Editor,
“Island County Commissioner Aubrey Vaughan, chosen from among five Republican applicants to fill the District No. 3 vacancy left by Kelly Emerson’s resignation, is breaking party lines by endorsing Democratic candidate Karla Jacks.”
I would like to officially welcome Mr. Vaughan to the ranks of RINOs … Republicans in name only.
Mr. Vaughan, in your campaign literature, you wrote, “I choose to be a (sic) Republican Party because it best aligns with my values of individual freedom, decisions that are in line with the Constitution, limited government and fiscally sound decision making.”
Do the positions taken by Karla Jacks and her liberal backers, including Mary Margaret Haugen and COER, align with your views, Aubrey? If they do, then you were either lying to the Island County Republican Party when you were considered for nomination to the office you currently hold, or you are lying to the voters of Island County now.
Which is it?
You were appointed as a Republican county commissioner, Mr. Vaughan. Your actions in endorsing the Democratic candidate for that office over a fully qualified Republican, and not even having the minimal courtesy to notify Rick Hannold, Island County Republican Party Chairman Tim Geist or your fellow Republican commissioner Jill Johnson, quite frankly should serve to disqualify you from your current office.
I believe you should, in all good conscience, resign your seat on the Board of Commissioners of Island County and allow the county GOP to appoint what they thought they were appointing over the summer — a Republican county commissioner.
Or is there something more here than actually meets the eye? Is there a deal here to assure that Mr. Vaughan is appointed as the new head of Island County Transit with the support of the new Democratic majority on the board of commissioners?
Certainly Commissioners Helen Price Johnson and Karla Jacks would be grateful for their new majority and would want to award Mr. Vaughan accordingly.
I don’t know if there is a deal, and I’m not saying there is one. Still, it is an interesting question, isn’t it?
Marc Hennemann
Republican
Camano Island
