Wed
Apr 19 2006
11:01 am
Breaking Knox County Election news
By: Number9

Michael Silence has some breaking Knox County Election news. What now?

Special meeting called on elections

I got this email a bit ago from the Election Commission:

Please take notice that the Knox County Election Commission will hold a special meeting on Friday April 21 at 9:00 AM to address eligibility of candidates on the August general election ballot. The meeting will be held at the Small Assembly room of the City County Building, 400 Main Street, and will be open to the public.

Posted by Michael Silence on April 19, 2006 at 09:50 AM

Topics:
Car Guy's picture

the next suit

Submitted by Car Guy (not verified) on Wed, 2006/04/19 - 1:42pm.

Recall how Judge Weever mentioned that the Knox County Charter may be invalid? Well, supposedly some county commissioners have found an attorney to bring suit to try to overturn the county charter they've been serving under for term after term, so they can then not be term limited.

John Greiss and Phil Guthe are supposedly two of the three commissioners who will be parties to the suit because they want to stay in. The word in democratic circles is that the lawyer that will file the suit is John (Not So) Valliant.

Car Guy's picture

the next suit has been filed

Submitted by Car Guy (not verified) on Wed, 2006/04/19 - 4:30pm.

http://www.knoxnews.com/kns/state/article/0,1406,KNS_348_4633854,00.html

And it is 5 rather than 3 commissioners. They just can't let go.

Car Guy's picture

the real question

Submitted by Car Guy (not verified) on Wed, 2006/04/19 - 10:09pm.

If these 5 commissioners are really of pure heart and pure mind about this suit and that they are only seeking clarification for the public and really not trying to subvert term limits, then they should immediately come out and say "if we prevail in the suit and win the election, then we shall not serve under any circumstance."

Don't hold your breath.

rikki's picture

seeking clarification

Submitted by rikki on Thu, 2006/04/20 - 6:36pm.

Has anyone ever run for county commission on a platform of seeking clarification on term limits? A measure with 70% popularity seems like the kind of thing a politician would champion. We are in the third election cycle since the referendum passed.

Number9's picture

It is more treason than rebellion

Submitted by Number9 on Thu, 2006/04/20 - 6:57pm.

Has anyone ever run for county commission on a platform of seeking clarification on term limits? A measure with 70% popularity seems like the kind of thing a politician would champion. We are in the third election cycle since the referendum passed.

Are these ineligible incumbents thumbing their noses at the Supreme Court? This is a violation of the oath they took. It is more treason than rebellion. Do they think the apathy is so great and their base so strong they can ignore the will of the people and the ruling of the Supreme Court. How great is their hubris?

Rachel's picture

Read Betty Bean's pretty

Submitted by Rachel on Wed, 2006/04/19 - 10:19pm.

Read Betty Bean's pretty funny take on this in the Halls Shopper - (link...). Gotta say, I think these 5 Commissioners should just give up gracefully. I live in the 9th district, so I can't vote for any of them, but I wouldn't, based on this suit alone.

java's picture

Term Limit Lawsuits

Submitted by java (not verified) on Thu, 2006/04/20 - 12:02am.

While I voted for term limits and agree they should be in place, the way this election has been handled is just WRONG. The term-limited folks should be allowed a final term because they have already raised and spent campaign money, and people who might have chosen to run didn't make the ballot because of the timing. The write in candidates don't have a chance, IMO. The most likely outcome is lots of lawsuits for months or years to come. In my district, the alternative candidates are really terrible and I'd much rather have my term-limited commissioner than a crook or an incompenent.

The TN Supreme Court is at fault for not specifying how to implement the term limits and for not specifying what offices it applies to. The county election should have been handled the same way the city's election was when the term limits ruling came down - all office holders were judged to be in the first of two terms, no matter how many terms they had already served, so the next election was their final one. Everyone knew what was going to happen and could plan accordingly. The way this election has been handled just plain sux - the voters are disenfranchised and nobody really knows what to do, much less the poor voter. This fiasco will end up costing taxpayers a lot of money.

 

 

 

Andy Axel's picture

Diane Jordan (D-1st

Submitted by Andy Axel on Thu, 2006/04/20 - 11:30am.

Diane Jordan (D-1st District)
David Collins (R-2nd District)
Billy Tindell (R-2nd District)
Wanda Moody (R-3rd District)
John Schmid (R-4th District)
Phil Guthe (R-4th District)
John Griess (R-5th District)
Mark Cawood (D-6th District)
Mary Lou Horner (R-7th District)
Michael McMillan (R-8th District)
John Mills (R-8th District)
Larry Clark (R-9th District)

Gee, looking at that list, maybe the problem isn't that these people are incumbent per se. The problem is that Knox County is run by Republicans. ;-)

____________________________

Wasabi peas are people! They're people!

Bill Lyons's picture

Correction: Billy Tindell's Party ID

Submitted by Bill Lyons on Thu, 2006/04/20 - 12:46pm.

FYI...Billy Tindell is a Democrat.
Number9's picture

When politicians refuse to obey the law

Submitted by Number9 on Wed, 2006/04/19 - 4:31pm.

Recall how Judge Weaver mentioned that the Knox County Charter may be invalid? Well, supposedly some county commissioners have found an attorney to bring suit to try to overturn the county charter they've been serving under for term after term, so they can then not be term limited.

John Griess and Phil Guthe are supposedly two of the three commissioners who will be parties to the suit because they want to stay in. The word in democratic circles is that the lawyer that will file the suit is John (Not So) Valliant.

So the people vote for term limits, the Supreme Court rules this vote must be honored, and three Knox County Commissioners sue to invalidate the Charter they have pledged to obey?

Why should anyone ever vote for these five people for any office? Diane Jordan, David Collins, Billy Tindell, Phil Guthe and John Griess have betrayed their office and their pledge by filing a lawsuit against the Charter they swore to obey. None of the 12 ineligible incumbents have suspended their campaigns even though two of them have claimed they have.

These are the ineligible incumbents. Print this out and carry it with you.

Diane Jordan (D-1st District)
David Collins (R-2nd District)
Billy Tindell (R-2nd District)
Wanda Moody (R-3rd District)
John Schmid (R-4th District)
Phil Guthe (R-4th District)
John Griess (R-5th District)
Mark Cawood (D-6th District)
Mary Lou Horner (R-7th District)
Michael McMillan (R-8th District)
John Mills (R-8th District)
Larry Clark (R-9th District)

Take this list and request a write-in ballot. Vote for anyone except these 12 people.

Don't let these ineligible incumbents "punk you out". A vote for the ineligible incumbent is like mystery meat on a sandwich. You don't know what you are getting. Since they don't have the decency to obey the will of the people send them packing. Throw them out.

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