Politicians lie. Some lie about where they live. Dave McBride and Cathy Cloutier are two of them. As Democratic State Chair Erik Raser-Schramm has made clear, it is unethical to run for a seat when you don’t live in the district. He said that about a Democrat, Melanie George Smith. Dave McBride isn’t only running although he’s not a resident of the 13th Senate District, he’s perpetrated a fraud on both the state and his constituents since 2008.
Politicians lie. Sewer records don’t. Unless Dave McBride goes somewhere else to relieve himself, he hasn’t resided in his home at 7 Nicole Court since at least 2008, with a possible exception in 2017-18. (Pro Tip: Kids, if you want to lie to your constituents about where you live, do what Cathy Cloutier did: Get a kid, preferably your kid, to flush the toilet a couple of times a day.)
The President Pro-Tempore did not do that. Since 2008, according to those public records, Dave McBride has paid the minimum New Castle County sewer bill: $50 per year from 2008 to 2016, and $56 (the newly-established rate for 2019 and 2020). There is no way that you can only pay the minimum unless you don’t reside at the address. In this case, an address that Sen. McBride claims as his residence in order to run in the 13th Senatorial District. In fact, a cursory review of homes adjacent to McBride’s Nicole Court address reveal that all the homes paid more than the minimum that McBride is paying. I confess that I don’t know why there was a higher bill for 2017 ($206.65) and 2018 ($68.88, which is still pretty damned low), but the records clearly reveal that McBride does not live in his district and hasn’t for the better part of the last 12 years. Meaning, that McBride does not meet the minimum residency eligibility requirement for being on the ballot: He just doesn’t live there.
As we all know , McBride also has a residence in Lewes, and has had that residence since 2005. Sales price over $800K. In case you are wondering, I have McBride’s official sewer tax payment records, and I have the sales information on McBride’s property at 35759 Tarpon Drive in Lewes.
The conclusion is obvious and inescapable: Sen. David McBride resides in Lewes full-time, and not in his alleged residence in the 13th SD. In general, he has not lived in his district since 2008. That calls for an exclamation point(!). He should be removed from the ballot by the Delaware Department of Elections. The Department has indeed been officially informed by letter from within the 13th Senate District of McBride’s transgressions (not from his opponent) and has been requested to take such action. DOE will either follow the law or perpetuate Delaware Way casual corruption. I would also ask the Attorney General to investigate whether McBride has committed elections fraud and has been receiving a state salary while illegally serving as an elected official in a district where he has not lived consistently since 2008.
Remember: Politicians lie. Sewer records, however, always provide the straight poop.