Dear editor,

As is sadly so predictable in Troup County, dirty politics seems to be a developing local tradition.

It’s permeated nearly every major local race this year, mostly being perpetrated by a group of folks I refer to as the “Troup County Political Mafia.”

I live in District 3 in Troup County, presently being well served by incumbent Commissioner Tripp Foster. He’s done a spectacular job for the citizens of Troup County too. Not just District 3, but all of Troup County. He works hard, goes to his kids’ football games. He works constantly for the citizens in his function as County Commissioner.

But what he does NOT do, is rubber stamp everything the Troup County Political Mafia want him to rubber stamp without question. Mr. Foster’s opponent, Lewis Davis, makes the claim that Mr. Foster is not “showing unity,” simply because Mr. Foster doesn’t rubber stamp everything laid in front of him. Mr. Davis is trying to get people to believe that “not going with the herd” or “unity” as Mr. Davis calls it, is a bad thing.

Commissioner Foster also asks questions. Often lots of them. The Troup County Political Mafia hates questions, especially in open meetings.

Who is asking questions? Go through the archives of the LaGrange Daily News. Read the news articles, or the County Commission meeting minutes, right on the county website, for Mr. Foster’s entire term.

You’ll see it’s Tripp Foster asking pertinent questions. And the answers are sometimes awkward for the special interests trying to fly questionable projects under the radar with as little public discussion as possible.

They don’t like Tripp asking questions publicly. And they know Lewis won’t. I call that “back room dealing” or maybe “collusion,” but Mr. Davis refers to it as “unity.”

A letter to the editor in this paper on May 3 in support of Lewis Davis mentioned Mr. Davis running a “clean campaign.” Oh really? Lewis Davis has his campaign committee running all over town, desperately attempting to “dig up dirt” on Mr. Foster.

Nancy Green and Campaign Treasurer Jimmy Goodwin running all over town, digging for dirt that just isn’t there. Lewis Davis campaign committee member Trish Schramm tried to smear Mr. Foster by maliciously accusing him of hiding campaign contributions. She was wrong.

And the ongoing investigation into possible campaign ethics violations relative to Mr Davis taking campaign contributions from a sitting Elections Board Member who is supposed to be impartially overseeing election. Even if it wasn’t illegal, it would be highly unethical, and a conflict of interest.

I’m not slinging mud, folks. I’m just pointing out the mud being slung by Mr. Davis’s campaign. Enough is enough. Keep Tripp Foster in there working for the people, instead of the Troup County Political Mafia. Vote Tripp Foster for District 3 county commissioner.

Ron McClellan

West Point