1st Worcester race

One of the better tenets of good politics is that, when your opponent is making trouble for himself, keep quiet. That seems to be what Kim Ferguson is wisely doing as Ken O'Brien thrashes around.
The latest troubles come in an exchange of letters to the editor in the local outlets. Last week, former selectman Joe Sullivan wrote a letter to The Landmark outlining the reasons that he could not support his former colleague, O'Brien, in the race for state representative in the 1st Worcester district. Sullivan concluded

Finally, Ken O’Brien’s [sic] often speaks without thinking. His comments about “older” municipal employees required a select board motion repudiating Ken’s remarks while embracing the absence of discrimination in our community.
A nice guy? Yes. A great candidate for state representative? No way.
via Former colleague can’t vote for O’Brien | www.thelandmark.com | Landmark

Also last week, Ed Meyer of Holden wrote a lengthy piece in TheDailyHolden.com Letter to the Editor: The Superior Court Law Suit against Holden’s Ken O’Brien. In the letter, Meyer alleges a number of serious ethics violations against O'Brien, along with a charge that O'Brien has failed to produce documents that the Secretary of State's office has ordered. Meyer has file suit in Superior Court to have O'Brien produce the documents.
I'm not in a position to evaluate the validity of Meyer's claims or O'Brien's defenses. Those are left to the court. I would suggest Mr. Meyer, however, to make sure that he spells Mr. O'Brien's name correctly. Lines such as this get confusing:

On April 28, 2010 Secretary Galvin’s Office issued a second order to Mr. O’Brian reaffirming its’ earlier “determination ordering Mr. O’Brien to provide you (me) with a fee estimate for the provision of these records…”. 

Anyway, so, how does O'Brien respond? In his own letter to the TheDailyHolden.com, ,  Letter to the Editor: Negative campaigning obscuring race for State Rep., O'Brien says,

I have been sued by Mr. Edwin Meyer, the same person observed handing out negative hand bills to members of the Hubbardston Lions Club, and attaching them to every car in the parking lot at the Hubbardston field day. 

Not much of a rebuttal, eh? He made a similar complaint against Sullivan, dismissing the severity of the charge because Sullivan has contributed to Ferguson's campaign.
Ken O'Brien is working hard to get elected. I've seen his signs prominently placed throughout the district. I've seen him campaigning early in the morning at the intersection of Route 2 and 140 in Westminster. He has the endorsement of people whom I respect. 
What he's not done, however, is address the series of very serious issues concerning his attitudes and actions throughout his time as selectman in Holden. He's responded with ad hominem attacks of his own. That's not a way to establish credibility. That's not a way to get my vote.
The candidates for state representative will debate on Thursday, Sept. 30, at 7 p.m. at the Holden town hall.