Ron Beaty's depraved words, and conduct
Criminal acts, horrifying threats, disqualify him from representing this community
WARNING: THIS POST CONTAINS VILE, VIOLENT LANGUAGE AND INTENT, REPRODUCED ONLY BECAUSE THE INDIVIDUAL WHO AUTHORED THEM IS A FORMER COUNTY COMMISSIONER, NOW A CANDIDATE TO RETURN TO THAT OFFICE.
Once again, Ron Beaty is running for office, trying to return as Barnstable County Commissioner after a four-year hiatus, mimicking the pattern of the former President he said he emulates — and not because both are convicted criminals:
Beaty pled guilty and served 14 months in federal prison for sending letters threatening to assassinate then-President George H.W. Bush, then-US Senator Ted Kennedy, and then-Massachusetts Senator Lois Pines.
Some people know this. Few understand why Beaty sent those letters.
Thanks to Brian Tarcy’s reporting in "Cape Cod Wave," solid work that never received full credit four years ago, this darkness is further unveiled:
Beaty was pretending to be his estranged Iranian wife to get her arrested and deported, inventing a group called “The Moslem Revolution” as her ersatz umbrella.
Exhibits buried in federal court papers, also unearthed by Tarcy, reveal the extent of Beaty’s depravity in handwritten letters to this woman.
With deep apologies for content and language, several more examples in addition to the one above are reprinted here.
These letters were sent over a period of about 10 days, and convinced federal prosecutors to argue that Beaty should be held without bail as a clear public danger (to his ex-wife). He was held from July until November, 1990, then released on bond.
At trial, as Tarcy reported, Beaty’s attorney argued the defendant really didn’t intend to assassinate these political leaders so he shouldn’t be convicted (he was trying to frame his ex-wife, not commit murder). After the judge denied that defense, Beaty pled guilty in April, 1991, and went to prison. These handwritten threats never surfaced in the public proceeding.
Here’s what did (with the name of his ex-wife, which Beaty included, redacted):
Beaty invoked alcohol as the reason for this — and a burning hatred of his former spouse, obviously. Yet millions of alcoholics don’t descend to these depths; other outrageous acts attributed to booze and break-ups pale in comparison.
He denies none of it, suggesting civic involvement might be some kind of penance. But he has said this only when confronted, not as a proactive message. He never has offered his hellish example as a case study to caution others.
For example, when Cape Cod Wave told Beaty these letters would be published, his answer was, “It’s been so long, it’s fine. Do what you’ve got to do.”
Now he obsessively runs for office; state Senate, state Rep, County Assembly of Delegates, County Commissioner. To most everyone’s shock he won county-wide in 2016, trumpeting “transparency.”
Most voters have little or no “transparent” idea of his venal personal history. That is a serious failure of local journalism — which means more reporting is in order, disturbing as it is.
Ron Beaty’s appalling wake leads to a conclusion:
If he gets so much as one more vote to represent this community, it’s one vote too many.
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Thank you for reporting on this important story, Seth.
"That is a serious failure of local journalism". understatement of the year. Thanks for your reporting. Jeez, what a scary guy.