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A candidate who lost when she ran for the State Legislature is accusing embattled Jefferson County Probate Judge Yashiba Blanchard of impropriety during the recent election and wants a circuit court clerk to intervene.
Mara Ruffin Blackmon, who ran for House District 57, said issues warrant “immediate investigation and preservation of records to protect voter confidence and the integrity of the electoral process,” according to her complaint filed this week in the Bessemer Circuit Court.
Blackmon in her May 22 court filing, contends that Blanchard’s association with Rep. Patrick Sellers, whom Ruffin challenged in the Democratic primary, created a conflict that prevented her from being fair.
Sellers, a Democrat from Pleasant Grove, defeated Blackmon with 61.14% to 32.79% to win a second term.
“The lawsuit is frivolous,” Sellers told AL.com Wednesday. “There was a very expressive and declarative win. We need to get back to business as usual.”
AL.com’s efforts to reach Blackmon and Blanchard were unsuccessful this afternoon.
Blackmon’s complaint lists Blanchard and Sellers by name as defendants along with unnamed election chief inspectors.
The filing is the latest controversy connected to Blanchard, and was lodged just a day after Blanchard was suspended from the bench following a 120-page state complaint that accuses her of several infractions, including bullying and other misconduct.
The probate judge is also the chief elections official in Jefferson County.
“Plaintiff alleges that Judge Yashiba Blanchard maintained a relationship with Defendant Patrick Sellers that raises concern regarding impartial election administration,” Blackmon writes.
For example, Blackmon notes that Judge Blanchard has hired two of Sellers’ sisters to her staff, including Deputy Probate Judge Jacqueline Knox, who leads the Bessemer office.
“Plaintiff alleges that these overlapping relationships are relevant to concerns regarding: impartial election administration, poll worker supervision, staffing assignments, election management and public confidence in the neutrality of election operations,” the complaint reads.
Specifically, Blackmon alleges that Blanchard invited her to dinner in January where she offered to pay Blackmon’s campaign expenses if she withdrew from the race against Sellers.
Blackmon also challenges the appropriateness of using Sellers’ church in Birmingham as a polling place, along with alleged impropriety at other sites in Birmingham and Midfield.
“Plaintiff further alleges that individuals serving as poll watchers or otherwise associated with polling activities escort voters into precincts and transported ballots to vehicles outside polling locations,” Blackmon says in her complaint.
Blanchard has been sidelined from her public duties following the state report alleging numerous violations of judicial conduct unrelated to Blackmon’s lawsuit.
While not directly related, Blackmon, in her complaint, said the state investigation should “raise additional public confidence concerns regarding election administration, impartiality, oversight and procedural integrity.”
Full Article & Source:
Suspended Jefferson County probate judge accused of election interference in new lawsuit
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Jefferson County judge suspended, complaint says she called herself “ultimate authority”
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