Mayor Nancy Vaughan and District 3 City Councilmember Justin Outling are considered by nearly everyone to be the front runners in the mayoral primary.
Eric Robert and Mark Cummings are also on the nonpartisan primary ballot, but the smart money, and even most of the dumb money, is on Vaughan and Outling to be facing each other in the July 26 general election.
Outling and Vaughan have a running debate – not in person, but in their campaign emails – each accusing the other of being misleading or disingenuous in what they have stated.
One issue going back and forth is the subject of Outling having to be recused from votes because he is a partner in the Brooks Pierce law firm and has to be recused for a conflict of interest on any issue that involves a client of the firm, even if it that representation is on a completely different matter.
Vaughan, who has no employment other than as mayor of Greensboro, doesn’t have to be recused because of conflicts of interest caused by her job.
An email from info@voteoutling.com titled “Misleading For Your Vote” states, “The incumbent mayor has repeatedly said I will not be able to serve effectively because I occasionally recuse myself in votes on matters that involve the firm I work for as an attorney. Not only does she portray my ethical conduct as a liability, but she also presents her argument in a misleading way.”
Outling states, “During the seven years I have represented District Three on the city council I have taken part in thousands of votes. Only two of the votes I recused myself from were not unanimous and in not a single case would the outcome of the vote have been affected by my recusal. Additionally, over this same time the incumbent mayor and I have both voted on 98% of the items before council (including absences).
The email from mayornancyvaughan@gmail.com titled “Recusal 101” states, “I want to make sure that you understand what a ‘recusal’ is. My opponent Councilman Outling, is trying to justify his absences from voting and make you feel like it’s not a big deal. The issue is: it’s a very big deal. If you have to recuse yourself from an item, it not only means that you can’t vote, it also means that you can’t discuss, deliberate, or be ‘In the Room Where It Happens.’ It means one must be ‘hands off.’”
Vaughan states, “You deserve a mayor who can actively and effectively represent you whether it’s Toyota, Boom, affordable housing or a host of other issues.”
Vaughan continues, “My opponent Councilman Outling, has said his law firm will be involved in any issue of a consequential’ (i.e. important or significant) nature. That’s good for them and bad for you. My opponent would not be allowed to deliberate or preside over that portion of the meeting, let alone vote. Therefore he would not be able to perform mayoral duties!”
No doubt the campaign emails back and forth will continue.
Neither will get my vote.
I think they both suck. I am hoping that their votes are split and one of the other candidates gets out of the primary.
Maybe not a mayor nancy should have thought about being a real mayor for the people who elected her and not about whether Mr. Outling was doing the Ethical ( note Ethical in caps )thing by recusing himself from voting when it was a conflict of interest. Personally I’ll take Ethics any day over a wannabe.
Vaughn is the biggest idiot in Guilford County. I have had personal interactions with both of these individuals.
I laughed at the mayor and was impressed by Outling. Outling has common sense, knows the law and is concerned with the best for the City. Send the mindless mayor back home.
You’re right we do need a mayor who wil REPRESENT US.So please RECUSE YOURSELF NANCY!!!!!!!!
Is she seriously sending out a Recusal 101 email given that she allowed Yvonne Johnson to break the rules she lines out for the Cure Violence program?
I’d like to know how many billable hours Mr. Outling contributed to his firm on a weekly basis and if this commitment will continue if he is elected mayor. Most attorneys bill far in excess of 40 hours per week. How much time will this allow Mr. Outling to focus on the affairs of the City? And what if a client court date conflicts with critical City business?
Put down your laptops it’s time for a good ole fashioned duel at high noon. Choose your weapons and let’s get busy. Winner take all coliseum and matt brown included
Both not worth voting for! Both say one thing and do the opposite. Neither fully supports our police department and BOTH allowed rioters to damage business downtown thus allowing Greensboro to make national news in a negative way. Council and mayor are an embarrassment to the citizens of Greensboro!