Clerk write in candidate puts out false flyer less than a week before election

If you want an example of a politician that will say and do anything to get elected and keep their job, you just need to look at Joanna Hardesty and the race for Hamburg Township clerk.

Hardesty lost the Republican primary, and she is running as a write in candidate. She is holding fundraisers, spending money, buying advertising going door to door in the quest to keep her job. Basically, she’s doing the things she should have done before the primary instead of trying to coast on her incumbency.

Just five days before the election, the Livingston County Daily Press & Argus is reporting Hardesty put out a false flier falsely claiming that Democratic opponent, Debby Buckland, has been unemployed since 2006. The fact is that since Buckland left real estate in 2006, she has been a political campaign field director for several candidates, including the presidential campaign of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton in two states, including all important Iowa.

Buckland says Hardesty knew the accusation was not true, and the facts bear that out. Buckland put that information out at the forums and debates held, her activities were even published in the local newspaper and it was even on her campaign web site. That makes Hardesty a liar or not capable of doing the most basic of fact checking.

Infighting on the all-Republican board has been a staple of the township recently, and it may have contributed to all but one of the seven incumbents losing in the primary, as well as the trustee who won the supervisor primary.

Many have put the blame on ousted supervisor Cindy Pine, but I find that very hard to believe. I dealt with Pine when I was a reporter and she was the chair of the Livingston County Republican Party, as well as the time I spent covering the township. I know her to be an intelligent reasoned person. She was far more truthful and civil than the current chair, and just as successful by treating people with respect and not wasting money on ridiculous billboard and commercials.

The good news is a write in candidate rarely, if ever wins, and Hardesty and the Republican challenger will split the GOP vote, and the township voters may have a different voice that is a team player, an experienced administrator, has a positive outlook and can work with a diverse group of people on the board in Buckland.