Jay Morris aids Ben Rich in attack on Commissioner McClure

Once again, County Commission chairman, Jay Morris, allows the public to make politically motivated comments during this morning’s regular meeting — and, once again, District 3 commissioner Bill McClure is the victim of the attack.

Returning to the podium, former commissioner Ben Rich prefaced his remarks by stating a presumption that he is entitled to exceed the three-minute allowance for public comments. Morris parted from the usual greeting for public speakers, recognized Rich by name, and welcomed him; proclaiming that the commission was honored to hear comments from former commissioners.

“I want to read my remarks,” Rich began — explaining that if he spoke freely, he would probably “fall back” on his experience as a former federal agent and violate commission rules by addressing his demands to one specific commissioner. Morris, as if he already knew what was coming, agreed to the extended comments and took no notice of the warning that Rich’s remarks would violate the selectively enforced “civility” policy.

The purpose of the Rich diatribe, no less stellar than any number of other venomous epistles delivered by Rich from the dais when he wielded the chairman’s gavel, was to harangue Commissioner McClure; who has been in the news recently after his walk-in medical clinics were searched by agents of a state Medicaid billing task force responding to an anonymous tip.

Rich went through a protracted explanation of the legal process from the instigation of a search warrant, to issuance of an arrest warrant, to plea bargaining, to conviction or acquittal. Of course, none of that is relevant to McClure’s situation, since he has not been accused of the commission of any inappropriate activity. Despite that inescapable fact, Rich commanded McClure to “resign his office with dignity”.

During his one-term reign, half of which was under the wing of convicted felon, Thomas Manuel, Rich was often taken to flamboyant, bizarre conduct. His menacing, domineering behavior was an affront to public speakers who objected to his view of how the county should be managed. Rich was abusive to anyone, including St Johns County Sheriff David Shoar. Rich stood in lockstep with Manuel, at a press conference held by former sheriff Neil Perry, when Perry revealed the results of a search of public records about Manuel’s past business associations that included reputed mob ties.

No action was taken on Rich’s rant and McClure offered no comment.