Most will agree that I report more governmental conspiracy possibility theories than most reporters. That’s likely because I hear of a lot more. Readers and listeners are kind enough to share the rumors they hear with me.
But I don’t see a conspiracy at every turn and I don’t believe all politicians are crooks. Much too much can be read into coincidences that really mean little or nothing. Silly coincidences can become serious scandal possibilities in fertile minds.
On December 9, 2021, Cabell County Commission President Jim Morgan made a statement that has caused continuous debate and confusion ever since. I am confident Morgan wishes he had never said it but he did.
I attended that day’s Commission meeting but honestly did not hear what Morgan said. Now, however, I have listened to the tape of that meeting and his words are quite clear. Thanks to community activist Kimberly Maynard for getting the link to me.
With all due respect to Morgan, who I think is a gentleman and a sincere public servant, it really doesn’t matter what he said about two county commissioners being shown in the same magisterial district on a map that was likely never approved by the County Commission. And, according to everyone involved, there is no indication that a dubious map lying in a file in the Secretary of State’s office was ever approved by the Cabell Commission — or anyone else in authority for that matter. Actually, only the Cabell Commission has the authority to redistrict magisterial districts.
Let’s try to recall recent history — and facts not conspiracies — if we can.
It’s hard to say where this confusion all started. Suffice it to say that I was annoyed when it became apparent to me that two of the three then-sitting commissioners were determined to keep Delegate John Mandt Jr. from even running for Commissioner in 2022.
Up until Mandt made noise about running for the commission, most politicos thought he would seek re-election to the House.
When Mandt announced he had switched his goal to the commission, it appeared those who dislike him figured a way to try to kill off this one Mandt politically with two stones.
Mapper Doug McKenzie and apparently Morgan and Cartmill came up with new proposed magisterial district maps that put Mandt in the district with Commissioner Nancy Cartmill. Since no more than one commissioner can serve from the same district, that would have made Mandt ineligible to run against Morgan.
Originally, Cartmill’s term did not expire in 2022 although her recent death changed that. With Cartmill’s term continuing and Mandt redistricted into her district, Mandt could not have run against Morgan.
While this whole plot was going forward, I was distracted by the fact that McKenzie had a checkered history in dealing with government bodies. It was also odd that McKenzie’s services came within a few dollars of requiring bids be taken by County Clerk Phyllis Smith.
Is there something fishy about this whole 2022 redistricting fiasco? Absolutely. Does it have anything to do with any map approved in 2012? Who knows if the commission even legally approved a map in 2012 so that question is likely moot.
What we do know is that Secretary of State Mac Warner is adamant: his office has no jurisdiction over magisterial redistricting or magisterial districts in general He does not maintain a “file” of legal county magisterial districts.
Who does have a statewide roster? Apparently nobody. Why, then, does the Secretary of State’s office have an electronic file purported to be Cabell’s magisterial districts in 2018? Nobody — including SOS Chief of Staff Chuck Flannery — knows.
The file is just there. It hadn’t been looked at “in months” according to Flannery until I inquired if such a file existed.
Flannery said there was no reason for anyone to access the file since the SOS has “no jurisdiction.” Seems innocent enough to me.
Someone just apparently got the map to the SOS office in 2018. Why is not apparent and the SOS employee who received it has since retired.
When I asked two weeks ago if I could have a copy of the useless file, Flannery swiftly sent it to me. Nothing to hide there.
As far as I can tell, nobody including SOS IT specialists have been able to open the suspect file. I know nobody I asked has been able to, including some computer nerds.
Anyway, Morgan made his unintended conspiracy-raising remarks that are on the meeting tape. Apparently speaking to fellow Commissioner Republican Kelli Sabonya, he says there is “a map” showing that “two commissioners live in the same district and I’m not one of them.”
Clearly, Morgan must be referring to Sabonya and the late Republican Commissioner Nancy Cartmill, who was still living in December.
Morgan did not specifically refer to the SOS map. But there is no other surfacing at the courthouse or elsewhere that shows the two in the same district.
In fact, we don’t know if that one does since we can’t access it.
Maynard says I am making too long of a leap in assuming Morgan is referring to the SOS map. Again, my question is: what other map could it be? I’ve asked Morgan and he has not answered that question.
Still the point is this: ONLY the Cabell County Commission could redistrict in 2012 (or 2022 for that matter). Until somebody produces a duly-approved 2012 redistricting map that shows Cartmill and Sabonya in the same district THEY AREN’T IN THE SAME DISTRICT.
We can try to keep everyone focused on a map that has no legal implications or we can try to get 2022 redistricting straight. We can debate what Morgan was doing when he made his December comments all we’d like. He COULD tell us or we can all speculate.
There are enough issues with Cabell’s most recent redistricting, we don’t need to create more. No forensic study of 2012 is called for.
For one, in West Virginia, if a public official becomes aware of a crime being committed, he or she MUST immediately report it.
Two people can’t live in the same magisterial district and serve on the County Commission at the same time. It’s illegal.
If Morgan knew a crime was being committed by the “two others,” why did he not report it to law enforcement?
Just now, in a heated moment of debate, he decides to spill the beans? That just doesn’t compute.
Why did an illicit map, creator unknown, show up at the SOS office six years late and without reason? What is its purpose in being “found” four years later? That might be the answer that, if we ever know it, will answer all questions. Somebody apparently wanted to create the illusion of a map that was apparently never officially approved by anyone.
Who would benefit from that? Why and how would be helpful information.
If there’s yet more maps lying around, as Maynard suggests there might be — where are they? Why are they being hidden?
We need to focus on the shenanigans of 2022.
Efforts to control whether Mandt could be on the current ballot should be of more interest than possible dream conspiracies about Sabonya and Cartmill. We’re spinning wheels while the car drifts backward.
I am still convinced preferred mapper Doug McKenzie plays a role in whatever is being pulled off. His employment is another coincidence that just doesn’t fit.
Regardless, we intend to stay focused. If someone suddenly opens the SOS map AND it shows Sabonya and Cartmill in the same district AND it shows a time, place and date where that map was approved by the County Commission, we’ll buy at least a part of the conspiracy theory of keeping Sabonya and Cartmill’s true disqualification from the public.
For now, we continue to believe Sabonya is a solid, honest public servant who would NEVER participate in a scheme like Maynard and others imagine. We accept that Morgan was talking about a map that has no legal impact.
But our eyes and ears will stay open. The days of hidden Cabell County public business are over.
Good, honest folks can work on this together.