Kangaroo courts and railroading
Dear Editor,
After attending the latest candidate forum held in Okanogan County, a few things stood out.
First, a vast majority of the political forums held across the county this year might have a different group hosting them but are all being coordinated, organized and the content managed by key members of the group calling itself Represent Okanogan County (ROC).
Second, none of the forums’ organizers from ROC seem very interested in asking questions of the two Okanogan County Superior Court judge candidates whom are running unopposed again this election cycle, have a lawsuit pending against Okanogan County, have been engaged in other lawsuits against the county and therefore its citizens and both of whom have been part of the audiences at the forums.
Third, the ‘moderators’ have clearly been chosen from within the ranks of ROC and lately have not even been attempting to moderate nor follow the forum ‘rules’, instead allowing audience members to verbally attack and present entire speeches consisting of personal views (not necessarily facts) from the floor yet limiting candidates (in reality just one of the four candidates) time in which to answer.
We often hear of ‘kangaroo’ courts and ‘railroading.’
Citizens of Okanogan County can now bear witness to just such a court and public railroading all being instigated by a group that claims to represent us.
Trinity Stucker
Tonasket
Every vote counts
Dear Editor,
I think what people may not know regarding the road closures in the South Okanogan County from 2001 until the recent Three Devils Road in 2015, is that there are thousands of acres of public land that the public no longer has access to. The only access is for the large landowner/Gebbers-Gamble Corporations and the DNR and Forest Service has keys to the gates. This vacation of roads in favor of this corporation/s has been occurring for years.
Currently, we are at the Appeals Court to determine whether our current County Commissioners acted correctly in taking away the public’s ‘right-of-way’ on Three Devils Road. State law states in order to vacate a road, it must be a benefit to the public and the road be found useless. Current County Commissioners voted to vacate Hooker Creek & Three Devils Road despite public testimony against closure.
Sheilah Kennedy’s website states the visiting Judge from Douglas County agreed with their decision. On the contrary, the Judge didn’t understand why they voted against their hearings examiner’s recommendation, but ruled that it was a ‘legislative/political’ decision rather than a’ quasi-judicial’ decision and our remedy is at the ballot box. The Court of Appeals in Spokane will be making a ruling on this.
We have some excellent candidates running for County Commissioner. Please get to know them and exercise your right to vote. Every vote counts..especially locally.
Ruth Hall
Malott
Support for Thrasher
Dear Editor,
I am writing in strong support of Ashley Thrasher for Okanogan County Commissioner.
I was most impressed with Ashley at the candidate forum in Twisp. She has demonstrated that she is well-prepared and ready to address the problems facing our county.
For example, Ashley was the only candidate to cite and voice support for evidence-based practices in tackling our public health issues. As an RN and paramedic, this was music to my ears. I found myself nodding emphatically to many of her statements.
Ashley’s experience as a smoke jumper and hot shot prepares her to lead the county through future adverse incidents and to collaborate effectively with the other governments and agencies involved. Her experience, as both an Incident Commander and as an on-the-ground responder, will be an asset to our county government.
Lastly, I greatly appreciate that Ashley has no party affiliation. This is her first effort toward representing the needs of the county rather than the platform of a particular party. I am enthusiastic about casting my ballot for Ashley Thrasher on Nov. 8.
Justin Porter
Twisp
Kick out the ‘gang’ members
Dear Editor,
Regarding the election of County Commissioners 2016: I like to visualize what happened prior to the election 2012.
I imagine that a group of land dealers [land cheaters or land high binders] may be too offensive so let’s call them, “The Gang.” The Gang is looking at what they have to do to increase the value of holdings. Close all access roads and make them more private. You know, the ones that will make more money. The items that will increase the value, already invested; needing the final items to allow the development of many thousands of acres.
As they the gang see it, laws or public do not matter, they must have their way. Reads like a cheap novel. Imagine the planning that it required. Unhappy with what they called the do nothing existing commissioners, they already had hand picked the persons to fund to run for the 2012 election. When elected these two would need oversight, direction on what and how to accomplish the goals needed to complete the development wish list and to guarantee that their wish list would be fulfilled. A corporate insider would be loaned to the county to improve county operations and provide control, funding was agreed on. Winning the election and activate their plan.
Kennedy participated in this plan. I urge you to look at the Record of Proceedings, Okanogan County Board of Commissioners and related emails.
Kennedy was part of a planned agenda to ensure that a lopsided or illegal program of deceit on behalf of land developers. She and Campbell funded by the developers. Jon Wyss on loan to the commissioners guaranteed that these things would happen.
“Elect a person in 2016 that will demand an audit of all proceedings by this group.”
Ron Morris
Malott
Constitution and Rule of Law
Dear Editor,
Were you aware Sept. 17 was the 229th anniversary of the signing of the Constitution of the United States of America? Did you observe this momentous day? If you are a Federal employee, were you supplied with information and instruction on the Constitution as per federal law? If you are a student attending a school or college receiving Federal Funding, were you properly instructed? If not, why? Incidentally, a college student who was passing out free copies of the Constitution since his federally funded university was not giving instruction as per federal law was ORDERED to stop!
In recent surveys, 70 percent of Americans have never read or have no idea of what is written in the Constitution. Consequently, 19 percent don’t think democracy is the best form of government, 29 percent think it a nuisance for the chief executive, (President), to have to campaign for election, and 49 percent don’t think elections are necessary at all, just hire “experts” to take care of things. (Who exactly is supposed to hire these “experts” they didn’t say.) Most disturbingly, when college students were asked if they would give up their Constitutional rights for a free education, most agreed!
This concern that Americans know and understand the Constitution is not new. In 1828, Arthur J. Stansbury put together a book geared toward young people consisting of 333 questions and answers concerning government, the United States, its history, and a detailed explanation of the Constitution called “The Pocket Catechism on the Constitution of the United States.” It is very straightforward and uncomplicated and I highly recommend it for any adult or as a gift to your child or grandchild. It is not a long or hard read, and I will reference parts of it in relation to current events. The love and veneration of the Constitution are clearly evident. From question 33, “Let every American learn, from his earliest years, to love, cherish and obey the Constitution. Without this he can neither be a great or a good citizen; without this his name will never be engraved with honor in the pages of our history, nor transmitted, like that of Washington, with praises and blessings to a late posterity.”
Question 182. Who executes the laws which Congress has made (that is, who takes care that everybody shall obey the laws)? A.The President of the United States.
Question 183. Can he make the law? A. Not at all. These two powers– of making law and executing law–
are kept entirely separate by the Constitution: the power that makes the law cannot execute it, and the power that executes it cannot make it. (The Legislative and Executive branches, respectively.)
Question 242. Has he, (the President), any other duty? A. Yes, he has one great, general, and constant duty for which all this power is put at his command: To take care that the laws shall be faithfully executed (that is, that whatever Congress orders shall be done, and that whoever disobeys the laws shall be punished). From a man who taught Constitutional Law, how exactly does “I have a pen and a phone and if Congress won’t do it I will.” gibe with this? Or choosing not to enforce immigration laws? Or deciding to grant amnesty to millions of people, or declaring the Senate out of session to make appointments to the National Labor Relations Board, (both which the Supreme Court ruled unconstitutional). Or paying hundreds of millions of dollars in ransom to a terrorist country In direct violation to a law he recently signed, after threatening the family of an American being held hostage in Syria with prosecution for even considering doing the same! (She was eventually executed.) Attorney General Eric Holder and the ATF were involved in a gun smuggling operation called “Fast and Furious” where thousands of Mexican citizens and a Border Patrol Agent were murdered, the IRS illegally harassed conservative groups seeking non-profit status and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who fired the Ambassador to Kenya for having one private server, then violated the Espionage Act by setting up 17 private servers and using 18 different hand held devices, all of which were destroyed before examination by the FBI. She was permitted to have her lawyers, none having a security clearance, sort thru 30,000 emails, EACH act being a felony! Compare this to Washington Treasurer Troy Kelly’s treatment. The FBI showed up with a search warrant and seized all his paper and electronic information, including computers! In addition, it appears more than half of the meetings she had while Secretary of State were referred from the Clinton Foundation. One in particular involving a “contribution” to the Clinton Foundation resulted in the transfer of 20 percent of uranium reserves in the United States to a Russian company! (And we’re supposed to believe Trump is Putin’s buddy?) Then after an “accidental meeting” between her husband and Loretta Lynch, THE Attorney General of the United States at a remote airport in Arizona, the FBI Director, not the Attorney General indites Hillary saying she was careless and did have classified information on her private servers which may have gotten into enemy hands, but since there was no intent, no reasonable prosecutor would prosecute! Apparently, Director Comey is not familiar with the Law. Gross negligence, not intent, is the bar for prosecution! Hillary Clinton checked every box required for a felony violation of Section 793(f) of the federal penal code (Title 18): With lawful access to highly classified information she acted with gross negligence in removing and causing it to be removed it from its proper place of custody, and she transmitted it and caused it to be transmitted to others not authorized to have it, in patent violation of her trust. General Petraeus, (who incidentally Hillary mocked as General Betray Us when he testified before the Senate), was convicted for giving a few classified documents to a person WITH classified clearance!
Question 69 asked if the President can be impeached and punished, (yes), but the whole answer is more important: “In this free and happy country no man is so great as to be above the law. The laws are supreme; to them all persons, from the President of the United States to the poorest and meanest beggar, must alike submit. This is our glory. Let every youthful American exult that he has no master but the law; let him mark the man who would change this happy state of things as the enemy of his country; and above all let him remember that as soon as he himself breaks that law, he himself becomes that enemy. Whoever violates the law helps weaken its force, and, as far as he disobeys, does what in him lies to destroy it; but he who honors and obeys the law strengthens the law, and thereby helps to preserve the freedom and happiness of his country. In some governments it is held that “the king can do no wrong;” here we know no king but the law-no monarch but the Constitution. We hold that every man may do wrong; that the higher he is in office, the more reason there is that he be obliged to answer for his conduct; and that as a great officer, if treacherous, is a great criminal, so he ought to be made to suffer a great and exemplary punishment.”
Apparently, since the worthless Congress has not used its impeachment power or its power of the purse to rein in Obama, he will leave office unscathed. Regardless of her obvious serious health problems, are “We the People” to have “a queen who can do no wrong” and reward her with the highest office in the land?
David Wolosik
Oroville
