Mar 10, 2023 2 min read

On Wednesday, March 1, Bill Shuster, a supporter of Washington County Commissioner Diana Irey Vaughan, wrote to the editor explaining he attended a debate of commissioner candidates in the 1990s. Shuster recalled that before the debate began, Irey Vaughan walked over to where I was seated, carrying a bowl of mud and declared she was going to “sling mud like some here do,” inferring that I was the target.

Shuster continued that he respects Irey Vaughan for her integrity and moral compass. While I appreciate his right to support Irey Vaughan, he cannot alter the facts and history of what actually occurred at the debate or her track record as a public figure.

The debate happened during the primary election campaign in 1995. Irey Vaughan entered the race, as did I, and a third candidate, the late Keith Melenyzer, a Charleroi attorney. Melenyzer ran full-page ads before the debate claiming Irey Vaughan’s father-in-law was not paying his taxes, yet he had the money to fund a political campaign. When the debate occurred, Irey Vaughan delivered the large bowl of mud to Melenyzer, not me. I never ran negative ads during my campaigns.

Why was she bothered by these ads, as they were not attacking her personally? Perhaps they hit too close to home.

As to Shuster saying he has great respect for her integrity and moral compass, would that include her adding family members to the county payroll or passing the largest tax increase in Washington County history?

Joe Ford Sr.

Stuart, Fla.

Joe Ford is a former Washington County commissioner.