Beaufort County Commissioners Pick a Chairman and Vice Chairman | Beaufort County Now | Against the backdrop of an advertised Republican Caucus that was greatly contended by the county manager and the county attorney at the behest of 4 commissioners polled, the Beaufort County elected a so-called "Republican" as chairman and a Democratic Socialist as vice-chairman.

The first Beaufort County Commissioners meeting, December 7, 2020, of this first year of this new board began with either a bang or a whimper, depending on your perspective.

    Against the backdrop of an advertised Republican Caucus, which was greatly greatly contended by the county manager and the county attorney, at the behest of 4 commissioners polled (in this secret meeting): Jerry Langley, Jerry Evans, Ed Booth and Frankie Waters; the Beaufort County elected a so-called "Republican" as chairman, and a Democratic Socialist as vice chairman.

    Rather than meet in caucus to discuss Republican business - the election of a chairman and vice chairman is, of course, is typical partisan business, the two "Republicans": Frankie Waters and John Rebholz, who chose not to caucus, as advertised, with the Republican majority: Commissioners Hood Richardson, R, Stan Deatherage, R, and Commissioner-elect Randy Walker, R, instead chose to caucus with the Democratic Socialist commissioners: Jerry Langley and Ed Booth to share power; with the county manager and the county attorney, albeit possibly unintended, providing specious cover to do so.

The affirmitive selection of a pre-determined Democratic Socialist /nominal Republican collaborative hybrid of chairman and vice chairman is shown here in video: Below.


    As planned by the nominal Republican /Democratic Socialist Coalition: John Rebholz nominated Frankie Waters for chairman, and then Ed Booth nominated Jerry Langley for vice chairman. Both votes won the day 4 to 3.

    As planned by the advertised Republican caucus, representing the Republican Party: Randy Walker nominated Stan Deatherage for chairman, and then Stan Deatherage did nominate Randy Walker for vice chairman. Both votes lost the day 3 to 4. When Commissioner Deatherage made the nomination of Commissioner Walker, he stated: 'I nominate Randy Walker, as he was selected by the Republican Caucus, that also, by that same Republican Caucus, did select Stan Deatherage to stand for chairman.'

    It does not take a strong imagination to question to what extent deals within the nominal Republican /Democratic Socialist cooalition may have been struck to keep this unholy alliance vital and rewarding to all players ... all at the public's expense.