Moorhead Challenges Objectivity Of Board Of Elections Member Raymond Williams
Board of Elections Member Raymond Willams
The objectivity of Virgin Islands Board of Elections member Raymond Williams has been challenged follwing his reported participation last month in the public campaign kickoff event for US Delegate to Congress Donna Christensen.
St. Croix Atty. Jeffrey B.C. Moorhead has asked for a full investigation of Williams’ participation in the July 25th event and has called for Williams’ resignation in a communication to Board of Elections Supervisor John Abramson.
Williams is the Chief of Staff for Lt. Governor Gregory Francis and an official of the Virgin Islands Democratic Party. Board of Election members are required to refrain from any political involvement that might raise questions about their ability to objectively perform his duties as they relate to the electoral process. This includes public participation in events related to and the endorsement of political candidates.
Atty. Jeffrey B.C. Moorhead
Delegate to Congress Donna Christensen
In a written communication to Abramson reprinted below, Moorhead said that Williams’ reported statements on behalf of Christensen’s candidacy “will severely undermine the public’s confidence in your work unless it is publicly disavowed by you and the other members of your Board.”
Moorhead has requested that Abramson “seek the resignation of Mr. Williams from the Board of Election (St. Croix District), conduct a full and open discussion of this matter at the next meeting of your Board, and issue a written notice to the public of your actions prior to November 2010.”
The full text of his communication is as follows:
“It has been brought to my attention that in a public setting a member of the Virgin Islands Board of Election (St. Croix District) was heard to engage in partisan political statements about me that calls into question his ability to fairly discharge his responsibility as a member of the Board of Election. The legislative foundation for your Board’s work demands that members of the Board refrain from any expression or action that could call into question the integrity of the election process.
It is disappointing to hear that Mr. Raymond Williams appeared with Delegate Donna Christensen on July 25, 2010 in a public forum to announce her formal intention to seek re-election to the United States Congress. Mr. Williams was heard to make statements in support of Delegate Christensen’s announcement – a breach of his public duty to refrain from any political involvement that might raise questions about his ability to effectively judge the electoral process. His statement on behalf of the candidate…will severely undermine the public’s confidence in your work unless it is publicly disavowed by you and the other members of your Board.
People of every city, state and nation - including the people of the United States Virgin Islands – rightfully question the outcome of every election. Claims of unfairness — and fraud - arise, too easily, when those that are charged to ensure fairness are seen to let their own preferences and prejudices replace their sworn duty to the people. Too few people have trust and confidence in our government without needlessly giving those few good reason to join them.
The integrity of the election process is too important to conclude this was a simple mistake on the part of a well intentioned individual. As we all know, ignorance of the law is no excuse…and in this instance when people have been entrusted with a sacred responsibility and fail to uphold it they must be held fully accountable to those they serve. I am sure you will agree with me that the electoral process is one that cannot be compromised if we are to continue to have representative government in the future. The reputation of the Board of Elections cannot be impugned if the leaders of our territory - and our nation at large – are to be accorded the respect so vital to our future progress.
I call upon you to publicly address this matter at the earliest possible opportunity to ensure the confidence and support of the electorate. I ask that you seek the resignation of Mr. Williams from the Board of Election (St. Croix District), conduct a full and open discussion of this matter at the next meeting of your Board, and issue a written notice to the public of your actions prior to November 2010.
I am always available to meet and discuss this matter with you in further detail as well as to provide affidavits of witnesses present at the time this infraction occurred.
I hope you will do the right thing. ”
Jeffrey B. C. Moorhead, Esq.
I hear that de Jongh people going around St Thomas saying that if people believe de Jongh won’t win this election they have another thing coming.
I am afraid they rig the voting machines. It’s my biggest fair this election.
Then, who will safeguard our machines? Now, they want to intimidate us from using paper ballots by stating that our votes will not be secret as a result of their own rules. When are they going to lock up this wolf? I hope people paying attention to all these tactics..
You know that her father Celestino is setting her up to take over for him, not with my vote. but just maybe the FEDS will be taking all of them before it is over.
She don’t have a chance to takeover…another duncie..
No one will vote for her. Just like no one is voting for Luz James and Glen Smith.
You have a ‘fair’ Foncie? Heaven, please come down and bless this retard. The word is ‘fear’ Senator Donastorg. You need help.
I hope everyone is seeing how de Jongh and Luz James keep throwing the word ‘retard’ around to describe people that do not suffer from a disability. Luz James and de Jongh should be ashamed of themself. On election night you will find out exactly how many Virgin Islanders love a person with a disability. Watch and see.
Two grown adult men for that matter. Luz James walking around with his hanging face in need of a face lift and de Jongh strolling around with his legs rubbing together all the way to his ankles and is in badly need of a gastric by pass surgery and some lipo suction.
These two clowns have the nerve make fun of the disabled. Well that fine. Lets see what happens Sept 11.
You have a disability Foncie? What exactly is it, lying and/or whining? The Mapp camp wants to know if we were right in rejecting you as a candidate after all the lies you told about the next governor of the U.S.V.I.
let’s not get off the subject of the election board please…
To All,
PLEASE take posts unrelated to the Board of Elections issue to the Political Forum.
Thank you.
Thanks website Adminsitrator. It is getting annoying when each topic leads to the candidates. Political Forum please all….
Shame on you Donna. Time for you to retire. Diagio was the last straw.
Jeffrey Moorehead will be Delegate to Congress. De Jongh will be in jail and Luz James will continue to be the sell out he is.
Whether the paper ballots are secret or not I will be using them. It’s no secret who I will be voting for anyway. Donastorg/Baptiste 2010.
We need to keep the pressure on the Board of Elections to keep things transparent and maintain integrity. Raymond Williams is such a loud mouth…so will he speak out on this matter?
9:46 you are not from the Mapp camp. Stop your lying and keep us out of your game.
On another note we else need to keep a close eye on the election judges and ballot counters.
My votes will be no secret. They can print my ballot in the paper. I do not care. Just to stand for this cause and not use the machines. My polling place at Dober School better be ready with my paper ballot…I will not act lady like.
I’m all for using the paper ballots, but we need to be careful. The real purpose for the provisional ballots is for people who have recently changed their status (address, party), and the polling station was not able to upate your info in time for election day. If hundreds of people were to go to the polls and request paper ballots, the workers will start to get suspicious,
The point is that they should have paper ballots separate from provisional ballots to avoid any problems. This is our right and we should not be prevented from using this type of instrument. We need to take this serious.