Clerk candidate unqualified and unfit to serve

A Bizarre Email to the DA

This publication recently received a copy of an April 25^th e-mail to Coos County District Attorney Paul Frasier from Coos County Clerk candidate Diane Rich.  Her e-mail is copied to Coos County Commissioner Bob Main, radio talk show host Rob Taylor and County Commissioner Candidates, Pam Lewis and Rod Taylor.

Ms. Rich’s e-mail said, “I am witnessing events that appear so corrupt that I must point out what is happening.”  She was objecting to the Board of Commissioners (BOC) unanimous vote appointing DeDe Murphy County Clerk instead of Ms. Rich.  At the time of the e-mail Ms. Rich mistakenly believed Commissioner Main had not voted for the appointment.  Ms. Murphy will only serve until an elected Clerk takes office in January.

Much of Ms. Rich’s e-mail is incoherent.  She said, in part, “Is it fair to allow candidates to appoint the Clerk? Pay her salary for the year, falsely claim that no other candidates were qualified.  Of course, it is!  I formally protest this unfair appointment, and you to rescind the appointment of DeDe Murphy by the Commissioners with personal stake immediately.”  Ms. Rich ended her e-mail saying, “I demand that you act now, or we can only deem your actions as complicit in the events.”

Thirty-eight minutes after her e-mail was sent Mr. Frasier replied, “I do not have any legal authority to investigate or prosecute such matters.”  He also said, he was “unaware” of any criminal law prohibiting the BOC appointment.

We must back up a bit to understand the e-mail exchange.  The Clerk is an elected County official.  Among the office’s duties is running elections.  Eager to join her husband in retirement, Clerk Debbie Heller resigned last year with one year left to serve.  By law, the BOC was required to appoint a replacement. 

The BOC set two requirements for applicants seeking the job.  First, they needed to be qualified, Second they needed to agree not to run for the office so that voters, not the BOC, would select the next Clerk.

The BOC interviewed 5 applicants, including Ms. Rich.  The BOC unanimously chose Ms. Murphy.  She was the only applicant with any relevant experience having worked in the Clerk’s Office for over 20 years before retiring.  She also pledged to not run for the office and to resign as Chair of the Coos County Democratic Party.

Ms. Rich is angry she was not appointed because she says she is “highly qualified and ready to serve.”  In reality she is unqualified and unfit to serve.  Ms. Rich promises it elected to end Vote By Mail which would be illegal under Oregon Law. She lacks any education or experience relevant to the Clerk position.  She admits she doesn’t know much about the Clerk’s duties but expects to learn on the job.

Ms. Rich claims Ms. Murphy is eliminating secrecy in voting which is a lie.  Ms. Rich is a self-described Trump Republican who claims Ms. Murphy’s past affiliation with the Democratic Party disqualified her from running elections.  In all 36 Oregon Counties the Secretary of State strictly regulates voting.  In the Election Office multiple staff closely  monitor each other.  It would be almost impossible for a clerk acting alone to “rig” an election.

Ms. Rich and her associates running for County Commissioner make many allegations.  So far they have not made any complaints to Oregon’s Secretary of State who has jurisdiction over election law violations.  Could it be they don’t have any evidence to back up what they say?