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Endorsement forum canceled for major race in St. Tammany Parish
Sula Kim
Anchor
Endorsement forum canceled for major race in St. Tammany Parish
GINA, IF YOU ARE VOTING IN THE UPCOMING ELECTION IN MARCH, A HISTORIC MOVE IS AFFECTING A MAJOR RACE IN SAINT TAMMANY PARISH. IT’S FOR THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S SEAT TO FULFILL THE UNEXPIRED TERMS OF WARRANT. MONTGOMERY, WHO DIED IN NOVEMBER FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, ARPACK THE REPUBLICAN PARISH EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, HAS CANCELED THE ALL IMPORTANT ENDORSEMENT FORUM, ALL BECAUSE OF A CONFLICT OF INTEREST. I AM HANDLING THE CASE WITH ONE OF THE DA’S PROSECUTING A GUY NAMED JOHN RAYMOND, WHO’S ON THE BOARD, COLLIN SIMMS IS THE INTERIM DISTRICT ATTORNEY FOR SAINT TAMMANY PARISH AND IS ALSO RUNNING FOR THE SEAT. HE IS PROSECUTING JOHN RAYMOND, WHO IS CHARGED WITH FOUR COUNTS OF CRUELTY TO JUVENILE IN RELATION TO A DISCIPLINARY METHOD HE USED AT HIS SCHOOL. RAYMOND IS ALSO A MEMBER OF ARPACK, SO THE CHAIR OF ARPACK ASKED RAYMOND TO RECUSE HIMSELF BECAUSE OF THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST, BUT RAYMOND REFUSED. I’M NOT GOING TO DO THE EASY THING. I’M GOING TO DO THE RIGHT THING. I’M INNOCENT. I’VE BEEN ELECTED BY TO AN OFFICE BY THE REPUBLICAN VOTERS. I WILL DO MY DUTY TO THOSE REPUBLICAN VOTERS AND NOT CAPITULATE. UNDER THE PRESSURE OF POLITICIANS WHO WANT TO TWIST THE ADVANTAGE IN THEIR FAVOR, RAYMOND SAID. THERE IS NOTHING IN THE BYLAWS THAT REQUIRE HIM TO RECUSE HIMSELF. THE CHAIR OF ARPACK, JOSH ALLISON, SAYS AFTER TALKING TO OTHER MEMBERS, HE DECIDED TO CANCEL THE IMPORTANT ENDORSED FORUM BECAUSE IT WOULDN’T BE FAIR TO SIMS. BUT SIMS SAYS THE FORUM SHOULD STILL TAKE PLACE, SO THAT VOTERS CAN MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION BEFORE HEADING TO THE POLLS. SO. IF HE’S NOT WILLING TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND RECUSE HIMSELF, I’M STILL WILLING TO PARTICIPATE BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE IT’S A SHAME THAT THE ENTIRE FORUM IS HELD HOSTAGE BECAUSE OF ONE GUY. SO IF THAT ENDS UP BEING THE FORMAT, THEN THAT’S THE FORMAT. I THINK THE OPTICS SAY WHAT THE CHAIRMAN OF THE ARPACK NEEDS TO DO IS SAY, WAIT A MINUTE, A PERSON IS INNOCENT UNLESS PROVEN GUILTY. UH, JOHN RAYMOND IS A DULY AUTHORIZED AND ELECTED MEMBER OF THIS COMMITTEE. WE’RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH OUR FORUM, WITH OUR FORUM AND, COLLIN, IF YOU WANT TO SHOW UP, YOU’RE WELCOME TO IF YOU WANT TO STAY HOME, YOU’RE WELCOME TO DO. AND SO THE CHAIR OF RPA TELLS ME THAT IF COLLIN SIMS STILL WANTS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE FORUM, HE WILL CONSIDER IT THE OTHER CANDIDATE IN THIS RACE, VINCENT NGUYEN, RELEASED A STATEMENT ABOUT THIS MATTER, SAYING, QUOTE, IT’S NOT UP TO ME TO DETERMINE WHAT THE BOARD SHOULD DEEM FAIR OR UNFAIR, BUT IN MY OPINION, A CANDIDATE WHO WANTS TO BE DISTRICT ATTORNEY SHOULD
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Endorsement forum canceled for major race in St. Tammany Parish
Sula Kim
Anchor
For the first time ever, RPEC has canceled an endorsement forum for a major race. It's for the District Attorney seat to fulfill the unexpired term of Warren Montgomery who died in November. The Republican Parish Executive Committee (RPEC) canceled the forum because of a conflict of interest. One of the candidates in the race is Collin Sims, the interim district attorney. He is prosecuting John Raymond, who is charged with four counts of cruelty to a juvenile, in relation to a disciplinary method he used at his school. Raymond is also an RPEC board member and was asked to recuse himself because of the conflict of interest, but he refused, saying there's nothing in the bylaws that requires him to recuse himself. "I've been elected to an office by Republican voters. I will do my duty to those voters and not capitulate under the pressure of politicians who want to twist the advantage in their favor. I'm not going to do what's easy, I'm going to do what's right," Raymond said. The chair of RPEC, Josh Allison, said after talking to other RPEC members, he used his discretion to cancel the forum because it wouldn't be fair to Sims. However, Sims says the endorsement forum should still take place so that the Republican party can make an endorsement and voters can be informed before they head to the polls. "If he (John Raymond) is not willing to do the right thing and recuse himself, I'm still willing to participate because I feel like it's a shame the entire forum is held hostage because of one guy," Sims said. Allison says if Sims calls him and requests that he still hold the forum, he will move forward with it.The other candidate in the DA's race Vincent Wynne released a statement saying in part, "It's not up to me to determine what the RPEC Board should deem fair or unfair but in my opinion, a candidate who wants to be district attorney should be prepared to answer proponents and opponents alike."

For the first time ever, RPEC has canceled an endorsement forum for a major race. It's for the District Attorney seat to fulfill the unexpired term of Warren Montgomery who died in November. The Republican Parish Executive Committee (RPEC) canceled the forum because of a conflict of interest.

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One of the candidates in the race is Collin Sims, the interim district attorney. He is prosecuting John Raymond, who is charged with four counts of cruelty to a juvenile, in relation to a disciplinary method he used at his school. Raymond is also an RPEC board member and was asked to recuse himself because of the conflict of interest, but he refused, saying there's nothing in the bylaws that requires him to recuse himself.

"I've been elected to an office by Republican voters. I will do my duty to those voters and not capitulate under the pressure of politicians who want to twist the advantage in their favor. I'm not going to do what's easy, I'm going to do what's right," Raymond said.

The chair of RPEC, Josh Allison, said after talking to other RPEC members, he used his discretion to cancel the forum because it wouldn't be fair to Sims.

However, Sims says the endorsement forum should still take place so that the Republican party can make an endorsement and voters can be informed before they head to the polls.

"If he (John Raymond) is not willing to do the right thing and recuse himself, I'm still willing to participate because I feel like it's a shame the entire forum is held hostage because of one guy," Sims said.

Allison says if Sims calls him and requests that he still hold the forum, he will move forward with it.

The other candidate in the DA's race Vincent Wynne released a statement saying in part, "It's not up to me to determine what the RPEC Board should deem fair or unfair but in my opinion, a candidate who wants to be district attorney should be prepared to answer proponents and opponents alike."