A case of newspaper NIMBY

It is interesting to note that the Gloucester County Times and the Courier-Post, both newspapers that have editorialized in support of a ban on dual officeholding, have endorsed dual officeholders in the 2008 general election.  Both papers are backing Senate Majority Leader Stephen Sweeney for re-election to the Gloucester County Board of Freeholders, and the GCT is backing the re-election of Freeholder Frank DiMarco, who is also a West Deptford Councilman.

From the Courier-Post: "Voters in the county should be concerned about having so much power consolidated in one person. It is a far from ideal situation, and it is exactly why this state now has a ban on holding dual offices, a ban which we support. Still, in weighing the choices in the race for Gloucester County freeholder, it cannot be ignored that Sweeney has used his power and his savvy about how things work in political circles both inside and outside Trenton to get things done for Gloucester County. For that reason, he should be re-elected."

From the GCT: "Didn't the Times editorial page just spend close to a year berating the veteran Democrat for saying he would give up his dual officeholding Sweeney is also a powerful state senator and then changing his mind? Well, yes, and that's still wrong. More wrong is that Sweeney is using a special exemption that cynical lawmakers made for themselves when they banned dual officeholding by those first elected to a post in 2007 or later. But, here's the deal: There just isn't sufficient leadership on the freeholder board or among this year's other candidates to inspire enough confidence to drop Sweeney at this time."