Newspaper: Thorns to Hoeffel, Matthews for politics as usual

From the editorial page of The Pottstown Mercury:

THORNS to Montgomery County Commissioners James R. Matthews and Joseph P. Hoeffel, whose contract awards to campaign contributors are continuing the pay-to-play culture that prevailed in the county for years. Officials admitted Feb. 4 they had not sent out solicitations for lawyers to handle a $35 million bond deal, a requirement for professional service contracts under a county ordinance. The law had been put in place in 1998 as a safeguard against political patronage in contracting. Hoeffel, a proponent of the ordinance 12 years ago, is now accused of ignoring the rule along with Matthews and solicitor Barry Miller. County Controller Diane Morgan on Thursday threatened to withhold payment on any professional services contracts that run afoul of the county's law, she wrote in a letter Wednesday to Commissioner Bruce L. Castor Jr. The accusations between Castor and the Matthews-Hoeffel alliance are flying fast and furiously. Meanwhile, these three have a county to run. Let's consider good government over petty politics as a change of pace.

Read more at the newspaper's Web site.