Edgecombe County Democratic Party And The Lack Of Transparency But The New Chair Rev. Lawrence Taylor Has Vowed To Carry Out His Duties And To Hold The Others Accountable For Their Duties

Under the leadership of the Edgecombe County Democratic Party County Officers (6) Rev. Roosevelt Higgs Chair, Gladys Shelton 1st Vice Chair, Brooks Webb 2nd Vice Chair, Martha Knight Johnson 3rd Vice Chair, Dr. Glenda Knight Secretary and Stephanie Hunter Treasurer I can’t name one thing they done as it relates to carrying out the duties the are spelled out in the Plan of Organization. However the Precinct Chairs/Vice Chairs and Elected Officials and some ex-officio members such as the Democratic Women, Democratic Men that was only existence because Higgs appointed Rev. Thomas L. Walker as the chair. I wonder why Higgs didn’t appoint someone as a Young Democrats Chair? Oh but he is all about

The Democratic Women had no support from Higgs as they formed nor throughout the time they were formed up until Saturday’s convention. The Democratic Women had meetings and held several events to educate the Democrats in Edgecombe County. Ask they what they have done and how you can join. 

There was never a Democratic Men meeting called. Ask Rev. Walker why?

Why was there no Young Democrats committee?

Higgs has talked about being transparent during the time leading up to the appointment process for filling the vacancy created when Sheriff James Knight retired. Really?

First of all Higgs and the officers did not announce the retiring of Sheriff Knight. There was nothing sent out in the precinct packages about the retiring of the Sheriff and that the party would have to call a special meeting to select a candidate to fill the unexpired term?

Why was all of the precincts no in good standings before this year’s election of precincts officers. As always Sharpsburg is not contacted to get organized probably because they only have a few votes. But that shouldn’t matter. Yes all of the precincts are organized now thanks to the Sheriff appointment however Higgs and the officers didn’t attempt to get Sharpsburg organized. I made a phone call and asked someone to get it organized. I think there may have been a couple that were not organized as well. Because of the Sheriff appointment all of the precincts are organized and in the system the county will receive $100.00 from the State Democratic Party.

Democrats especially the candidates seeking the appointment of the Sheriff asked Higgs and the county 6 officers for a list of the current precinct chairs before the election of the precinct officers were held in March. They would not give up the information and some even said they were not because the folk were only trying to help Clee Atkinson. It is public information and it was none of their damn business what they wanted it for. But talking about transparency, transparency my …

Because I knew that Higgs and the officers were not going to be transparent after I asked the secretary for the information and she said okay but to later respond back and say Higgs had the information. Really? That is the duty of the secretary to record and keep on file the documents. Yes Higgs could have had a copy but he should not have been the only one to have a copy. Actually all 6 of the officers ought to have had copies.

Whenever a meeting is to take place the chair and all of the vice chairs and the secretary as duties to be carried out per the Plan of Organization, per Curmilus Dancy II as Higgs would want to make it appear because I have challenged him and the others during their tenure.

So what they did during the Sheriff appointment was to withhold information by 1st not announcing the retirement of Sheriff Knight, who the voting members were, the time frame to have to call a meeting to select a candidate so that the name could be given to the Edgecombe County Democratic Party within a timeframe. The process was prolonged.

I attended the Democratic Women meeting if February and asked them to host a candidates forum for Sheriff because I knew the damn county party was not going to do it. I asked the Democratic Women to contact the Edgecombe County Human Relations Commission to see if they wanted to co-sponsor. They did not. But after the Democratic Women had a very successful forum that had good attendance and covered by the local media. The forum was videoed by WHIG-TV and I videoed it and made it and still available on my Youtube page.

After the forum I made it known that The DCN (me) was supporting Clee Atkinson. The secretary posted on my page that after during her research and whatever she would be voting different. Well I had no problem with that but the problem came when she contacted me and said the Human Relations Commission wanted to do another forum and they tried to justify it by having it in Rocky Mount. I agreed at first but then after talking to some folk they said they didn’t agree so I contact the secretary who is the chair of the Human Relations Commission and Higgs is the vice chair and said I didn’t support the 2nd forum. Now if it had been the Democratic Party 6 officers doing the 2nd forum I would have agreed just because they would have had one thing to show they have done. All of the candidates forums over this group tenure was hosted by the Human Relations Commission again the secretary of the Democratic Party is the chair and Higgs is vice chair. Really?

It is funny as hell to me how the Human Relations Commission had the 1st Congressional District Chair Don Davis to come to their meeting and do a presentation on the process of the appointment. Hell the county officers especially with Higgs smart …. and the other intelligent officers they could have done it. But why didn’t they get him here to do some other things with the party since they had done absolutely nothing even during the Presidential Election. Damn we don’t even have a Democratic Headquarters. Really?

Higgs and crew manipulated the Sheriff Appointment but it didn’t help. Right now I run into folk asking did Higgs become the Sheriff? I say really? That criminal. SMDH!

And then it was County Convention time on last Saturday April 8. Again Higgs and crew manipulated the process because again Higgs and all of the officers had a role to play and no one carried out their role. The only thing that was in the information about the convention was who the speaker was, time and place and that the precinct officers and others were invited to attend. There was no mention of that there would be an election for the county 6 officers. When a couple of the candidates seeking chair contacted me and asked me what they needed to do, I told them they needed to do just like the candidates for Sheriff did contact all of the voting members.

Higgs if I wanted to seek an office I would have campaigned but I was not seeking an office however several folk had asked me too. I stated on my social media sites that if I was nominated for 1st vice, 2nd or 3rd I may would accept. Ignant I knew once “they” told you about that you would go to work on getting someone in place. That is why you didn’t make the executive committee aware of the election so you could manipulate the process. You did just that and went as far as to ask some folk to nominate your candidates to move up from 3rd Vice Chair Martha Knight Johnson and the secretary Dr. Glenda Knight. You are too hilarious. Hell I ain’t mad with you as you are trying to make it appear. If the Democrats who attend the meetings like it then I love it because I am going to continue to hold everyone accountable for their actions. You see my role will not change.

It is hilarious how you took it upon yourself to pay out monies without going through the county officers. Well damn why didn’t you spend just a few more dollars and presented a plaque to the retiring Sheriff? Hell didn’t even have the audacity to do a resolution but made sure ya’ll did one for Gladys Shelton and I have no problem with that. 

Hold up let me back up. I have challenged you over the years that when the county 6 officers meet when the entire executive committee is not in session that it be made public so I could attend. I know that visitors can’t say anything unless the officers allow them to so if you want to say that ya’ll met haven’t heard the 1st set of minutes read during ya’ll tenure. That’s right!

You praised yourself for you and your officers doing a great job and haven’t mentioned one thing ya’ll have done but to call the 1st Congressional District Chair in to carry out the Sheriff appointment. On the night of the appointment I started to make a motion that you carry out the meeting without you just handing over to the visiting chair and they would have seen just how ignant things would have been on that night. Actually the visiting chair should have been there just to assist and not to do your job as it relates to your job duties per the Plan of Organization not Curmilus Dancy II plan. I know what I am talking about because I had that conversation with the visiting chair before the night of the appointment and also a couple of days ago. That’s right!

The treasurer’s report showed just how Higgs felt he could spend money without going the proper chain of command. It was questioned why the 1st Congressional District Chair was paid and why other money was spent

And lastly you have left several ignant messages on my voicemail. But your ignant …. stated at the convention that when the same folk complain you learn the ignore them. Well if you consider me to be that person then when in the hell are you going to begin to ignore me. You can’t! That’s right!

You say I was not a delegate to the District Convention. Really? Again you manipulated the process because you talking about you had called my name but it was too late. Well ignant the way it is normally done all of the Precinct Chairs are automatically chosen and they go down the list. So again you did that because of your ignance. But do you know that I am going to attend the district convention and don’t have to be a delegate? SMDH!

I had to leave the county convention on Saturday because I have a funeral to video. I left after the election of the chair so therefore my video stops there. I sure hate I missed the rest because I have heard so much about what happened after I left.

Again I am so glad to see the election of a new county chair Rev. Lawrence Taylor, a new 3rd vice chair Attorney Jim Marrow and a new secretary Pastor Angela Yvette Hart-Brown. I find it interesting that the former 3rd vice chair and the secretary moved up so all I got to say is that I hope the new chair will do some new things to get our party  where it needs to be.

I will support the county 6 officers however I will continue to challenge them so let’s do the damn thing.

I am for justice no matter who it is for or against. I have no permanent friends no permanent enemies only permanent interest!

And to whomever report what I say and do to Rev. Roosevelt Higgs, “Now Run & Tell That!”

See related: Most recent voicemail from Ignant https://youtu.be/miOSpC75tqg

Note: This letter is addressing the chair and the county officers.