Editors Note: Rickey Merideth stated on April 29 on the Austin Rhodes Radio Program that the mortgage referenced in the video was related to his home twenty years prior not his current mortgage. Merideth’s statements have not been vetted but this editor’s note is being placed here in an effort of full transparency of Merideth’s comments. The views expressed in this column are solely of the writer. Rickey Merideth insinuated in the below video that the background and subsequent criticism of his candidacy was due to attacks from an opposing candidate. The Augusta Press performs its own research on all candidates and has provided Merideth the opportunity to respond to all allegations. Merideth denied knowledge of many of the accusations until being presented with documentation. Merideth also stated that The Augusta Press was inaccurate in its reporting and that he would be in touch regarding such. Since those comments Merideth has not reached out to any reporters at The Augusta Press.
Rickey Merideth is vying to be Columbia County’s next county commissioner for District 3. While all of the other media outlets seem disinterested in the race, Scott Hudson was able to bring to light many troubling things in Merideth’s path.
Clearly Hudson’s reporting struck a nerve with Merideth who spoke Saturday at the Columbia County Republican Party breakfast. In defending himself, Merideth only dug himself into an even deeper hole with more new outrageous misleading statements. Below is the complete video of Merideth’s comments.
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“The tree is known by the fruit it bears,” Merideth stated, not realizing that the statement is actually an indictment against himself. He then proceeds to praise his Christian faith and all that God has done for him, while cursing in the very next sentence. Clearly the article Scott Hudson wrote uncovering Merideth’s troubles has him rattled.
“Some of that stuff in the article was not mine. They didn’t do their homework well enough, and they will be hearing from me,” Merideth said referring to The Augusta Press.
What was missing was a rational explanation for why Merideth lied to Hudson when confronted with his background.
Merideth also made another misleading, at best, statement. Calling the statement misleading is generous because it was just flat out not rooted in reality and the truth he claimed to hold so dear.
Explaining his past financial troubles, Merideth mentions his most recent issue was due to his lack of understanding of an adjustable rate mortgage, or ARM as it is more commonly referred to.
Here is why Merideth statements are flat out wrong.
“I didn’t understand what an adjustable mortgage was. Until I got that notice in the mail that my mortgage was going up $1,000 next month,” Merideth said.
Public records show that the mortgage Merideth is referring to was a VA loan he received on March 26, 2020 for $260,762. At the time, the average interest rate for that type of loan was 4.401%, making his monthly payment approximately $1,300.
In order for Meredith’s mortgage to go up $1,000 per month, his interest rate would have had to jump to over 10%.
The facts get worse for Merideth. Almost all ARM’s don’t adjust until the end of an initial 12 month period with most not adjusting for even longer periods. Yet Merideth refinanced the initial loan less than a year after receiving it. The new loan was taken out on Feb. 23, 2021 for $262,454. Average interest at that time were 3.465%, making the monthly payment approximately $1,175.
Once again Merideth has twisted the truth to try and sidestep his past. He didn’t expect The Augusta Press to dig up his previous issues and surely didn’t expect us to pull his mortgage documents in less than 48 hours of his new claim.
VA loans are very strictly regulated, and Meridith’s claim proves again he lacks the integrity the citizens of Columbia County deserve.
Merideth was correct when he stated, “The tree is known by the fruit it bears.” Unfortunately, Merideth has only bore rotten fruit tainted his misleading, questionable statements.
A link to the full Columbia County Republican Party video with all candidates can be found below. Merideth’s comments begin around the 1:12 mark.
Still Merideth’s problems don’t stack up as high as the garbage found related to other candidates Joe Mullins and Hardie Davis, but they do present Merideth as the less qualified candidate.
Outside of moral conviction, I believe the number one measure of any candidate for any office is how they will spend or waste taxpayer money. The second is related to the first, and that is integrity.
Merideth has proven he neither has integrity nor the ability to handle other peoples’ money.
In case you missed Hudson’s article, let me summarize it for you.
Columbia County spends roughly $1 million per day as part of its $365 million budget. There are not many people that I know that I would entrust to handle $1 million per day.
Merideth has proven that he can’t even be trusted to pay his personal bills. According to Hudson’s report, creditors have taken Merideth to court multiple times and even placed garnishments on his wages. How belligerent do you have to be to have a creditor take you to court and start taking money from your weekly paycheck? In my experience things have to be pretty atrocious to get to that point.
If Merideth can’t manage his money, how can taxpayers expect him to manage theirs?
Merideth could be the nicest person in Columbia County, but the simple fact is that his inability to manage his personal finances disqualifies him from the seat he seeks. What positive financial decisions can he possibly contribute to a board of commissioners made up of individuals who have proven themselves fiscally responsible.
Then Hudson uncovered what is a bigger issue: Merideth’s lack of integrity.
When asked about the lawsuit, rather than tell the truth, Merideth lied. Coupled with the comments Saturday, a trend is emerging that Merideth can’t seem to be honest with people.
Instead of offering up a viable explanation, he chose to blame his grandchildren playing with his mail. Maybe the grandkids are responsible. Maybe they ran home from school, grabbed the multiple notices that were sent over months, if not years, reminding Merideth to pay the debt. They did this, but left the rest of his mail. Maybe one of the kids took the court order and hid it in their backpack. After all, it was Merideth himself who said, “My grandkids are always playing over here and getting into things. The bill might have ended up in my granddaughter’s backpack for all I know.
If you believe Merideth didn’t notice the garnishment from his paycheck every week or know what the garnishment is for I really hope you just don’t vote….ever.
Here is what we do know about Merideth. Voters should be considering this info when at the ballot box.
- Subject to 17 court cases (that we know about)
- Has been through foreclosure.
- Has been through bankruptcy.
- Subject of multiple cases of failure to pay rent.
- Failed to pay supplier American Builders & Contractors Supply Co. ending with a wage garnishment.
- Was arrested for failure to appear (perhaps the subpoena in that case was mixed in with the bills in the kid’s backpack.)
- Had wages garnished after being sued by his neighbors in Woodlief subdivision. Merideth refused to pay his HOA dues, effectively forcing his neighbors to foot the bill for him for years. I wonder how many in that neighborhood will be voting for him.
- He wants to manage $365 million of taxpayer money and thinks his background is what Columbia County residents want and need.
- Doesn’t understand how mortgages work.
