Former Councilman Fox Goes Two for Three

Last week, was a good week for former Tullytown councilman and former  county protection from abuse coordinator George Fox.

On his scorecard, he’s 2 for 3.

For Fox, that’s a winning streak, all things considered.

“Vindicated,”  is the word he used to describe how he felt  after leaving district court Thursday, where he won a civil case against Tullytown Councilwoman Mae Kucher,  in the great sign caper,  as he once described it.

District Judge Micheal J. Burns ordered Kucher to pay Fox $155.48 for the removal of two signs and court costs.

“She admitted in court, she stole those signs,” Fox said, “there’s no way you get around that, she admitted it in open court.”

Fox’s attorney, Larry Otter, said “justice was served on an innocent person.”

Fox went on to point out, Kucher was spending tax payer money by using council  solicitor Micheal Sellers to defend Kucher in the case pointing out,  “they even brought their  own  stenographer, can you believe that? I wonder how much that’s going to cost us?”

The council approved Kucher’s request to be represented by the council solicitor in the case, recently.

Earlier in the week, Fox was informed  he won his unemployment claim against Bucks County, which meant he could start collecting unemployment compensation from a job he was fired from late last year.

Fox, who said it was about time something fell his way, said “I’m not done, yet.”

A letter dated May 20 from the Pennsylvania Unemployment Compensation Board (PUC), said the county failed to show cause for his “willful misconduct” on the job.

As Fox has said a number of times, to this reporter, anyone, anywhere, can go on the county website, and obtain a subpoena.

The PUC letter reflected his statement, saying Fox was never advised of the policy prohibiting the use of civil subpoena’s not related to an ongoing case.

Additionally, the letter questioned the timing of Fox’s firing, pointing out it came it came only months after Fox issued the legal instruments on his own behalf.

Fox, as a result of the PUC decision, is able to collect up to a year in unemployment benefits, he said.

In Tullytown, Fox, for many, has become sort of lightning rod and target for all sorts of creative expression.

At a recent council meeting, Fox’s daughter, became a target of comments, that Fox said “were a cheap way of trying to get to me. She’s an adult, she makes her own decisions and I love her,  but to go after her like that, when its me you’re really targeting – its bull ****,”  he said.

Then there are the “new” signs.  Signs that popped up all over the Tullytown area, as primary day approached.

“Did you see those yet?,” he asked incredulously. “Can you believe they can get away with lying like that? I’m all for free speech, but those signs, are out right lies,” Fox said.

When asked what was the difference between the signs about him and the ones implying Mayor J. David Cutchineal is a rat, Fox said excitedly, “one borders on libel, the other is  a description, and the ones about me are outright lies.”

“I didn’t do anything criminal. Even the District Attorney Heckler said that.  Those signs are outright lies.”

“Are you going to try to tell me its a coincidence I had some good news come my way this week, or are you finally going to admit I’m right, and you’re wrong,  She (Kucher) doesn’t think she did anything wrong, well a judge just ruled  she did.”

Otter said, Kucher’s defense was based on the theory she has legislative immunity, therefore she could do want she wants, with the signs acting in her official capacity.

“Judge Burns obviously disagreed with that position,”  he said.

The only loss for Fox last week was his poor primary showing in his bid to get a seat on council, which he barely mentioned throughout several conversations late last week.

Fox is hoping to turn his one week  winning streak into something sustainable in terms of his future.

His next mission; getting his job back at the courthouse, although for now, his attorney won’t allow to comment on that effort, except to say,  I can’t wait for that hearing to take place in August.  Smiling through the phone at the idea of having to work again for Pat Bachtle, who just came through a tough primary battle last Tuesday.