15 Questions for the Watauga County Commission

We're very aware that County Commission Chair Nathan Miller has already declared to Anna Oakes of the Watauga Democrat that he won't be answering any questions about the partisan activities of Stacy C. Eggers IV ("Four"), who is both a major player in the local Republican Party and the County Attorney who represents the local Board of Elections. That Mr. Eggers has actually been running the Board of Elections from cover since last summer, using his brother Luke Eggers as the puppet chair, is very well known. What was not known until recently was how Four Eggers and State Board of Elections member Paul Foley were working in secret to manipulate voting in Watauga County for partisan advantage.

The documents released under a public records request from the State Board of Elections are all on-line here and form the basis for the 15 questions that follow. These are not idle questions but go to the heart of fair elections in Watauga County and the corruption of government:

(1) Is it the opinion of the Board of Commissioners that it is appropriate for the Watauga County Board of Elections Attorney to serve as both a partisan advocate to the State Board of Elections on behalf of the Majority on the local Board of Elections and against the Minority Board member while simultaneously serving as legal counsel to the full Board? And to do so without knowledge of nor consent from the Minority local board member?

(2) Is it the opinion of the Board of Commissioners that it is appropriate for the Watauga Board of Elections Attorney to request that a State Board of Elections member vet county BOE resolutions intended to be presented by the local BOE Majority prior to the county meeting in which the resolutions will actually be introduced, debated and voted on? And before the Minority Board member has seen the resolutions? And without knowledge of nor consent from the Minority local board member? And without an offer to likewise personally advocate for the Minority’s resolutions with the State Board of Elections?

(3) Is it the opinion of the Board of Commissioners that it is appropriate for the Watauga Board of Elections Attorney to warn a State Board of Elections member that a failure to pass the Majority resolutions as opposed to the Minority resolutions “… would be embarrassing to the local party if the State Director flipped one of the local (Majority) BOE’s decisions.”

 (4) Is it the opinion of the Board of Commissioners that it is appropriate for the Watauga Board of Elections Attorney to personally register irritation and lack of confidence in the Watauga Board of Elections Director to a State Board of Elections member without notification to local Board of Elections members that he was going to do so or without approval to do so from the local Board?

(5) Is it the opinion of the Board of Commissioners that it is appropriate for the Watauga Board of Elections Attorney to exchange partisan emails and phone calls to a State Board of Elections member about Watauga Board of Elections matters without approval from the local Board to do so and/or before these local Board matters have even been debated or even presented at an official meeting? And without sharing those communications with all local Board members?

(6) Is it the opinion of the Board of Commissioners that it is appropriate for the Watauga Board of Elections Attorney to forward resolutions and letters to the State Board of Elections on behalf of one member of the local Board of Elections without offering such personalized service to all local Board members? And without notifying Board members he is doing so?

(7) Is it the opinion of the Board of Commissioners that it is ethical or appropriate for the County Board of Elections Attorney to communicate to a State Board of Elections member that “I would hate to see this (resolution to create a Super precinct) disapproved for insufficient information, because I'm afraid that would only encourage the opposition.” Does the Board of Commissioners know to whom the Board of Elections Attorney is referring as the “opposition”?

(8) Is it the opinion of the Board of Commissioners that it is ethical or appropriate that the Attorney for the County Board of Elections offers legal interpretation of State Statute to a State Board of Elections member on behalf of the Majority local Board members while at the same time telling the Minority member of the local Board he can only offer legal advice if directed to do so by the full Elections Board or upon request by the County Board of Commissioners?

(9) Is it the opinion of the Board of Commissioners that it is appropriate for the Attorney for the County Board of Elections to ask a State Board of Elections member for help in “shutting down this foolishness” when he learns of state and national publicity that advocates for the Minority Board member’s position on local Board matters?

(10) Is it the opinion of the Board of Commissioners that it is appropriate for the Attorney for the County Board of Elections to tell a State Board of Elections member he is having the Chairman of the local Board “blindcopy” a State Board member on evidentiary materials in support of a Majority position and without notifying the other members of the local Board he is doing so?

(11) Are the Board of Commissioners aware that the County Board of Elections Attorney wrote to a State Board member in support of an unvoted Majority plan to create a Super Precinct at the Agricultural Center, that “the County is going to upgrade its walkway (at the Agricultural Center) around the building to make sure it’s as accessible as possible” for voters? And that the very next day, the County Manager placed an order for this work? And that the County Manager will not say who directed him to place the order?  And that the local Board of Elections never voted for nor requested the upgrade for this walkway? And that the money used to upgrade a set of stairs at the Ag Center cost taxpayers almost $900?

(12) Is the Board of Commissioners aware that the Watauga County Board of Elections attorney has billed and received payment for over $2,000, purportedly related to local Board of Elections matters, since March 2013, but none of which was requested nor approved by the local Elections Board? Is the Board of Commissioners aware that these activities include, among other things, “legal research” and a charge for thus-far unexplained written and verbal communications regarding local Board of Elections business with ASU Attorney Dayton Cole, also never requested by the local Board?

(13) Is it the opinion of the Board of Commissioners that it is appropriate for the Attorney for the County Board of Elections to make fun of and criticize the Minority Board member he is supposed to represent to a State Board of Elections member?

(14) Is it the opinion of the Board of Commissioners that it is ethical or appropriate for the County Attorney to send to State Board member(s) copies of resolutions represented as "what the Watauga BOE would like to make" prior to the local Board meeting that will introduce, debate and vote on the resolutions? And without notifying all members of the local Board that he is doing so?

(15) Is it the opinion of the Board of Commissioners that it is appropriate for the County Board of Elections attorney to deliberate on local BOE matters selectively with local Board of Elections members prior to official meetings on those matters and without knowledge of all the members of the local Board?

While I understand and appreciate that Watauga Board of Commissioners Chairman Nathan Miller has stated that the County Attorney has the right to advise and assist his brother personally in local Board of Elections matters, doesn’t the communication revealed through this public records request demonstrate activity far beyond such personal, familial assistance? Or is it the position of the Board of Commissioners that the above activities by the Attorney are acceptable and demonstrate a non-partisan and equitable representation of the Local Board of Elections and its members?