Yesterday, I took NorCo Elections Comm'r Scott Hough to task for his refusal to certify the 2023 election results. Despite going rogue and refusing to follow the very election law he is required to administer, he was re-appointed by County Council last week by a 7-1 vote (Ken Kraft being the sole dissenter). The appointment of an elections commissioner who selectively decides which elections laws he's willing to follow is a mistake, at least in my view. Late last night, Hough took me to task for my criticism. I responded. This is our exchange:
Scott Hough: "For the record, no one, including Glenn Geissinger, had a conversation with me on how to handle the certification. I made a decision based on not having all the information I felt the commission needed to make a certification. This includes the concerns of dozens of voters who showed up that day. I was requesting (as I had previous to that meeting) to investigate the situation and information gather. Moving forward, please don’t assert that I am beholden to anyone. No one is pulling my strings."
"Secondly, when the documents were handed to me, I told the solicitor, Mr. Santee, that I couldn’t sign them in good faith. I was taught a long time ago not to sign anything I was unsure of, I was not sure those machine results were correct PERIOD and therefore was not comfortable.
"You have my phone number and email, next time feel free to call and ask me questions before you defame me in posts by stating I broke the law and implying I’m a criminal. The election was certified. I have not been charged or arrested. I’m thankful to the Commissioners and the County Executive for reappointing me. There is work to be done to get to the bottom of last year’s fiasco and to do everything we can to not lose anymore faith from the voters.
"I hope you’ll join in reporting on the Election Commission actually being able to do its job and run a fair and transparent election."
My response: - Listen Scott, There was no need to call you. The facts are quite clear. You went rogue. You refused to certify the election results even though it is a statutory obligation and you were quoted the law by your solicitor. You were urged not to certify by a mob at the elections commission hearing and that included the urging of GOP Chair Glenn Geissinger, who spoke publicly. There were several GOP lawyers at that meeting, and not one of them advocated that you refuse to certify.
Nobody defamed you, but if you feel that I defamed you by reporting truthfully that you went rogue and did so after the public urging of your party chair, please knock yourself out and sue. See where that gets you.
Your refusal to certify might have been more damaging to those who who wished to challenge.
Throughout your tenure as an elections comm'r, you have made some worthwhile suggestions, which I have noted in the past. But I'd never vote for someone who choses for himself which laws he will follow and which he won't concerning an election. Your refusal just continued to undermine public confidence in our elections.
It is not a "commission" that confirmed your nomination. It is county council. They may call themselves commissioners, but are still known as county council.
I did not call you a criminal. I said you broke the law, and you did. Had a majority refused to certify, they would have been subjected to a mandamus requiring certification or contempt of court.
The simple reality is that you went rogue and played to the mob.
15 comments:
All this blog does is play to the mob. Every post on here. Think of how stupid you sound arguing for group think.
I do not closely follow my Northampton County’s political screenplay much beyond what I read here. Without checking, I couldn’t tell you now what Mr. Hough’s political party affiliation is. That’s not important to me.
I will say, Mr. Hough’s response is eerily reminiscent of the view President Trump (RIGHTFULLY) took following the 2020 election. Time and uncovered FACTS now shows Trump was correct in calling for a delay in certifying those results. No doubt in my mind, that election result was illegitimate. Reads to me, Mr. Hough was correct in his behavior.
Mr. Hough’s statement in his second paragraph is EXACTLY what I expect from our elected officials . . . at every level of office!
For several years, our election process and accounting has been far too sloppy for citizen comfort. These days, it’s foolish to rush to judgment on any topic. Incompetence and lying is found everywhere.
Why didn’t LVH have separate votes for each of these personnel appointments? Since when does county council vote en mass for all appointments and not individually? Lori wanted him appointed to this board, a favor to Glen G or brownstain we will never know
Sounds like little scotty got his feelings hurt. Hmmm, seems like that happens when one is exposed by the truth. Then council reelects him. Are norco voters so braindead that they cannot see the corruption and pettiness that constantly swirls around them? This all would be funny if it wasn't so sad.
Sometimes, Bernie, you go too far into matters that truly border upon harassment, in my opinion. Good for Scott for standing up
for himself.
Trump lost big fair and square. He’s just a sore loser and you election deniers are just as bad. The guy who could have truly contested an election was Al Gore but he has class something Trump lacks. I’m disappointed in Glenn Geisinger I thought he was an honest GOP member like Charlie Dent
@6:51 - Your tinfoil hat is showing. Please show one court approved "FACT" that would bear the weight of the entire election being illegal or the outcome changed.
You can't. Trump can't and didn't. He lost the election, like he lost the Senate and House before that, then he lost in courtroom after courtroom. He is a loser and will continue to lose. You as a person, like and associate yourself with a loser and deep down inside of you, that bothers you and your brain is trying mightily to rearrange your own reality and your only way of salvaging your bruised ego is to play the victim and blame others for your choice.
Get help, get counseling, just stay away from politics altogether, volunteer at church or a soup kitchen. Things will look and feel better I promise.
"Why didn’t LVH have separate votes for each of these personnel appointments? Since when does county council vote en mass for all appointments and not individually? Lori wanted him appointed to this board, a favor to Glen G or brownstain we will never know"
Appointments to multiple boards are typically taken together. In the past, one Council member could simply ask to break out one appointment from the rest and it happens without a motion and a second.
Please tell me your last sentence was sarcasm. Honest like Charlie Dent, the man that used to slip banquet waitresses his number when his wife was across the room at his campaign events? A real stand up guy that Charlie Dent.
Dent is a RINO and you're a clown for bringing Trump into a discussion he has nothingnto do with. That's where the term 'TDS' comes from - clowns like you. BOH himself wrote about the issues with this past election and 1 guy happens so say, 'that's enough for me to not certify'. Too bad more people don't have a spine anymore. (Stop obsessing over Trump)
So Lori did this, just like I said
Bernie, you are 100% correct. If the Appointments were done by ordinance they would have to be separated out and voted upon individually. Since these appointments are done by Resolution they can be voted on "with more than one subject matter" in the Resolution. This is spelled out in the Home Rule Charter. Did you submit your name for the vacancy Bernie? We could use someone like you on Council.
I often tell people even I would never vote for me, lol. The best person would be Jerry Seyfried, but he is focused like a laser beam on his new career as an adult male model. Frank Flisser would be great, but he's on a safari. The two best candidates who applied are Paul and Deb. Paul is very impressive but too close to McClure on a Council that should be able to override a veto. Deb is her own person. We have a Presidential election this year, and she would dedicate herself to ensuring that every step is taken to make sure it is successful. I know this bc of the way she prepared herself concerning voting systems and her continued interest in that matter. She and I disagreed concerning the voting system ultimately selected, but I admire and respect her hard work and her desire to do what is right for the county. She also demonstrated her independence during those discussions. I also like Daniel Dewey and Peter Melan.
6:51am claims "FACTS" now demonstrate the 2020 election was tainted? Let's ask him, like everyone else in the cult: exactly what are these "facts?" Time to stand & deliver, simple as that. Seriously, present the "facts." We'll wait...
8:33 needs to understand not every submission received is published here. We’re on our own if we want more detail. Start digging.
Post a Comment