New Jersey Politics

Camden's potty-mouthed freeholder

Ian Leonard, unscripted

7 comments

Camden's potty-mouthed freeholder

POSTED: Monday, October 8, 2012, 9:27 AM

Is it ever acceptable for a public official to curse in public?

Incumbent Democrat Ian Leonard's execrable public display of expletives related to excrement are adding excitement to an otherwise dull Camden County Freeholder race.

Leonard's rant is now playing on YouTube courtesy of the Camden County GOP, a party that has long been unable to field a winning freeholder candidate, but certainly recognizes good gotcha when it sees it.

A "vulgar display," Tom Crone, political director for the county Republicans, says in an email that helpfully includes a YouTube link.

Crone goes on to excoriate Leonard for a "torrent of venom and foul language," and advises prospective viewers that the clip is "not suitable for decent members of society."

While those words of warning may be a tad, shall we say, excessive, there's no question the pugnacious Leonard crossed a line, and then some. "County residents should spring for a bar of soap," suggests the Save Jersey blog.

Not a bad idea, considering the freeholder's...oration, which apparently was captured by someone in the audience at the September 20 meeting in Lawnside.

"Cut the s--- out or I'll fire your a--," Leonard bellows from the dais.

"I don't really give a s--- what you've done in your life," he says.

"That's bulls---!"

Now, the context of Leonard's...remarks has been edited out of the video; perhaps the freeholder spent the rest of session delighting listeners with a treatise on Tennyson. And while plenty of people use these and other popular expletives in private, Leonard was speaking as a public official.

So he owes the public an apology.

I've reached out to the freeholder, and to county spokespersons.

Stay tuned.

UPDATED 12:06 PM

Kevin Riordan @ 9:27 AM Permalink | 7 comments

7 comments

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Comments (7)

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 9:26 AM, 10/08/2012

A real class act.

— BillyBob369

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 9:32 AM, 10/08/2012

Newsflash from the Tonner: Always assume you are being videotaped. Every Tom, Dick, and Harry has a cellphone that's also a video recording device these days. That's why they make you check them at the door in strip joints. You're welcome.

— hunglikeaton