until AFTER the election so no one could say they were treated unfairly.
In a conversation today with the Burke's, Stephanie asked me if it was me making comments on Story Chat and I replied, yes. She didn't say anything more so I simply stated that I felt what they had done was illegal and wrong and I also felt they were trying their case in the Court of Public Opinion. You may gain a strong following but when you get into a Court Room and a Judge sees there's been no remorse, you're making their case for them. Stephanie tried to explain to me how things went but I interrupted her and told her that I had already had this conversation last week with Billy and I know what had happened. I also expressed again that I felt what they had done was not only wrong, it was unethical to say the least.
The fact that the recording still remained on the Website was yet another major concern to me and it seemed like they were in a hurry at that point to end the telephone conversation so they could access their Site and remove it.
Look, I like Stephanie and Billy Burke. They have been friends for years. I didn't appreciate Billy sending me the e-mail the night of his arrest with links to those audio recordings in which I removed from his message. If I had posted those links I would have been just as liable as the Burke's and that just wasn't proper or right. Nevertheless, this was not my battle and I was offended that Billy would try to bring Salisbury News smack dab in the middle of it.
I personally feel that anyone with a good head on their shoulders would forever lose trust in Billy Burke, not knowing if they are being recorded or not. I expressed this with Billy & Stephanie in today's conversation. This is something I would NEVER do. I repeated that they had not put up the entire recording, just what they wanted others to hear and to me that was underhanded and unethical. I also expressed that Soldiers had died for our Freedom of Speech and that I felt that had abused their privilege.
Now I'm saying all of this to all of you so that you know, it doesn't matter who you are, if you break the law, you are accountable. This doesn't mean I won't back you or support you. However, I do NOT want others to believe that "I" would EVER do anything like this. Some may not like my style, my writing skills or the lack thereof, my personality or whatever. However, I am a straight shooter and I tell it like it is. I am not bailing on Billy & Stephanie Burke but I will say this, they need to shut up, (as I expressed to them very clearly today) and STOP making any comments anywhere. They need to go to Mayor McDermott and apologize and express that this will never happen again. Regardless of where this case goes, that's the honorable thing to do. They need to do so with a neutral witness so neither party can pass more blame on one and other and to confirm it was done.
Billy & Stephanie Burke need to shake the Mayor's hand and ask for forgiveness, not just say you're sorry. Mind you, this is how "I" feel. If they are truly sorry for their mistake, don't wait for a Court Date. Do it NOW.
All that being said, I have a few other things to express to everyone. Today I removed my links to several Blogs. We have stated we are on a new course and I'm sticking to my promise. I have removed the Burke's Blog, Michael Schwartz Blog, Outraged Dick's Blog and Jonathan Taylor's Blog.
It will take some time to heal the friendship we once shared with the Burke's and their actions from this point forward will assure whether or not we'll return to their Site. Jon and Dick are a given, I will not return there. Michael is yet another story and I'll keep that brief. I have spoken to several people in the Republican Party who share my disbelief in some of Michael's recent Posts. Several of us have agreed, we're done with Michael on a couple of levels. We'll not return to his Site and we'll also not welcome him to our homes, parties and special events any longer. I'm not going to pick on Michael, I'm just going to cut him off and be done with him.
Salisbury News has been evolving in the right direction the past couple of years and the only time we fall off the wagon is when we're distracted by some of the Anti Albero Blogs. The way I see it from this point forward is, they have a very long way to go to come anywhere near catching up to where Salisbury News is today. By ignoring them and moving forward, we can concentrate on what we want to do and not get side tracked by allowing statements like Michael recently made saying if you want Police Reports and local things to do then go to Salisbury News. You know what Folks, we provide a service. I'm not offended by such a statement, especially coming from a guy who averages 84 hits a day. Michael is living in a very unusual world thinking a guy with absolutely no influence and or visitors can pass off advice to someone getting hits in the millions. So we'll simply say goodbye to some and hopefully if they turn things around and deliver positive news and information we'll return one day and congratulate them for providing a service to you as well.
Onward and upward, they say. See you tomorrow.
7 A.M. to 9 A.M., Tomorrow Morning, April 13
