Today's Joshua Star newspaper reports that Johnson County Judge Roger Harmon took a moment at Monday's Commissioner's Court meeting to say that "As county judge and a member of the court, I can make motions and second motions, but when I call for a vote, unless you hear me say "aye", I have not voted."
If you're a leader then lead because we have enough squishy politicians to go around already. I'm not sure why he would choose to make such a statement because it seems to me the only point was to be on record saying he may not be on record. Not voting is a great political strategy for anyone who may want to cover their tracks later or have deniability when it suits them.
To not vote on something is to abstain and after three years in that court room I know the only time he ever mentioned an abstention on a vote was when he or another member of the court brought it up for a specific reason, usually due to an actual or perceived conflict of interest by himself or another member of the court.
To further complicate things the audio in the court room is so poor that it is difficult to hear specific members voting anyway. Judge Harmon usually calls for a vote in this manner: "All in favor "aye". (members vote) Any opposed? No one opposes, the motions carries." I know, I've heard it a thousand times. The point is he never says by how many members voting the motion carried.
I think Judge Harmon needs to decide if he will act as a voting county judge or a tie-break voting judge only and stick with it every time. This business of voting when it suits him to further only his agenda when his vote is needed is bad business and bad ethics.
A.J.
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