Kemmes will not forbid police from using tear gas

MARCHAND, Ara -- Despite impassioned pleas from Black Lives Matter activists and local officials, Armana Governor Leandra Kemmes will not order police to stop using tear gas against violent protesters.

Marchand Mayor Tom Mallowry and the city's councilors voted to prohibit local police from using tear gas on BLM protesters, calling it "cruel and excessive."

However, local police have pointed to a state law that says police agencies are allowed to utilize tear gas unless and only if state lawmakers or the governor issues an order prohibiting it.

"Tear gas does not fall under the jurisdiction of the mayor or the city council," said Marchand Police Chief John Ross. "The only ones who can dictate the use of tear gas are the legislature and/or the governor through an executive order."

Penelope County Sheriff Kim Wyott also voiced his support for tear gas.

"It's a tool we don't want to use as members of law enforcement, but unfortunately, sometimes it is the last resort we have to use when safety and security are threatened by violent protesters," said Wyott in an interview with the local newspaper.

A spokesman for Governor Kemmes said the governor would not issue an executive order banning tear gas.

"While Governor Kemmes fully supports the BLM movement and the peaceful demonstrations, she will not wade into this issue. It's an issue best left up to the judgment of law enforcement and local officials."

The spokesman added that "state legislators can take up the issue if they feel it necessary, and Governor Kemmes is willing to sit down with them and discuss the use of tear gas in large-scale protest situations."

Mayor Mallowry was unmoved.

"This is a moment when we need a strong governor who shows leadership, and that's just not what we're getting from our governor, sadly" he said.

Kemmes, who is of mixed Caucasian, Asian and Black heritage herself, said last week she "fully supports" the BLM movement.

"I know what it's like to be a person of color. I went to the military and experienced discrimination and judgment there. I've experienced discrimination from law enforcement before too. I know what it's like and I support those who are rightly calling attention to this issue."

"What I don't support is breaking windows, setting fires, throwing Molotov cocktails, throwing items at police, looting, rioting. I can't get behind that," said Kemmes.

A moderate Nationalist, Ms. Kemmes is known for her tough-on-crime and her law-and-order emphasis.

However, her response to the violent protests in Marchand, Mavocke and Dubrind has earned her scorn from the left-wing of the NAT Party.

"It's disappointing that a governor who is a woman and a woman of color is not more engaged and concerned about police brutality and violence against people of color," said BLM activist DaQueesha James, in response to Kemmes' decision.

Kemmes is up for re-election this year, however, no Nationalists challenged her in the primary election. She is facing little-known Conservative businessman Bob Hefner in the general election.

Stevens survives close Monomi Senate primary

HEYDWORTH - Incumbent Senator Rylan "Rill" Stevens is breathing a sigh of relief today.

The Conservative senator, who is politically moderate, narrowly defeated a more hard-line opponent in the party's primary election.

Stevens is known as a foreign policy hawk, but he's openly moderate on social issues.

As an openly-gay man, Stevens has struggled in the past to win over Monomi Conservative voters.

Running for re-election this year was no different for Stevens.

Gun-rights activist Randi Karswell, age 44, ran a well-funded campaign against the respected senator.

Ms. Karswell, an attractive business owner and married mother of three, argued that Stevens is too liberal and sides with Nationalists too often.

"Monomi is a Conservative state, and yet we have elected a senator who is Conservative on paper but votes like a Nationalist," Karswell said last week at a campaign appearance, where she refused to wear a mask.

Her campaign centered on Stevens' moderate voting record, gun rights and anti-mask sentiment.

Despite raising millions of dollars from across the country, and heavy support from the Grassadellian Rifle Club, Ms. Karswell still fell short in her bid to oust Mr. Stevens.

The final vote tally left Stevens with 54% to Karswell's 46%, or 491,383 votes to 418,671 votes, respectively.

Ms. Karswell, a first-time candidate, performed best in rural counties and in the most conservative counties.

Mr. Stevens received the most support in more urban and centrist counties, although he also received strong support in rural counties with large Native/Indigenous Grassadellian populations.

Stevens also won in his native Nylan County, home to the state's second-largest city Heydworth.

Karswell also is from Nylan County, but she struggled to win over voters on her home turf.

Unable to have a traditional victory party due to COVID, Mr. Stevens appeared on Facebook Live, at a small celebration with a few guests, all donning masks and toasting drinks.

"Thank you, Monomi Conservatives. I'm honored to have your support, it means the world to me. I will represent you well in the general election and we still have so much work to do to champion conservative causes," said Stevens.

Karswell held a drive-in victory celebration at a drive-in theater south of Heydworth. Few attendees wore masks at her campaign celebration.

Noticeably disappointed, Ms. Karswell thanked supporters and vowed she would run for office again.

"We won't quit campaigning and running until every pseudo-Conservative is booted out of office and replaced with real, honest, authentic, legit constitutional, Christian Conservatives," she said.

It's unclear who Mr. Stevens will face in the fall, general election. Nationalists are still conducting their primary selection. However, no big-name candidates have emerged, so it's likely Stevens will have a relatively easy path to re-election.

Leemore: 'Proud to stand with Sid Hoffa'

ARNELLESON, Dmg. -- She was unsuccessful in her bid for Damoign's governorship.

But Conservative state lawmaker Pat Leemore won the party's primary election for lieutenant governor Tuesday.

Leemore narrowly defeated state Rep. Andrew Liang by a margin of 53%-47%.

Liang, of Eastholm, immediately endorsed Leemore, who hails from the mid-coast area of the state.

Though they are running independently of each other, Sid Hoffa, the Conservative nominee for governor, has said he will campaign jointly with Leemore.

"We're running separately for separate positions, but I support Pat Leemore, we need her as our next lieutenant governor, so I am happy to join with her and team up with her," said Hoffa earlier this week in a radio interview.

Incumbent NAT Governor Jenna Duvan has also endorsed and will also campaign jointly with current Lt. Gov. Jeff Zeme.

In a Zoom Interview with The Grassadellia City Times, Leemore said she was honored to run for lieutenant governor alongside Hoffa.

 "I'm proud to stand with Sid Hoffa for election," said Leemore. "He was a great mayor, a great governor, and he's the person we need to lead our state at this pivotal moment in time."

Hoffa previously served as governor from 2009-2013.

Polling in Damoign's gubernatorial race shows Hoffa and Duvan nearly tied.

Also facing an uncertain political future is embattled Attorney General Rod Penora, who was indicted on federal corruption charges earlier this spring.

Despite the charges against him, Penora easily won a primary challenge from NAT attorney David Nance.

However, Conservative attorney Cathy Maison may present a formidable challenge to Penora in the general election.

Enos campaign fined by county health board for violating COVID restrictions

LANAKIS – He suffered a humiliating defeat in the Veroche governor’s race earlier this week.

But Billionaire Bill Enos received more bad news today.

His failed campaign was hit with a $36,814 fine.

The Marcialeukia County Health Department (MCHD) issued the hefty fine after the Enos campaign hosted a “victory party” on election night at the Intrinsa Hotel.

Due to Coronavirus, Veroche Governor Tom Harper issued a ban on gatherings of more than 30 people.

But the Bill Enos campaign’s “victory party” had more than 250 people in attendance, more than eight times the limit.

In accordance with state policy, the MCHD issued a $158 fine for each person over the 30-person limit.

According to MCHD officials, there were 263 guests confirmed in attendance at the party.

Additionally, there were 37 hotel employees present during the party, but health officials cut the campaign a break and chose not to issue fines for the hotel workers.

The Enos campaign said it would pay the fine without objection.

However, on his Twitter and Facebook accounts, Mr. Enos blamed Lanakis Mayor Dick Scholinger for the fine.

“Somehow I have a feeling failed Mayor @DickScholinger ordered his health department to issue this petty fine!” wrote Enos.

However, Scholinger pointed out the fine was issued by the Marcialeukia County Health Department.

“The “petty” fee Bill Enos blamed me for was issued by @MCHD, not the @CityOfLanakis. 2 different agencies, but I wouldn’t expect him to understand,” tweeted Scholinger.

“I am the mayor of the @CityOfLanakis. I do not work for or have authority over @MarcialeukiaCo.,” he added.

Scholinger and Enos were both unsuccessful Conservative candidates for governor. Despite hailing from the same party, the two men have butted heads in recent months over politics.

Enos has repeatedly lambasted Scholinger for his performance as mayor of Veroche’s largest city, blaming Scholinger for high taxes, widespread homelessness, and urban unrest.

Scholinger has called Enos “an ego-maniac” and “unsophisticated.”

Griffin overcomes Enos' huge war chest in Veroche gubernatorial primary

SOUTHWICK, Ver. – Despite spending a record $55 million of his own money, and vastly out-spending his opponents, Veroche billionaire Bill Enos has failed in his campaign for the Veroche Conservative Party’s nomination for governor.

Mr. Enos, 68, had been a vocal supporter of US President Donald Trump, and the outspoken and controversial businessman had pledged to shake up Veroche politics similarly to Mr. Trump’s seismic impact on US politics.

But in a special run-off election, Enos was easily routed by his centrist opponent, Red Leaf Mayor MacDonald “Mac” Griffin.

Veroche Secretary of State Suzanne Boyd reported Griffin winning with 56% of the vote compared to Enos’ 44%, respectively.

Mr. Enos initially came in second place in the May 21^st primary election, which featured nine candidates.

In that contest, Griffin came in first place with 22%, followed by Enos with 20%, state Senator Al Paccioli with 18%, and Lanakis Mayor Dick Scholinger with 15 percent, respectively.

Since no candidate reached the 35% threshold in the primary election, Mr. Griffin and Mr. Enos advanced to the run-off election, which was initially scheduled for June 21^st, but was delayed a month because of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Also due to the Coronavirus, for the first time ever in Veroche history, the run-off election was held entirely by mail.

While Griffin was the front-runner in the match-up, there was concern among many party leaders and strategists that Enos would win due to a lower voter turnout and unpredictable Coronavirus factors.

However, despite Enos’ cash advantage and his fired-up supporters, Mr. Griffin quickly obtained endorsements from top Conservative Party officials and colleagues.

Party leadership rapidly coalesced around Griffin, while hard-core Conservatives eagerly backed Enos.

Additionally, some allies of Griffin expressed concerns about his relaxed campaign itinerary. Some suggested he was too tired and lacked the energy to keep up with a busy campaign schedule.

But ultimately, Mr. Enos’ abrasive personality and blustery rhetoric didn’t land with Veroche’s pragmatic Conservative voters. Griffin won the run-off election by almost 130,000 votes.

The popular mayor spoke briefly at his intimate election night party, which was held in his backyard with only a small group of close supporters staying six feet apart.

“Veroche’s Conservative voters have shown the world tonight that money doesn’t buy everything,” he said to applause. “We were outspent nine-to-one. Our opponent spent over $55 million, a record. We raised about $8 million. And yet here we are tonight, we’ve won the primary, and I look forward to winning in December,” said Griffin.

While Griffin’s campaign did only raise $8 million, the Conservative Party, conservative groups and Political Action Committees (PACs) spent over $9 million in advertising promoting Griffin. Nevertheless, even with outside help, Griffin was still vastly out-spent.

At his election night party in downtown Lanakis at his own luxury hotel, where guests were asked to stay six feet apart but the policy was not enforced, Bill Enos accepted the results but not before insulting his rival.

“Mac won, and I congratulate him. I still don’t think he’s the right guy for the job, but the voters chose him, so hopefully he’ll stay awake and have enough energy to beat Tom Harper,” said Enos, in an a dig to Griffin.

Enos also expressed regret at not running as an Independent.

Some states allow an unsuccessful candidate who loses a party primary election to subsequently run as an Independent candidate in the general election.

However, in Veroche, a candidate can run as an Independent, but must file to run as an Independent before the primary election. Candidates are not allowed to run in the partisan primary and then run as an Independent.

“We should’ve just run as an Independent from the start. We would still have a chance if we did that. But at the time it didn’t seem like the right choice, and now it’s too late, so it is what it is,” said Enos.

Asked by a reporter if he would endorse Mr. Griffin in the general election, Mr. Enos replied “we’ll see.”

Now that he’s secured his party’s nomination for governor, Griffin will go on to face incumbent Governor Tom Harper (N) in the December general election.

Little-known Liberal Democrat Leon Pandel is also running.

Recent polls have shown Griffin leading Harper in the December match-up with the incumbent struggling to win over voters amid the economic and health care turmoil caused by Coronavirus shutdowns.

However, like Mr. Enos, Mr. Harper is also a billionaire businessman, and has a seemingly unlimited campaign war chest.

But as Griffin demonstrated this week, sometimes the candidate with the most money does not win.

A spokesman for Tom Harper’s campaign issued a tongue-in-cheek response to reporters following Griffin’s nomination.

“Governor Harper looks forward to having a productive race and discourse with Mac Griffin over the next few months. We (The Harper campaign) are working with the Griffin campaign on nailing down some dates for televised debates, and we are willing to work around Mac’s napping schedule also,” said spokesman Jared Pother.

Griffin campaign spokeswoman Emily Hansen followed up with a more conventional response.

“Tom Harper’s jokes are cute, but they won’t distract voters from his failed economy, his mishandling of the Coronavirus, and his exorbitant “Green New Deal-like” tax increases.”