Russ's Ravings: Darling, Be Better. Be Like Bucco

Editor's note: The following is Patch Field Editor Russ Crespolini's, hopefully, weekly column. It is reflective of his opinion alone.

I like Heather Darling. I have voted for her on more than one occasion. I thought she served the county of Morris, where I live, very effectively as a freeholder and I had no reservations about voting for her to be our county surrogate.

The surrogate is a judicial officer, elected by the people, and they have jurisdiction over the many administrative tasks like administering wills, estates, guardianships, and trusts for Morris County residents. Darling also serves as the clerk of the Superior Court, assists activities ranging from adoptions to incompetency matters probate of wills, and manages the Minors’ Intermingled Trust Fund and holding, as custodian, approximately $25 million in that fund for Morris County minors.

Darling acts as judge in some of the more sensitive matters facing our residents and makes decisions about some of the most vulnerable of our more vulnerable population. In other words, I voted for her because I trust her judgment.

However, after she fronted for the We the People NJ group I am starting to regret my decision. According to their mission statement, We the People NJ started recently in hopes to advocate for New Jerseyans' "right to choose personal safety and responsibility in the face of Covid-19 rather than lockdowns.

What the group asking for, is quite reasonable. They are asking for is it have their "rights under the Constitution upheld for the pursuit of life, liberty and happiness and putting reasonable restrictions on operations of businesses," Darling told a colleague of mine. "But not the closure of businesses, not these enhanced lockdowns that everybody seems to be afraid of."

What they did with those concerns, was not.

The group held a march, where they began at the Morris Township Police Department and then moved to Morristown Town Hall. There, Darling spoke for those concerned because the rest of the members wished to remain anonymous because they are afraid of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

That is a real thing. I don't understand it. But that is a real thing that they said.

Now Darling was very clear she was doing this as a business owner and outside of her working hours as a surrogate. But it is impossible to see this rally and not call into question her judgment.

Why? Because she chose to front for a group that held a rally when the pandemic's second wave is rising throughout Morris County, raising our threat risk and endangering lives and in-person education.

And because she spoke on behalf of those assembled, including the one waving the confederate flag.

My friend Kevin Coughlin, a wonderful independent journalist who runs the Morristown Green website, spoke to the man and took photos of the flag and even spoke to him for his story on the event, so I know this is not rumor.

I have to ask myself, what in the heck Darling was thinking? In many ways, it was a low risk prospect. She isn't up for reelection for a few more years, and we sort of live in a world where rules are being bent and people think they can get away with things they shouldn't. They can hold themselves to a lesser standard.

But that just simply isn't acceptable.

As a public official you are not just out there representing yourself or even just the people who voted for you, you represent all your constituents. And I am not comfortable with someone who represents me fronting for a group rallying in public during a pandemic spike in front of a confederate flag.

This is where Darling needs to take a page out of the book of Tony Bucco. Bucco is another guy I voted for plenty of times, like his father, because he genuinely works hard to represent those who he serves. Not just those who elected him.

During the pandemic I know his office personally intervened to help people with unemployment aid and other assistance, and he has been a huge supporter of getting help for small businesses. But Bucco has done it the right way.

He has worked within the confines of his station and that of a private citizen to push Governor Phil Murphy to loosen restrictions responsibly and to provide aid to those struggling. What he has not done, is speak at a large public gathering in the middle of a COVID spike.

Now, do I expected Darling to be able to control anyone that shows up at these events? Of course not. But I do expect her to tell someone with a confederate flag to go packing or to at least denounce the flag showing up where she is the face of the franchise, as it were.

I also expect a little more common sense when planning said gatherings.

Because it comes down to judgment.

If you are making decisions like this and considering them good ones, I am not sure you should be the person making decisions for some of our most vulnerable citizens.

Public service isn't easy. It takes a special person to do it. But we need to expect better from those who represent us. So be better. Be like Bucco.

Russ Crespolini is a Field Editor for Patch Media, adjunct professor and college newspaper advisor. His columns have won awards from the National Newspaper Association and the New Jersey Press Association.

He writes them in hopes of connecting with readers and engaging with them. And because it is cheaper than therapy. He can be reached at russ.crespolini@patch.com