Cook Wants Commissioners To Recuse From Oversight

May 26, 2020 10:05 am

49th Legislative District Republican State Representative Bud Cook wants Republican Washington County Commissioners Diana Irey-Vaughn and Nick Sherman to voluntarily recuse themselves from election oversight during the primary election next week.  Cook sent a certified letter making the request.  He claims Vaughn and Sherman; Endorsed his primary challenger Tony Bottino, Both are involved in his current ‘Right to Know’ request and ongoing court case involving the Local Share Account and its financial records, and Vaughn’s previous involvement in overseeing the election office operations during the 2018 general election when several absentee ballots were misplaced.  Irey-Vaughn tells WJPA news that she turned the matter over to the County Solicitor and neither she nor Sherman will recuse themselves. The Washington County Commissioners are all election board members and provide assistance during elections.  Irey-Vaughn, however, says commissioner’s never handle ballots.  Cook says he will consider pursuing court action to remove the pair and/or have attorneys present in the election office on primary election day.  Sherman says Cook is ‘using this to get his name in the newspaper’ and on the radio.  Irey-Vaughn calls it “more politics at its worst”.