Both sides have made their case to state officials in the dispute over whether a local elections board member should be removed. The North Carolina State Board of Elections has received a completed formal complaint asking for the removal of Wilson Board of Elections Secretary Joel Killion. Asa Gregory and Barbara Dantonio alleged in their complaint that Killion violated state statues that limit election board members’ political activities. As exhibits to prove their complaint, Gregory and Dantonio sent information from the Tea Party website, information from Killion’s Twitter account, pictures of Killion in a Tea Party tent and newspaper articles. Gregory is former chairman of the Wilson County Democratic Party. Dantonio is former treasurer of the Wilson Democrats. But Killion has sent a response to the state elections board asking that the complaint be dismissed. Killion’s position is that he is not in violation of any statutes with his Tea Party activities. He even said Gregory’s statements were “libelous.”
“Since Mr. Gregory’s complaint contains no substantive documentation and is libelous against my character and the good name of over 2,500 Wilson NC Tea Partiers who have done nothing wrong — referring to us in the complaint as ‘Tea Baggers,’ which is a horrible pornographic slur — I respectfully ask that this be dismissed,” Killion wrote. Both letters went to Don Wright, who is general counsel for the State Board of Elections.
The controversy began when Killion was seen under a Tea Party tent in November during the Whirligig Festival. There were containers that were labeled “donations.” And Killion wore a “Death to Tyranny” T-shirt.
Gregory and Dantonio assert that the Wilson Tea Party is a political committee and elections board members are prohibited from raising funds for political committees.
Killion says the local tea party group is not a political committee and none of the 27 exhibits sent in by Gregory and Dantonio prove otherwise.
The burden of proof will be on Gregory and Dantonio.
Wright said requests to remove a person from local elections boards are rare.
Full Article: Elections secretary answers complaint – WilsonTimes.com.