Sadly, the rumors, innuendo and water cooler talk about Lincoln County’s 2010 primary election has become reality. Although it took federal and state investigators nearly two years to prove that an illegal scheme was hatched and used in the 2010 primary, those officials announced on January 30 that two of the county’s elected officials had pleaded guilty to vote fraud and agreed to cooperate with investigators in an ongoing election investigation.
Sheriff Jerry Bowman and County Clerk Donald Whitten, to whom the voters of Lincoln County had entrusted their confidence and belief that the men would do the right thing by way of public service, have destroyed any such beliefs the public has held. This is a sorry, pitiful reminder of Lincoln County politics at its worst.
For far too long, now, our county has suffered as the bottom of the shoe when it comes to discussions of voter corruption in the Mountain State. Another black eye does nothing to help the image we so desperately need to erase.
Now, at least two elected officials are likely going to serve terms in the federal penitentiary due to their actions. While Bowman and Whitten have agreed to cooperate in the ongoing investigation, it is clear that they have admitted to wrongdoing that merits a stay of some kind in the “big house” designed for those who break the law. Federal officials are not usually tolerant of law breakers, especially when they are people who have won the public trust and been granted public office by the people of any jurisdiction.
For their cooperation, Whitten and Bowman will likely receive reduced sentences but still, they have admitted wrong-doing themselves. These are, friends and neighbors, two of the highest-elected officials in the county. The sheriff is charged with ENFORCING all the laws of the land and has openly admitting breaking them. The clerk is the highest official in terms of assuring clean, honest elections for us all and he admits breaking that sacred trust.
All we know, is Lincoln County can stand few more black eyes in terms of elections. It is high time the voters woke up and elected clean, honest politicians to local and state office. While we constantly try to defend the local voting record, it becomes more difficult with each passing incident such as this.
As noted, it is another disgraceful chapter in Lincoln County’s election story.
A Tip of our hat:
to the Lincoln County board of education, looking ahead to their next bond election, with an eye toward how the issue might better sit with the voters of Lincoln County. At a recent board meeting, members of the board made a number of decisions and heard presentations from prospective financial advisers and legal counsel. Marie Prezioso explained that the issue put before the voters must include the maximum amount of the bond, the maximum amount of time the bond will be outstanding and the maximum interest rate. She said no fees would be due to Raymond James and Associates unless the bond is approved. Ed McDevitt spoke as prospective bond counsel for the issuance. In addition, the firm ZMM presented the board with a list of tentative dates for school board meetings to be held in conjunction with the school bond issue. All in all, it seems the board is getting well organized for the upcoming debate and issue, something that will surely assist the voters in the county in making their decision when the bond issue is placed before them for a decision.
A Shake of our fist
the tragic culmination of months of investigation that has led to the indictment of a Lincoln County school bus driver on 20 felony counts of sexual abuse. While we remain committed to the concept that all citizens are innocent until proven guilty, these indictments simply serve as yet another stain upon the already-spotted reputation of Lincoln County schools. When this story first surfaced months ago, the bus driver had a few defenders who contacted The Lincoln Journal. One mother said she and her daughter wanted to step forward and be interviewed in support of the bus driver. She maintained that the person accusing the driver was simply on a “vendetta” to ruin the driver’s career. When a reporter offered to meet with the mother and student, there was no response, however. That does not, of course, mean that the driver is guilty. It simply means that this particular defender lost the nerve to support the driver. It will be interesting to see if the driver has any witness support when –and if – a trial is held. For his sake, we hope he does. These shenanigans should never be going on.
