Durham DA Race Heats Up, Ashley Pretends Not to Notice
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Local television took notice of the Recall Nifong - Vote Cheek campaign signs popping up around Durham. Featuring video of the Vote Cheek signs, WTVD ran an interview with Lewis Cheek on its evening newscast.
“Cheek feels needed change will come if he wins, turns the job down and the governor appoints someone else.”"It allows people to make a decision about whether they want Mike Nifong to be the D.A. of Durham County or not," Cheek said."That would indicate to the governor and anybody listening that the desire of the people of Durham was that Mike Nifong not be the D.A.," Cheek said. "I have to believe the governor would listen to that."
RN-VC Signs Disappear
It appears the local ABC affiliate is not the only one to have noticed the RN-VC signs. Campaign founder, Beth Brewer, tells LieStoppers that many RN-VC signs that were put up within the past few days have since been removed by unknown persons. Curiously, campaign signs for Nifong and other candidates remain standing beside where her RN-VC signs once stood.
Ashley Strikes Again
In a move that may be equally as devoid of class as removing a candidate's signage, Bob Ashley has updated his votebook from untrue to deceptive. Perhaps in response to criticism from Professor KC Johnson and others, The Herald Sun has conceded that Mike Nifong is not running unopposed for District Attorney. It is apparent from the specific change that the Herald Sun has made to its voter’s guide, that this change was made grudgingly. While they have corrected the outright lie that Mr. Nifong was running unopposed, they have replaced that falsehood with a highly inaccurate and misleading statement. Predictably, Bob Ashley’s votebook continues to misinform his readers to Nifong's benefit, by stating that:
“Democrat Lewis Cheek, who decided against formally opposing Nifong too late to have his name removed from the ballot as an unaffiliated candidate,”
Mr. Ashley offers voters two erroneous pieces of information. First, Ashley deceives by implying that there is a deadline or process by which a candidate may have their name removed from the ballot. Board of Elections head Mike Ashe indicates that this implication is untrue.
“Regardless of what he decides, Cheek will be listed as an unaffiliated candidate in November," Ashe said. "He is on the ballot. He can't change that. No one can."
The second and most outrageous of Ashley's false assertions was that Cheek indicated in any way to anyone that he wanted his name removed. He did not. In fact, he indicated he would be voting for himself and hoped his supporters would do the same.
"Still, Cheek said he would vote for himself in the fall, and encouraged others who are dissatisfied with Nifong to do the same."
To further disguise Mr. Cheek’s presence on the ballot, Mr. Ashley offers no indication of what a vote for Mr. Cheek will mean for Durham voters. While the votebook promises additional information about each of the candidates listed on the Durham County ballot :
“Click on candidates' names for extensive additional information, including answers to our votebook questionnaire.”
There remains no click-able link and no additional information regarding Mr. Nifong’s ballot opponent. Of all the candidates whose names appear on the Durham County ballot, Lewis Cheek is the only one whose name is not highlighted and for whom no additional information is made available. While Mr. Nifong is allowed to present his own campaign statement for the votebook, his opponents are offered one simple and misleading sentence.
It appears that Ashley has chosen to hide Mr. Cheek’s impressive community service while highlighting Nifong's lone entry as a member of the Animal Control Board, from which in a characteristic fit of temper he recently threatened threatened to withdraw his participation.
Nifong's doodley squat service: Community involvement: Member of Aldersgate United Methodist Church Member of Durham County Bar Association; Animal Control Board; Durham Crime Cabinet Member of Riverside Baseball Parents; former board member, manager, and umpire at North Durham Little League.
As a final disservice to the voters of Durham County, Ashley fails to inform his readers that in the event that Cheek were to win the election, the Governor’s appointment will serve for only two years and not the four years that the votebook indicates. In reality, the choice on the ballot for Durham voters is Mike Nifong for four years or a Governor appointee for two years. Bob Ashley is doing his best to try to take that choice away by hiding the facts and distorting the truth.
In reality, this unique election is news even though Bob Ashley pretends not to notice.
or Contact Bob Ashley at (919) 419-6678
Read More: KC Johnson: Joined at the Hip
7 comments:
The H-S Votebook does not contain any mention of Cheek. It must have been removed.
Ha Ha Mike Nifong's website doesn't have ANY endorsements. Who would put their name on his site in support of him?
Can't you just picture Nifong scurrying around in the middle of the night snatching RN-VC signs off lawns?
That was quick but still not enough. Early this morning H/S votebook read:
“Democrat Lewis Cheek, who decided against formally opposing Nifong too late to have his name removed from the ballot as an unaffiliated candidate,”
Now it reads:
"Cheek decided against formally opposing Nifong. But, under state law, his name will remain on the ballot as an unaffiliated write-in candidate."
8:51 poster
Picture Mike, Cy and Baldo running across the lawns replacing all the Vote Cheek lawn signs. LOL
"...umpire at North Durham Little League."
Curious if anyone has experienced his brand of justice or temper during a ballgame?
Why not use some RN-VC signs as bait and stake out a camera nearby? Might be fun!
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