20060923 KDDC Lamoned again and again

Lamoned again and again

September 23rd, 2006

Photo credits: left photo, “Linda Lamone answers questions at the Board of Public Works meeting (Photo by WBAL's Scott Wykoff)”

Right photo: YouTube: “Linda Lamone: I’m the boss.”

Much has been written about the elections meltdown in several jurisdictions in Maryland during the September 12th, 2006 Maryland primary elections.

Throughout it all, Maryland state elections administrator Linda Lamone has remained relatively unscathed by the awkward series of events.

In my Tentacle column on Wednesday, September 20th, 2006, “Lamoned, again,” I noted: “The Baltimore Sun is quick to say in a September 14th, 2006 article: “Lamone, for her part, said she was "horrified" by the problems that snarled the start of voting on Tuesday … but she attributed most of the problems to the largely autonomous local election boards -- especially in Montgomery County and Baltimore -- not to anything that her office or its staff did wrong.”

I also called to the reader’s attention: “Then in a letter to the Maryland Attorney General Joseph Curran (D), (on September 13th, 2006) Ms. Lamone says, “As you know, the local election boards are gubernatorial appointments, the local boards appoint the local directors and they are locally funded…””

Last Wednesday, September 20th, 2006, Ms. Lamone was asked to address the election challenges with the Board of Public Works in Annapolis. WBAL Radio carried an article about the meeting on its web site: “State Election Director Grilled; Schaefer Says 'This Is The Dirtiest, Stinking Game I've Ever Known’” by
WBAL Radio's Scott Wykoff.

In Mr. Wykoff’s piece, he reported, “Tough questions Wednesday for the state elections chief who went before the Board of Public Works.

Linda Lamone and other election officials have been criticized for widespread problems on primary election day.

Lamone was questioned for more than a hour by Governor Ehrlich, Comptroller Schaefer and Treasurer Kopp.”

As far as responsibility for the election problems, the WBAL article said: “When asked by Comptroller Schaefer who is to blame, she said she was not here to point figures.”

WBAL went on to say: “Meanwhile, new audio has emerged from testimony Lamone gave before the Virginia legislature in July 2005. Testifying about elections in Maryland, Lamone told lawmakers there, "...in Maryland, the authority to run elections is centralized. I am the boss. The buck stops with me. I'm the one who gets in trouble when anything happens. The counties have to use the voting systems that the state selected. They have to follow state procedures."

Lamone's comments seem to conflict with statements she's made since last week's primary election. Lamone has been saying elections in Maryland are decentralized and local boards have the most authority.”

WBAL Radio’s web site has a link to the audio of Ms. Lamone’s presentation in Virginia in July 2005 - - but now, [Hat Tip: TSL, September 22nd, 2006, “Marbella Misses Lamone Concession”] a video has surfaced.

It is on YouTube: “Linda Lamone: I’m the boss.” It is a very enlightening snippet of her presentation.

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA. E-mail him at: kdayhoff@carr.org http://www.thetentacle.com/ Westminster Eagle Opinion and Winchester Report http://www.thewestminstereagle.com/ http://www.kevindayhoff.com/