Jon Smith responds to Rick Heiberg's letter

A letter printed in the 10-2-14 Columbia Basin Herald submitted by Rick Heiberg was given the title of setting the record straight. Not so fast.

Mr. Heiberg implies that previous letter were "opinions based on hearsay, rumor, or gossip," and were written by people who were not even there. Wrong! The only recent letters on that topic were one by Kevin Moore and one by me. Both of us were duly elected precinct committee officers of the Grant County Republican Party. Elected by the county's citizens to represent them. Tom Dent had nine years in his 'leadership' role and re-wrote the party bi-laws to give himself total control of the county G.O.P.

Myself, Kevin Moore and a dozen other elected P.C.O.'s were there, barred from entry by former Sheriff Frank Detrolio.

Yes Mr. Heiberg, we are all too familiar with executive sessions and executive decisions. My letter in the 9-4-14 CBH did not dispute his power to hold the executive session. I was trying to inform the voters of the unethical abuse that toook place that night and that led to the replacement of Tom Dent at the first opportunity the elected representatives of Grant County republicans had.

I challenge Mr. Heiberg or Mr. Dent to a public forum to truly set the record straight regarding the events of that meeting. Now the good old boys are trying to get that type of leadership elected to represent the same people Tom Dent refused to even meet with.

As a one term mayor of Coulee City, Mr. Heiberg learned the hard way about not knowing the rules that hold elected officialsresponsible. Unlike Tom Dent, Mr. Heiberg did not get to write the rules himself.

I'm sorry to see that it appears Mr. Heiberg is OK with what took place throughout that entire year.

Jon Smith

Moses Lake