My opponent in this race has stooped to a low. She continues to make numerous statements about me without a shred of truth to any of them. She repeatedly states that I believe the 2020 election was stolen from Donald Trump. That is a bald-faced lie. I do not believe the 2020 election was stolen from Donald Trump.

She falsely states that I have always voted against funding for Grady, and that I voted against funding for prosecutors, deputies and police. Those are also absolute lies. To purportedly defend those lies she cites my “no” votes against the 2021 and 2022 county budgets. In 2021 I voted “no” because some of my colleagues added millions of dollars for pet items to the carefully crafted county manager’s 2021 budget, without identifying a source of funding. Had the no votes prevailed as I hoped, we would still have adopted a budget that, like the one my colleagues passed, would have totally funded the Grady allocation. My “no” vote on the 2022 budget was due to my prediction, which turned out to be accurate, that a $7.5Million appropriated reserve was problematic. It was designed to cover some of the $11Million of colleagues’ “wish list” pet items at mid-year. I predicted that the reserve would result in my colleagues rushing early to spend it without a thoughtful prioritization. Indeed, my colleagues overspent the appropriated reserve within a few months’ time. The items my opponent lies about were fully funded in both the approved budget and in the more responsible budget I supported. I have always voted for specific legislation to fund Grady, such as the additional supplemental $22Million we gave Grady this year. I also supported the additional mid-year funding requested by the prosecutors and the sheriff. I am proud that Grady gave me an award as a “Champion of Grady”.

The Medicaid resolution cited was a procedural vote to add it to the agenda at the last minute, without it meeting the requirements of it being an emergency. I did not vote on whether to add it to the agenda, but it failed overwhelmingly to be added because it didn’t meet the requirements for such.

Again, her statement that I believe the 2020 election was stolen is simply a flat out lie. I do not and never have believed that. She cites Commissioner Abdur-Rahman’s inflammatory, racially charged and highly partisan resolutions to stop “Jim Crow” voter suppression, among other non-relevant agenda items. Those partisan resolutions have no legitimate effect on county policy, but are rather “advisory” to the state and federal governments. She also cites my “no” votes regarding temporary staffing of election workers. The independent election report by Carter Jones criticized the county for its overuse of temporary workers as opposed to county employees. I honored that criticism. I am proud of my vote to name Democrat Cathy Woolard as chair of the Board of Registrations and Elections in a 4-3 vote, otherwise along party lines. And I have always voted to provide the necessary funding for elections. 

I am proud to have the endorsements of many elected Democrats, including some of my fellow commissioners.  I have often stated that these county offices should be non-partisan.  We already have one hyper-partisan commissioner.  The last thing we need is another one, especially one without respect for the truth.

Lee