"Governor Cooper: We Told You So" | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Press Release:

Second Cooper-Appointed Board Chair Gone After Unethical Partisan Behavior

    Raleigh, NC     A story out from Charlotte Observer reporter Jim Morrill confirms that Joshua Malcolm, former Chair of the defunct North Carolina State Board of Elections, will not be nominated to serve on the new NCSBE. The new Board will be appointed on January 31, 2019, and expects to set a date for an evidentiary hearing regarding the Ninth Congressional District investigation for sometime in early February.

    "Governor Cooper: We told you so," stated Chairman Robin Hayes. "Instead of appointing someone respected across the aisle who would've conducted a fair process, Cooper went with a campaign donor and overt partisan in Malcolm. The numerous conflicts of interest and Malcolm's poor track record regarding transparency eroded public confidence in the Board to act in a nonpartisan manner, and now the more-than 750,000 people of the Ninth Congressional District are suffering as a result of this investigation that screams of a political hit job."

    Malcolm failed to disclose his wife's campaign donations to Cooper, his daughter's federal work for the North Carolina Democrat Party, and his frequent communication with Jens Lutz, the Vice Chairman of the Bladen County Board of Elections.

    "Within days of delaying certification, former Board Chair Andy Penry had to resign in disgrace for unacceptable partisan public behavior in violation of Election Board rules," continued Hayes. "Then we warned the Governor not to promote Vice Chair Josh Malcolm, who started this investigation with a stunning lack of transparency. Now Malcolm will not be renominated."

    "Our message today is simple: Appoint fair and honest people to the Board of Elections. If Cooper decides to nominate a third ethically-challenged Chair, we will again expose them and hold Cooper accountable."

    The North Carolina Republican Party has submitted four nominees for the new Board: Colonel Francis De Luca, Eldon "Buck" Newton III, Stacey "Four" Eggers IV, and Eddie Woodhouse. All have extensive experience in election law and administration, and all have admirable records of prior public service.

• Contact: Jeff Hauser
•     jeff.hauser@ncgop.org