Coos County Commissioner candidate Rod Taylor missed the deadline to put a statement in the general election guide. Now his supporters are circulating a document labeled, “Rod Taylor Voter’s Pamphlet statement”. The document says his statement was “omitted” from the guide.
The statement is longer than what the Pamphlet permits. It also lacks information the guide requires such as education and occupational background. Mr. Taylor made mistakes with both the primary and general election Voters Pamphlets. These mistakes are part of a pattern of carelessness that extends across his political activities.
Mr. Taylor told me he missed the Pamphlet deadline because the election calendar on the Secretary of State’s (SOS) is confusing. The calendar is somewhat confusing. However, when I access it, I found the deadline date Mr. Taylor missed. Had he called SOS employees would have told him the correct date. Almost all political campaigns managed to file voter pamphlet statements on time.
Mr. Taylor did make the deadline for the primary Voter’s Pamphlet. His statement falsely claimed the interim County Clerk was appointed, “on yet another 2-1 County Commission vote” – the vote was actually unanimous. Mr. Taylor’s claim is part of a false narrative that Mr. Main, the most, “conservative” Commissioner is repeatedly out voted. A quick phone call to the County would have prevented Mr. Taylor’s mistake. If he didn’t trust the County, he could have requested a recording of the meeting or a copy of the minutes.
Putting a false statement in the Voters Pamphlet was once considered scandalous. Perhaps times have changed.
Mr. Taylors “omitted” statement claims “Zoning and planning based on United Nations “Agenda 2030” makes housing unaffordable, yet the incumbent attends conventions in support of this.” The UN does not have any role in Coos County Zoning and planning. Commissioner Cribbins does not attend conventions to support “Agenda 2030”.
Mr. Taylor also claims local public schools teach “critical race theory and transgender theory to make children uncomfortable with their skin color and their sex at birth”. This is a lie. However, Mr. Taylor seems fanatically sincere – it is possible he believes every falsehood he utters. It is strange that Mr. Taylor talks so much about education. The office he seeks has no authority over schools.
Mr. Taylor says “Coos County must become a constitutional county, rejecting unconstitutional laws”. This is a dishonest type of civil disobedience. Civil disobedience is open defiance of laws a person believes are morally wrong. Mr. Taylor claims the right to defy laws based on his interpretation of the constitution despite the fact that courts have found these laws constitutional.
Mr. Taylor also says “It’s time to take back control of our Coos Wagon Road lands”. The County never owned this land. The Federal Government granted this property to a private company. It returned to Federal ownership after the company did not comply with term of the grant. Does Mr. Taylor know or care that theft of Federal timber is a crime?
Under the banner of “local control” Mr. Taylor and his friends hope to take power in Coos County. This is their dream. It would be our nightmare.
