The media loves to go down the rabbit hole and follow every rumor (credible or not) about state and national candidates but not so much for municipal candidates, even if there is valid information worthy of the voters’ consideration before heading to the polls, leaving each of us to research our choices as best as possible.
Such is the case this cycle.
There are a number of municipal candidates that with just a little effort and a simple Google search, public records can be found which should give voters in their areas pause when heading to the polls on June 6th. And while everyone (including those mentioned below) should be considered innocent before proven guilty in a court of law, local media should be asking such candidates about their arrest records since they are now seeking to enter an office where the public trust is required.
Here are a few examples:
In Meridian, an up and coming young Democrat candidate, Weston Lindemann, for Ward 5 Alderman is giving the incumbent Republican a run for his money. You would think his being a Bernie Sanders delegate would doom him in in Mississippi, but not as of yet it would seem in the Queen City.
But voters don’t really know Lindemann since no media in the area it seems has vetted this Democrat rock star.
Lindemann was arrested in Cary, North Carolina just 8 months ago and charged with possession of marijuana, possession of paraphernalia, no insurance, and no license plate on his vehicle. In the article it said, ”Lindemann plans to run for State Representative in two years to keep the revolution burning.” I don’t think that’s the kind of burning folks had in mind.
Has this been seen in the Meridian Star or on WTOK to inform voters? Not to our knowledge.
The same can be said in Jackson County, except the two candidates below weren’t getting high when arrested; they were getting physical.
The Democrat nominee for Mayor of Moss Point, Mario King, who recently won the runoff on May 16th had a run in with the Lamar County Sheriff’s Department back in January 2011 and was charged with domestic violence and simple assault.
If that wasn’t bad enough, he had another similar arrest in Lamar County in November 2011…
…and again for simple assault in Hattiesburg in December 2011.
Then there’s the Independent candidate for Mayor of Pascagoula, Lazaro Rovira, who in December 2006 was arrested for disorderly conduct in Lee County, Florida.
Have the details surrounding these two candidates’ public arrest records been vetted for the benefit of the voters by the SunHerald, Mississippi Press, WLOX, etc.? Again, not to our knowledge.
Before you cast your ballot on June 6th be sure you do your homework, not just in these areas but around the state. Ask questions and be engaged. You have to do so on your own this cycle it appears since it is obvious the local media isn’t engaged on these issues.
