R.I.N.O is Republican In Name Only. On Friday evening on the DTV (Democrat Television) broadcast carried on Community Television of Knoxville The Knox County Democrat Chair and several other Democrats spent the entire hour this past Friday evening discussing the call to reduce the number of signatures in order to recall a public official. In the first 20 minutes of the show, Erin Lonas of the Gibbs community stated that she authored the original proposal that would reduce the required signatures to recall an elected official. Lonas and her husband Gregg who are the North Knox Democrat Representatives have been the leaders of the Recall Bill Phillips campaign that will end unsuccessfully on December 26, 2009. The Lonas’s have been joined by former Black Wednesday County Commissioner Jack Huddleston. Huddleston has supported many Democrats. The effort to recall Phillips is an attempt by the Democrat Party to gain a seat on the County School Board.
Richard Briggs, County Commissioner of the Fifth District in presenting his plan said that he had talked with the leaders of the Recall Bill Phillips group and this is why he is proposing it. He stated that he had received numerous calls and emails requesting this change. Brian’s Blog challenges Briggs to release those emails in an attempt to be open and transparent.
It should be noted that Briggs became very upset when the Knox County Republican Party took an official position to oppose the Charter Referendum questions. Briggs had desired to be a candidate for Knox County Mayor. He was unable to get any key Republican support so it is not a surprise to see that he is working in concert with the Democrat party. Briggs ability to be elected to any position countywide are slim to none. If Dog Catcher were a countywide elected position even the cats wouldn’t elect him.
