In the complaint, Moncier calls for the commissioners' ouster due to violations of the Open Meetings Act and alleged violations of their oath of office.
UhOh. They've done pissed the wrong guy off now. He might lose but it will take years and years of their money to beat him and he's just doing it for the hell of it, which is the best reason to do anything, IMHO.
True happiness is knowing you are a hypocrite. -- Ivor Cutler
According to the filing (available as a PDF from wbir.com), those two are unique in that they gave false testimony in depositions and under oath and never admitted to sunshine violations. They are also alleged to be the leaders of the move to reject the Black Wednesday redo, which would have allowed the county to avoid going to court.
There are more charges against Moore than Pinkston, including the charge that he accepted advice from a private attorney, John Valliant, in regard to his public duties.
The suit aims to remove both from office before the post-Feb 5 appointments and to fill their seats during the August election.
According to the filing, Moore must consult Owings or a county attorney regarding his public duties, not a private attorney. I don't think it claims Valliant is his personal attorney, just a private attorney. They cite the statute in the charter they say Moore violated.
I believe Moore hired an attorney around the time of the sunshine trial. Was it Valliant?
Moncier makes money doing this? How? Or were you just striking out randomly in defense of law-ignoring officials?
It would be nice if the state Attorney General or some like power would descend on County Corruption swinging the jawbone of an ass (plenty to choose from) and smite these SOBs with a criminal investigation, but until then, I'm afraid Herb is all we have.
Submitted by Tamara Shepherd on Tue, 2008/01/22 - 9:17pm.
Rikki: "The suit aims to remove both from office before the post-Feb 5 appointments and to fill their seats during the August election."
Thanks, Rikki. I didn't bother to read the complaint, but I assumed Moncier's proposed remedy would once again require a special election not available under statute--and "time travel" of some sort--to enact. Sigh...
I assumed Moncier's proposed remedy would once again require a special election not available under statute
That is not true. The August election is available. Commission could fill their seats by appointment, and the people get to vote in August, no additional spending, no bent laws, nothing special at all.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 2008/01/22 - 10:14pm.
You don't see your local DA or your state senators or representatives asking any questions or being concerned about any of this stuff, do you? Nobody at any level of government cares about any of these wrongdoings because they are worring about how they are going to get their share of the goodies. Re-elect No One and be grateful for Herb. I hope he strings them up.
Submitted by volzfan59 on Wed, 2008/01/23 - 3:09am.
While your at it, go after that idiot Lumpy. I find it very hard to believe that he didn't violate the Sunshine Law right along with Moore and Pinkston.
This is coming from a die hard conservative that's sick and tired of our county and more to the point, my distict (6th.) being represented by this sort of trash. I won't be voting for anyone that has previously held office, it's time for some new leadership that is willing to work TOGETHER for the betterment of Knox County. In my mind, it takes all of us, conservative or liberal, Democrat, Republican or independant to work together finding the common ground to forward our communities.
I not only want Moore, Pinkston and The Lump run out of office, I want to see them disgraced for what they have done. I for one am looking forward to the 2010 election to send The Lump packing.
Submitted by Ragsdale2010 (not verified) on Wed, 2008/01/23 - 8:56am.
It's one thing to peddle influence from developers and others in need of certain adjudications from county commission, it's another thing to stand in front of a judge/jury and defend an elected official of breaching their official duties. I'm sure in this election season, the last thing Owings wants to do is take up the cause of Scooby and Pink (or the Lumpster for that matter).
Scooby is already term limited, I suspect this was a shot across the bow to drive him from his campaign to be elected to the office of county clerk.
a die hard conservative that's sick and tired of our county and more to the point, my distict (6th.) being represented by this sort of trash
The woman who ran against Lumpy embodied pretty much everything you say you want in a candidate. She is intelligent, perceptive, well spoken, has a strong record of working together with those in her community. Your district could have had one of the most capable commissioners, but you didn't elect her. Why? Because too many "die hards" care more about party labels and rigid ideologies than about the person and their ability to find solutions.
Lumpy is the bed you make for yourself when trust the labels and the stereotypes, now you get to lie on him.
Submitted by Tamara Shepherd on Wed, 2008/01/23 - 2:45pm.
Me: "I assumed Moncier's proposed remedy would once again require a special election not available under statute..."
Rikki: "That is not true. The August election is available. Commission could fill their seats by appointment, and the people get to vote in August, no additional spending, no bent laws, nothing special at all."
I'm not following you here, Rikki. Given that the commission race is a partisan one, by what device (in statute) could the respective parties run candidates for these seats in the general election, if those same candidates had not emerged as victors in the primary just prior? Wouldn't an election of the sort Moncier proposes then be pretty "special?"
Parties don't run for office, people do. If the parties want to run someone or a candidate wants the party label, they can earn it the old-fashioned way at a party caucus.
Submitted by volzfan59 on Thu, 2008/01/24 - 5:14am.
I voted against The Lumpster in both the Republican primary and in the general election so no, I didn't even put the pillow cases on the bed, much less make it. I actually told everyone I could that voting for The Lumpster would end up being an embaressment for the 6th. District.
UhOh. They've done pissed the wrong guy off now. He might lose but it will take years and years of their money to beat him and he's just doing it for the hell of it, which is the best reason to do anything, IMHO.
True happiness is knowing you are a hypocrite. -- Ivor Cutler
If we could just lock the three of them up in a room until the lawsuit is over, wouldn't it be nice and quiet?
Boring, tho. But after the past year, I'd settle for boring.
Nobody's commented on the most intriguing part of this lawsuit -- the Eighth Action.
"Filed under seal"
Wonder what it is?????
not that I want to distract anyone from tedium....
Why just those two? It seems like nine may qualify.
According to the filing (available as a PDF from wbir.com), those two are unique in that they gave false testimony in depositions and under oath and never admitted to sunshine violations. They are also alleged to be the leaders of the move to reject the Black Wednesday redo, which would have allowed the county to avoid going to court.
There are more charges against Moore than Pinkston, including the charge that he accepted advice from a private attorney, John Valliant, in regard to his public duties.
The suit aims to remove both from office before the post-Feb 5 appointments and to fill their seats during the August election.
Since Moore called Valliant during the Jan 31 debacle 4? times and said it was about a tenant, does that mean Valliant is Moore's personal attorney?
Surely Valliant can produce the bill for this service.
Valliant is Moore's personal attorney?
According to the filing, Moore must consult Owings or a county attorney regarding his public duties, not a private attorney. I don't think it claims Valliant is his personal attorney, just a private attorney. They cite the statute in the charter they say Moore violated.
I believe Moore hired an attorney around the time of the sunshine trial. Was it Valliant?
Enough is enough when it comes to Mr. Moncier... I for one am tired of Mr. Moncier holding our county hostage as he pads his bank accounts...
I hope the court throws Mr. Moncier out on his ear...
At a time like this, I really miss ole #9 Mike and his postings defending folks like these. (sarcasm off)
Moncier makes money doing this? How? Or were you just striking out randomly in defense of law-ignoring officials?
It would be nice if the state Attorney General or some like power would descend on County Corruption swinging the jawbone of an ass (plenty to choose from) and smite these SOBs with a criminal investigation, but until then, I'm afraid Herb is all we have.
If you think Moncier is in it for the money, you haven't been paying attention.
True happiness is knowing you are a hypocrite. -- Ivor Cutler
Rikki: "The suit aims to remove both from office before the post-Feb 5 appointments and to fill their seats during the August election."
Thanks, Rikki. I didn't bother to read the complaint, but I assumed Moncier's proposed remedy would once again require a special election not available under statute--and "time travel" of some sort--to enact. Sigh...
I assumed Moncier's proposed remedy would once again require a special election not available under statute
That is not true. The August election is available. Commission could fill their seats by appointment, and the people get to vote in August, no additional spending, no bent laws, nothing special at all.
Who pays for their defense? The county (Owings, paid for by the taxpayers) or do Pinkston and Moore get their own attorney (Valiant)?
The suit asks that they pay their own legal fees.
You don't see your local DA or your state senators or representatives asking any questions or being concerned about any of this stuff, do you? Nobody at any level of government cares about any of these wrongdoings because they are worring about how they are going to get their share of the goodies. Re-elect No One and be grateful for Herb. I hope he strings them up.
While your at it, go after that idiot Lumpy. I find it very hard to believe that he didn't violate the Sunshine Law right along with Moore and Pinkston.
This is coming from a die hard conservative that's sick and tired of our county and more to the point, my distict (6th.) being represented by this sort of trash. I won't be voting for anyone that has previously held office, it's time for some new leadership that is willing to work TOGETHER for the betterment of Knox County. In my mind, it takes all of us, conservative or liberal, Democrat, Republican or independant to work together finding the common ground to forward our communities.
I not only want Moore, Pinkston and The Lump run out of office, I want to see them disgraced for what they have done. I for one am looking forward to the 2010 election to send The Lump packing.
It's one thing to peddle influence from developers and others in need of certain adjudications from county commission, it's another thing to stand in front of a judge/jury and defend an elected official of breaching their official duties. I'm sure in this election season, the last thing Owings wants to do is take up the cause of Scooby and Pink (or the Lumpster for that matter).
Scooby is already term limited, I suspect this was a shot across the bow to drive him from his campaign to be elected to the office of county clerk.
Adios Senior Scooby.
a die hard conservative that's sick and tired of our county and more to the point, my distict (6th.) being represented by this sort of trash
The woman who ran against Lumpy embodied pretty much everything you say you want in a candidate. She is intelligent, perceptive, well spoken, has a strong record of working together with those in her community. Your district could have had one of the most capable commissioners, but you didn't elect her. Why? Because too many "die hards" care more about party labels and rigid ideologies than about the person and their ability to find solutions.
Lumpy is the bed you make for yourself when trust the labels and the stereotypes, now you get to lie on him.
Me: "I assumed Moncier's proposed remedy would once again require a special election not available under statute..."
Rikki: "That is not true. The August election is available. Commission could fill their seats by appointment, and the people get to vote in August, no additional spending, no bent laws, nothing special at all."
I'm not following you here, Rikki. Given that the commission race is a partisan one, by what device (in statute) could the respective parties run candidates for these seats in the general election, if those same candidates had not emerged as victors in the primary just prior? Wouldn't an election of the sort Moncier proposes then be pretty "special?"
Parties don't run for office, people do. If the parties want to run someone or a candidate wants the party label, they can earn it the old-fashioned way at a party caucus.
I voted against The Lumpster in both the Republican primary and in the general election so no, I didn't even put the pillow cases on the bed, much less make it. I actually told everyone I could that voting for The Lumpster would end up being an embaressment for the 6th. District.
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