Lamone Retirement Highlights Harris Election Board Snafus
Harris Missteps may leave Republicans without a vote or a voice in the selection of Lamone's replacement
You may have heard the bombshell news come out yesterday afternoon:
Linda H. Lamone, the occasionally controversial, at times embattled, but seemingly unflappable Maryland elections administrator — currently the second-longest-serving chief elections official in the nation — is stepping down from the post after more than 25 years.
Lamone, who turns 81 in July, told the five-member State Board of Elections at its regularly scheduled meeting Wednesday that she would be retiring sometime this summer, with the date yet to be determined, possibly Sept. 1.
The so-called “Linda Lamone for Life” Law merely became the “Linda Lamone until she decided to retire” Law. What it means is that starting sometime soon, the Maryland State Board of Elections will begin the process of searching for Lamone’s replacement.
Lamone’s retirement and the impending search for a replacement makes the total failure of Maryland Republican Party Chairman Nicole Beus Harris to appoint competent Republican members to the State Board of Elections even more glaring.
As you recall, Harris first appointed election conspiracy theorist William Netwon to the role. Governor Wes Moore refused to appoint Newton to his conspiracy theories and prior legal action against Newton.
Then came the appointment of Christine McCloud, who absolutely bombed her hearing before the Senate Executive Nominations Committee on Monday.
So far, Harris has botched both of her announced appointments at a time when the Board of Election is about to go through the most important decision-making process since Lamone was hired in 1997.
When Lamone was hired in 1997, he was a lifelong Democratic operative. She worked for the Schaefer Administration, for a high-powered lobbying firm, and was on the team of lawyers hired by Parris Glendenning during Ellen Saueberey’s legal challenges to the 1994 election. Republicans could likely bring up questions relevant to the hiring of the next election director and any perceived impartialities they may have. But at the moment, Harris has not bothered to appoint any credible Republicans who might actually get confirmed to serve on the hearing, potentially leaving Republicans without a vote much less a voice on who the next Elections Director is.
Harris could not have screwed this up more had she tried and it brings me back to the same question I asked yesterday: Is there ANYTHING Nicole Harris can do right as MDGOP Chairman?