Ben Dover

Philip R. Klein displays his hypocrisy again in the latest posting on the SET Political Review. The topic: the Jefferson County Courthouse.

The Palace Needs Work! And not [sic] cost will be spared. And we will leave no stone unturned. And we will house our employees in downtown in a place we just sold and give the buyer 1 million dollars (if we have to ).

Here is the bottom line dear readers - it is this. And only this - the only thing they will have left to build is a moat around the d*** place. And the jokes continue at Beaumont PD and alike [sic] - maybe they can put one two [sic] or three of the boats in the moat around the courthouse to protect the employees and commissioners who spend their money like they were millionaires.

Compare Philip's position on the Jefferson County Courthouse, completed in 1931, with Klein's position on the former South Park High School, built just eight years earlier in 1923:

What should happen? Well the BISD should save TAXPAYERS MONEY and simply conform to what they said they would do...which is? Keep Southpark [sic] and build another school or remodel.

If you use the excuse that it is old - well go to the University of Texas, or Texas A&M and see buildings that are 100 years old and if they even thought about tearing them down there would be riots.

Goodbye tradition - goodbye heritage. Goodbye Southpark [sic]. It means nothing other than a message that a new regime has taken over. And they say anything and do anything to get what they want.

Southpark [sic] is the last standing memory for many in Beaumont of yesterday. They want that to go - so that the true change can happen. Southpark sic] will fall just as hard as Jefferson County will in the next ten years.

For the past 15 years, Philip has been predicting the death of Jefferson County "in the next 10 years." Klein doesn't detail why his positions are different.

Jefferson County Commissioners are going to "talk" about how they are going to redo the entire courthouse? And house employees in the great "Deal in Downtown?" All the while they have an empty building in Nederland that the county owns and could use it and save TAXPAYERS A MILLION DOLLARS?

Remember these photos?

These pictures speak volumes about Philip's sense of aesthetics and practicality.

Klein's simplistic and juvenile opinions underscore a poor comprehension of issue fundamentals. The project has been ongoing for several years. Two hurricanes and a recession have slowed the original timetable, but County Commissioners will review bids already received during their workshop on Monday. Nor does PRK demonstrate knowledge of what the courthouse's designation as a historical building really means to this project.

Instead of substantive comment, Klein resorts to another tired and trite personal attack:

Now we want you to watch a few things in the media over the next few days. Ready? Here we go :

1) Patrick Swain and his buddy that lost will come up with a few numbers. They will look good. Because it is time to look good.

Regarding Klein's reference to Keith Hawkes, Philip made this prediction in January:

The Southeast Texas Political Review has learned this afternoon that Jefferson County Assistant Auditor Keith Hawkes may drop out of the race for County Treasure [sic].

According to sources that contacted the Review late this afternoon - Hawkes was upset about an article written by the Review this past week in stating that Hawkes background will be known for his relationship with County Auditor Patrick Swain. 

That didn't happen, but no article on the SET Political Review would be complete without Philip's self-aggrandizement or a shot at the local media. From today's article:

It is just another day - with NO CHECKS AND BALANCES BY THE MEDIA? And thus you see why this web site is blowing numbers through the roof! We are doing what the watch dogs should be.

"Blowing through the roof", or just blowing? Philip could verify by simply making his Stat Counter public; how about it, Philip?