Benjamin Nowain
On July 2, District 2 Supervisor Tim Garman struck out with his attempted appointment of Nathan Pinkney to the Shasta County Elections Commission, a toothless entity created by MAGA District 4 Supervisor Patrick Jones to gain more control over local elections.
But there was no way Shasta County’s Board of Supervisors majority would approve Pinkney within a country mile of that commission, ostensibly rejected under the guise of questioning Pinkney’s moral character, a laughable accusation considering the board majority’s growing list of illicit behaviors and violations.
So board majority supervisors Patrick Jones, Chris Kelstrom and Chair Kevin Crye joined forces to vote against Pinkney, a move that caused Garman to later lash out against his board-majority colleagues.
District 2 Supervisor Tim Garman.
Here’s an excerpt:
“The board majority was not going to allow someone on the election commission who didn’t agree with their unfounded lies of Shasta County election cheating,” Garman said.
“They are the ones we should be afraid of. In fact, we should be terrified at this point.
For once, I just wished Crye could have the guts to tell the truth. Instead, he finds a way out with the “moral character” clause in the rules of who can be a member. What a joke that is coming from Crye. Isn’t Crye the one who put a plant in his own town hall so he could make sure he looked good? Crye is an admitted liar and continues to lie to the public and the board time after time. So much for “moral character,” huh?”
Now, 10 days later, Garman is stepping up to the plate again and pitching a new nomination to the Elections Board, Benjamin Nowain.
Benjamin Nowain is a frequent speaker at Shasta County Board of Supervisors meetings.
Nowain is no stranger to Shasta County politics. He’s a frequent public speaker at supervisors meetings where he often holds elected officials’ feet to the fire regarding what he sometimes sees as faulty decisions that harm the county and its people.
Nowain works for Shasta County as an analyst at Shasta County Health and Human Services. He also does freelance audio/video work for A News Cafe with his North State Breakdowns, such as this most recent episode that accused the board majority of hypocrisy.
Nowain grew up in Palo Cedro, and studied at City College of San Francisco. He is married to Jenny-O’Connell-Nowain, a fellow community activist. They have two children.
Benjamin Nowain and Jenny O’Connell at one of many Board of Supervisors meetings they’ve attended for many years.
Here’s what Supervisor Garman had to say about why he selected Nowain as his latest Elections Commission nomination:
“I have decided to appoint Benjamin Nowain to my open seat on the Shasta County Elections Commission. Benjamin will take the position seriously,” Garman said in a written statement.
“This will be an opportunity to show the residents of Shasta County that the two sides can work together. I have full confidence in Benjamin.”
Nowain weighs in
Asked about Garman’s nomination, Nowain submitted this statement to A News Cafe:
“I want to express my gratitude to Supervisor Garman for nominating me to the Elections Commission. It is an honor, and I am deeply committed to serving our community in this capacity.
I am passionate about the future of our democracy, and I recognize the critical importance of our elections. During my time on the Commission, I aim to focus on educating the public about the election process. Transparency and clear communication are vital, and I plan to create a mission statement that will help the community understand this Commissions’ goals and priorities.
It is important to me that all segments of our community, especially those who have placed their trust in our elections, feel represented. I am committed to supporting the elections office and ensuring that any changes to our election processes are both legal and ethical.
With over a decade of experience as an analyst, I have developed a keen ability to identify patterns and study laws, rules, and regulations. I intend to bring this expertise to the Commission to serve as a check and balance in our processes.”
The subject of Nowain’s nomination to the Elections Commission is expected to be addressed and voted on by the Shasta County Board of Supervisors at its July 23 meeting.
Will Garman hit a homerun with Elections Commission nominee Nowain, or will Garman strike out a second time?
Stay tuned. Bring popcorn.
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