After reading your latest editorial, I think you are right, Judge Cunningham...."It's just politics."

That's why you held six families hostage with ridiculous indictments that were quickly tossed out as soon as someone outside of Fannin County realized there was never any proof...just a lot of small-town gossip and some really mean-spirited politics. That is always a dangerous mix.

And now, after wasting years and millions of taxpayer dollars pursuing frivolous lawsuits and doing untold damage to this county's reputation with incessant complaining about a courthouse that I don't think you ever deserved to work in, I see you have written an editorial entitled Wasting Taxpayer Dollars.

Oh, the irony of it all.

I can't vouch for what went on around here before 1955, but in the last 71 years, no county judge has done more damage or been more divisive. All along, most people knew what you were trying to do, who you were doing it for...and here's the kicker. We tried to tell you that there wasn't enough of your political insiders to get you re-elected. The only reason you didn't come in fourth is because one candidate dropped out. I'm not saying that to be mean. I love everyone and I worry because I think this has been almost as hard on you as it has been hard on the county.

But do we really have to continue this divisive bickering until the door closes behind you? I want you to think about the years of friction on commissioners court; how can you blame anyone for not trusting you?

When I read your editorials demeaning and disparaging all four commissioners, it seems very disrespectful of the voters in all four precincts. Voters in each precinct have a right to select who works for them. Is democracy always perfect? Of course not, but it's our way of life and the past 250 years proves it's a damn sight better than whatever form of government that comes in a distant second.

Judge, for the last five months of your administration, I'm asking you to work with the four men that voters have picked to represent them. No more innuendos about walking quorums and crooked deals just because it's not the four people that you would have liked to work with.

I feel like your handlers gave you two directives: do as much harm to Spanky Carter as possible because of petty jealousy, and to pass unitization because it concentrates power among top administrators.

Now, I'll admit that math and English were three of my worst subjects, but when I cipher in another $200,000 annual salary to hire a road engineer and expand government with another highly paid administrator, and then you tell me how much it will save...I get the feeling someone's blowing smoke up my britches.

I think we are better than this, Newt. I think we could get through the next five months without insinuations and character attacks. Your handlers will still try to pull your strings, even though we all know they cut and run as soon as this mess hit the fan.

I can tell you that I admire your dogged determination, but do you really believe that your handlers would have done the same for you?

Sam Rayburn always said there is too much room in the middle of the road for people to be straddling fences to the left and right.

Let's get in the middle of the road and go to work together. It's never too late.