Montco controller candidate cries foul over deposition claim

The Republican candidate for Montgomery County controller said Tuesday that an allegation made in court Monday that video clips of a deposition provided by Democrat Diane B. Morgan appeared in his campaign ads is untrue.

"I've never used the deposition in any campaign ad, and I never intended to use the deposition in a campaign ad, and any statement to the contrary is inaccurate," said Stewart Greenleaf Jr., who is challenging Morgan in the Nov. 8 general election.

Morgan is suing the county and its commissioners, alleging the parties have prevented her from doing her job by blocking funding for updated software and additional auditors.

At a hearing Monday before Senior Court Judge Calvin S. Drayer Jr., Morgan's attorney, Samuel C. Stretton, alleged that video clips were about to appear in Greenleaf's campaign ads.

"We've been told that the Republicans have picked it up and are making video ads of her," Stretton said of his client. County solicitor Barry Miller did not refute that statement in court.

Greenleaf admitted Tuesday that he had obtained the deposition and viewed it.

"I secured it myself as a resident of Montgomery County. I have a right and obligation to hear what she had to say," Greenleaf said.

At the hearing, Judge Drayer ruled that Miller has a right to depose Morgan a second time, but the deposition cannot be videotaped or made public.

In a press conference following the hearing, Morgan invited Greenleaf to join her in the suit. Greenleaf said Tuesday he, "absolutely [would] not."

"I don't agree with her allegations that she is unable to perform the functions of the controller's office with the resources she's been given," he said.

Further, he termed a "waste of taxpayer money" the funds being spent to litigate Morgan's civil suit against the county.

Asked what would he do differently to address the problems detailed by Morgan, Greenleaf said he would embrace the 5 percent cut the county has imposed. Morgan bridled against that in her lawsuit filed in February.

"I would review how people are being used in the office, and how past controllers have used the resources given to them. The controller's office was on the right track," Greenleaf said.

"If the allegations in the complaint are true, the office has gotten off the track," he said.

Follow the Inquirer at

» READ MORE: www.Twitter.com/PhillyInquirer

and

» READ MORE: www.Facebook.com/PhillyInquirer