McDowell County Commissioner Chris Allison

This page will serve as a collection of public statements, policy positions, and social media posts made by McDowell County Commissioner Chris Allison.

I have a similar page covering McDowell County Commissioner Brenda Vaughn that was created a couple of years ago after noticing troubling posts that she made on Facebook and it is still being updated to this day. This page for Commissioner Allison is being created for the same reason that Commissioner Vaugn’s was created: to maintain a record of what public officials say and do so that they can be held accountable.

As a bit of background, Chris Allison appeared on my radar around July 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic (he was not officially commissioner-elect at that point, however there were only two seats open for the board of commissioners and he was one of two Republican candidates in the running, so his win was guaranteed after he won the primary. That is why I refer to him below as “commissioner-elect” even before it was official. He was officially sworn in on December 7 2020). Around the middle of 2020, he began to use his Facebook page to ostensibly downplay what was happening locally regarding the infection rate and mortality rate of COVID-19. I first mentioned this on my page covering the coronavirus in McDowell County, so I will begin this page by simply copying and pasting the same information from that page beginning around July 2020, and then I will update the page going forward in the same way I have kept up with Commissioner Vaughn’s page.

July 15, 2020: A side note: Chris Allison, who will be one of two new county commissioners beginning the next term, has spent the last month or so using his platform on Facebook to ostensibly downplay the virus in McDowell County: screenshot 1, screenshot 2, screenshot 3, screenshot 4. In his most recent posts, he made no reference to the fact that the virus has now made its way into assisted living facilities. Allison also thanked McDowell County Sheriff Ricky Buchanan for his announcement that the sheriff’s office would not be taking enforcement action against individuals or businesses for not wearing face coverings and, after one of Governor Cooper’s press conferences, Allison apparently felt compelled to announce how excited he is to vote for Dan Forest, among other Republicans, who recently said that “masks do not work with viruses.”

August 4, 2020: Again, county commissioner-elect Chris Allison is using his platform to downplay the seriousness of the virus. First the intention appeared to be an attempt to make it seem as though the numbers are overblown and unimportant (see the July 15, 2020 update above), and now he seems to be implying that the mandatory mask order from Governor Cooper is either not making a difference or it is making the situation worse or that masks themselves are not helpful. In his post he says, “Let’s look at the facts for McDowell County Covid-19 comparison of before and after Governor Cooper’s mask mandate:” [he then compares the numbers between two time periods, see screenshot 1] and he adds, “I’m afraid people think that masks are a shield of immunity. If you don’t wash your hands before you touch your mask, you are contaminating your mask. Try not to touch your mask while it is on your face. Wash your hands and keep your distance.” In the comments to that post, someone said, “If you don’t ever wash your cloth mask that was hand made.. then your hurting yourself as you continually breath in the same old germs.” Saying that someone might “breathe in the same old germs” doesn’t really line up with the available health information. Allison liked that comment, a tacit agreement about something that has no basis. Something else to note is that Allison has still not explicitly pointed out that a major difference between the two time periods he lists is that the virus has made its way into a nursing home. On July 30, 2020, Allison posted the following: “I want to make something clear. I share the latest McDowell County COVID-19 numbers provided by our Emergency Services team and Health Department. I share the numbers to keep the public informed. I understand that not everyone will take the time to check the text updates that most receive from the county, nor the daily updates on www.mcdowellem.com. It is important that we stay safe. I pray that God will keep a hedge of protection around us and everyone who has been effected by this virus. I pray for the loved ones that have suffered lost.” If Allison were honest, he would say that he is attempting to inform the public while adding his own twist to politicize and score points during a pandemic, but he would prefer to paint himself as an honorable and upright public official. [screenshot 1, screenshot 2, screenshot 3]

August 14, 2020: County commissioner-elect Chris Allison continues to post nonsense about Gov. Cooper’s mask mandate in order to imply that it isn’t helping while he refuses to point out (seemingly intentionally at this point) that the virus made its way into a nursing home and devastated the residents. Currently, 12 deaths out of the total 21 in McDowell County are attributed to residents at Deer Park Health & Rehab. Allison also posted Gov. Cooper’s salary in order to show how much Cooper has made since the the declared state of emergency by saying: “Today is day 157 since North Carolina was placed under a state of emergency. This means Cooper has made approximately $61,920.80 during the state of emergency. During the same time frame, businesses have had to shutdown for good. People have lost their jobs, their homes, their vehicles, and the list goes on. Kids have lost the opportunity to go to school and participate in extracurricular activities. I’m going to go out on a limb and say that this has affected us a lot more than Governor Cooper.” Has Cooper said or implied that the current situation has affected him more than the general public/business owners or is that a straw man argument that Allison constructed? Tough to say! On the one hand, Cooper has tried to keep people safe so that we don’t follow in the same footsteps as Florida, Texas, or New York and has pushed the state legislature to expand Medicaid and to increase unemployment benefits and for the federal government to do more to help individuals and businesses by giving state and local governments more funds to fight the pandemic, but on the other hand Republicans in the state legislature, Senate, and President Trump have either done nothing at all or intentionally obstructed the process, so who can say who’s in the wrong here? There’s simply no way to know! (screenshot 1, screenshot 2)

August 18, 2020: “Four of the state’s westernmost counties have higher per capita rates than Buncombe, with McDowell seeing the highest rate at 157 COVID-19 cases per 10,000 residents.” (As McDowell’s numbers trend downward, it would be nice if county commissioner-elect Chris Allison stopped his bad faith disinformation campaign and took a moment to at least acknowledged that McDowell has one of the worst rates in western NC.)

August 24, 2020: Trump visited Mills River, NC, and McDowell County commissioner-elect Chris Allison apparently went to the rally where there was no social distancing and very few people wearing masks during a pandemic. Allison said, “We had a blast with everyone.” (screenshot 1, screenshot 2, screenshot 3)

September 7, 2020: McDowell County commissioner-elect Chris Allison posted the following on Facebook: “Marked Safe from the Asheville Regional Airport Trump Rally two weeks ago today. Over 2,000 present. Everyone else still good?” More than 190,000 people have died from the virus in the United States so far. This future commissioner is making a joke about the pandemic. 26 people have died in McDowell County so far, half of which were nursing home residents. (screenshot)

October 12, 2020: Chris Allison posted pictures of himself posing with Republican candidates Madison Cawthorn (NC-11), Dan Forest (governor), and Mark Robinson (lieutenant governor). Each candidate has their own baggage, but Mark Robinson in particular has a history of anti-Semitic, racist, sexist, and homophobic statements on social media. (saved screenshot)

October 30, 2020: Allison made a conspiratorial post on Facebook, claiming that the Democratic Party and the media would somehow suppress Republicans from turning out to vote: “With the Democratic turnout lower than expected and considering everything the Democratic Party and the media have thrown at President Trump, I believe the Democratic Party and the news media have one more hoax fabricated to be released this weekend in attempt to mislead “We the People” and try to keep people away from the polls on Tuesday. DO NOT BE MISLEAD!!! PRAY FOR AMERICA AND GO VOTE FOR TRUMP!!!” (saved screenshot)

October 31, 2020: Commissioner-elect Chris Allison posted pictures of his children wearing “HIDIN FROM BIDEN / TRUMP 2020” shirts. Allison posted a similar picture on November 2, 2020, this time with himself and his wife in the picture. The children are the only ones wearing the shirts. The ostensible implication seems to be that Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden is a pedophile. There are indeed pictures showing Biden leaning uncomfortably close to children (and adults), however not many people go out of their way to politicize their own children in this way. (saved screenshot 1, saved screenshot 2)

November 4, 2020: After Chris Allison officially won the election for a seat on the board of commissioners, he acknowledged it by posting, “Thank you for your prayers and your vote for McDowell County Commissioner! I look forward to working hard for our county and our people.” (saved screenshot)

November 9, 2020: Commissioner-elect Chris Allison posted that he had created an account on Parler, sharing his handle for others to follow him there. Parler is described as the following: “Parler has a significant user base of Donald Trump supporters, conservatives, conspiracy theorists, and right-wing extremists. Posts on the service often contain far-right content, antisemitism, and conspiracy theories such as QAnon. Journalists have described Parler as an alternative to Twitter, and users include those banned from mainstream social networks or opposing their moderation policies.” (saved screenshot)

November 13, 2020: As public health officials warned about families gathering for Thanksgiving, and after the virus ravaged nursing homes in his own community, Commissioner-elect Chris Allison took to Facebook and posted the following: “Good luck to Cooper governing in my household and my family’s households. I wish him the best of luck on the enforcement of yet another unconstitutional order. You aren’t canceling our Thanksgiving. People should be praying to God instead of trying to take God out of everything. I’m tired of everything related to Christians (church, weddings, funerals, Thanksgiving, Christmas, family gatherings, etc…) being cancelled by some “all powerful” government officials.We can gather and still use something called Common Sense in keeping everyone safe.” (saved screenshot)

November 29, 2020: Commissioner-elect Chris Allison posted misinformation suggesting that there was mass voter fraud in the 2020 election: “A little math puzzle: 1.8 million mail-in ballots were sent out by the State of Pennsylvania. How many were returned? 2.5 million were returned. Voter turnout by mail-in ballot equals 139%. Overachievers. Obviously, these 700,000 votes are far more than the approximately 70,000 vote difference in PA.” This has been repeatedly debunked. (saved screenshot)

December 7, 2020: Two new county commissioners were sworn in Monday morning, including Chris Allison, who has downplayed and made light of the pandemic multiple times (see updates from July 15, August 4, August 14, August 18, August 24, and September 7 for detail). The other new commissioner is Patrick Ellis. They replaced Barry McPeters and Lynn Greene, both of whom have also downplayed the pandemic in the community (see updates from the first few paragraphs of this post as well as May 11 August 21 for detail on McPeters and Greene). At the monthly county commissioner meeting, both the Public Health Director Karen Powell and Emergency Services Director William Kehler pleaded with the public and leaders to set an example and wear a mask. During the meeting, none of the commissioners wore a mask (and they haven’t been wearing one). Allison released his first official statement as a county commissioner: “I appreciate everyone who came out to the swearing in ceremony this morning. I thank God for the opportunity to serve the wonderful people of McDowell County. I want to thank my wife, Savannah and our children, Tori, Evan, and Destiny for their continued support. I’m thankful for my parents and my wife’s parents for always being their to support me. I want to thank Rook and Roxan Wetzel for their support. I look forward to serving the people of McDowell County and I pray that I can help make a small difference.” (saved screenshot)

December 21, 2020: The McDowell County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to increase the pay of county government workers. According to the McDowell News, “Employees who work in the county’s public safety sector will see a 7.5% pay increase. These are employees for the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office, McDowell EMS and the 911 Center. All other county employees will see a 5% pay increase, according to County Manager Ashley Wooten. These increases become effective Jan. 1, 2021.” This vote came two weeks after Sheriff Ricky Buchanan went to the county commissioners about the need to pay his employees more. Pay increases are always good, but the favoritism is blatant. The commissioners voted swiftly — in just two weeks after hearing the initial request — to increase county pay, and even then the increased amount is higher for a specific group of employees. I suppose the implication is that the other workers are not as important or worthy. On December 22, 2020, Commissioner Allison even went out of his way to make his favoritism clear by posting, “A well deserved raise for all McDowell County employees. Thank you for your service to our community and I wish each of you and yours a very Merry Christmas. I’m proud to stand with a board that is FUNDING our law enforcement and emergency management department instead of defunding them. Again, thank you for your sacrifice and service to our county.” No one has seriously suggested to “defund” the McDowell County Sheriff’s Department or emergency services. There is no broad coalition of people demanding this. There have been, however, countless people in the community hoping that the commissioners would increase county pay more often, especially since the county commissioners like to brag about record retail sales (which means record tax dollars) seemingly every other year. Perhaps it is a coincidence, but Allison frequently congratulates, compliments, and draws attention to law enforcement workers and emergency services workers but never focuses on other county departments such as the department of social services (examples: post 1, post 2, post 3, post 4, post 5, post 6.) (saved screenshot 1, saved screenshot 2, saved screenshot 3, saved screenshot 4, saved screenshot 5, saved screenshot 6, saved screenshot 7).

January 6, 2021: Commissioner Allison continues to post conspiracy theories and misinformation, this time about the election in Georgia. In the post, Allison compares two screenshots of election returns from 11:15pm and 11:18pm on January 5, 2021 with the caption, “Here’s your vote dump. 11:15 vs. 11:18“. In the screenshot at 11:15pm it shows Republicans David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler ahead of their Democratic opponents. In the 11:18pm screenshot, it shows Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock in the lead. Allison’s implication is that, like post about Pennsylvania, the numbers do not line up and that something nefarious is being done. The sudden shift is because the results from larger cities, which lean Democratic, started to come in. Allison may not be aware of the concept, but this is what is known as “counting votes.” (saved screenshot)

February 4, 2021: Allison posted a picture of himself with NC Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson with the following caption: “Continue to stand firm Lt. Governor Mark Robinson. I pray for you and stand with you. May God bless you sir.” It is unclear why Allison decided to single out Robinson in this post. It is ostensibly related to Robinson being in the news lately because of his ahistorical opposition to new social studies standards for public schools, however even if the post is unrelated it is revealing that Allison has chosen to tell Robinson to “stand firm” considering that Robinson is supposed to headline an event with religious extremists and in late 2020, there were reports detailing Robinson’s homophobic, racist, and anti-Semitic comments for which Robinson said he was “not ashamed.” (saved screenshot)

[Note: This update was originally posted here, however I am adding it to this post as well as it includes a mention of Allison, bolded for emphasis] February 8, 2021: Tony Brown, chairman of the McDowell County Board of Commissioners, issued a statement confirming he has been sick with COVID-19 and pneumonia. See January 25, 2021 and February 3, 2021 updates for more detail/initial references to this. The McDowell News reports: “At the beginning of Monday’s meeting, Vice Chairman David Walker read a prepared statement from Brown. “I regret I am unable to attend tonight’s Board meeting,” read Brown’s statement. “As some of you are aware, I contracted COVID-19 several weeks ago from a family member. This was unrelated to any functions or meetings as my role of County Commissioner. The virus progressed to pneumonia and forced me to be admitted to the hospital. I am currently at home on the road to a speedy recovery. Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers.” The article continues: “On Monday, Jan. 25, the commissioners held their regular lunchtime meeting at the Universal Advanced Manufacturing Center but without Brown. At that time, county officials would not give clear answers as to why Brown was not present. However, rumors had circulated in the community that Brown had been hospitalized with COVID-19. When asked about those rumors last month, county officials declined to confirm or deny it. Brown has previously stated to The McDowell News about how he considers his health to be a private matter. Many other local, state and federal leaders have been candid about their COVID-19 struggles, urging those with whom they had been in contact to get tested. Later Monday’s meeting, County Manager Ashley Wooten said county staff is working to have the regular March meeting livestreamed so the public can watch it remotely. It will not be a Zoom meeting and the commissioners will still gather in the conference room of the Universal Advanced Manufacturing Center. But this would allow the public to see and hear the commissioners live from the safety of their homes.” […] “On Monday, Commissioners Patrick Ellis and Brenda Vaughn wore face masks throughout the meeting. County staff, such as Wooten and Kehler, and all others present wore face masks throughout the meeting. Walker and Commissioner Chris Allison did not wear face masks throughout the meeting.” Note that they will continue to hold in-person meetings and that the livestream will be for the public only. Two of the commissioners, David Walker and Chris Allison, continue to not understand and/or ignore the necessary precautions. This is all despite their colleague being hospitalized.

February 17, 2021: Allison shared an article of the news that Rush Limbaugh died and added his own caption: “My prayers are with Rush’s family. He will be greatly missed. Thank you sir for your endless stand for Patriotism and Conservatism.” In the 1980s during the AIDS epidemic, Limbaugh had a segment on his show in which he mocked people dying of AIDS and played certain songs to celebrate and laugh at their deaths. In 2012, he called Georgetown University law student Sandra Fluke a “slut” and “prostitute” on air because she had testified about the importance of birth control. Limbaugh invited a guest onto his show to sing a song titled “Barack, the Magic Negro” to the tune of “Puff, the Magic Dragon” and in 2016, Limbaugh read an essay on his show that was written by a white supremacist. When talking about the genocide of indigenous people, Limbaugh said, “Holocaust 90 million Indians? Only 4 million left? They all have casinos, what’s to complain about?” There is much more. But yes, Limbaugh will be greatly missed by Christians like Allison because of his “endless stand for Patriotism and Conservatism.” (saved screenshot)

March 31, 2021: Allison shared an article about declining church membership in the United States and included the following comments: “Church attendance declining is a direct reflection of why America has become so evil. In order to get our country back, we need God back in our everyday lives. America needs to put God first. Removing prayer and God from schools and aborting or murdering babies are examples of the pure evil of this country. It is by the grace and mercy of God that we still function as a country. 2 Chronicles 7:14. If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. I pray that God continues to bless America.” Allison seems to want a theocracy. Luckily we don’t live in one, at least not yet. Perhaps he should reflect on why people like him are driving others away from the church. (saved screenshot)

May 22, 2021: Allison posted a link to the YMCA of Western North Carolina’s mission statement and offered his criticism: “I figured everyone should see the YMCA (Young Men’s Christian Association) “mission” statement. You would think an organization, who has a mission “to put Christian principles into practice”, would not end their support of a fellow Christian community organization. Support the McDowell Pregnancy Care Center.” The YMCA decided to discontinue hosting the Walk For Life event that is put on by the McDowell Pregnancy Care Center. The Care Center is one of many “crisis pregnancy centers” which purport to help expecting mothers but they usually don’t receive all of the help that they need and the centers are meant to dissuade people from getting abortions even if that is what the mother wants or needs. Doctors have called the centers unethical. If you don’t support our local unethical and misleading pregnancy center, you ain’t a real Christian! (saved screenshot 1, saved screenshot 2)

September 2021: Throughout the month of September, Allison posted and shared multiple posts about COVID19 and deaths related to COVID19. He shared hospitalization numbers as well as posts about prominent people within the community like Garrett Presnell and Richelle Bailey, both who died from COVID19. He posted a lot about prayer requests and offered comforting words to the sick and deceased. It’s too bad he previously used his platform to downplay and joke about the virus.

October 6, 2021: Allison shared a post from Chet Effler, a Republican candidate for Marion City Council, in which Effler was critical of the City Council’s decision to not participate in a downtown Halloween event this year and encouraged people to avoid gatherings and to be safe. Allison added “Well said, Chet Effler.” to the shared post. There seems to be a belief that the City Council somehow canceled Halloween itself. They simply chose to not encourage the downtown event, in which some businesses hand out candy to children. Parents can still take their children elsewhere, and churches all across the county hold Trunk-or-Treat events. (saved screenshot)

October 11, 2021: Allison shared a picture of himself with North Carolina Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson that he originally posted when they were both just candidates, now with a caption that reads, “I stand with Lt. Governor Mark Keith Robinson!!! He is standing for the children of NC. Prayers for you and your wonderful wife, Yolanda Hill, in this fight.” This comes after a video recently surfaced of Robinson in June 2021 at a church where he referred to trans and gay people as “filth.” This is on top of what was previously mentioned months ago on this page, which is that Robinson has a history of anti-Semitic, racist, sexist, and homophobic statements on social media. Allison, who is supposed to represent and work for the whole of the community, made it clear that by “standing with” Robinson, he supports and agrees with his hatred and bigotry. (saved screenshot)

October 13, 2021: Allison posted the following: “Inflation=cost of living increases for everyone Crime=safety decreases for everyone Control=directly causes division All of the above=SOCIALISM. I want America back!!!Our country needs GOD!!! 2 Chronicles 7:14 KJV If my people, which are called by name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” Allison makes it clear he has no idea what he’s talking about. Absolutely zero understanding of what socialism is, just a reactionary post based in fear meant to scare everyone else in the community. What is his proposal or solution regarding inflation and crime? What does it mean that the country “needs God”? Is Allison proposing a theocracy? Is he suggesting the country is godless? Is it a veiled partisan attack? There are millions of Republicans and Democrats who are Christians, not to mention any of the other religions in the country. Allison offers no tangible solutions or policy ideas, just more scaremongering. (saved screenshot)

Commissioner Brenda Vaughn’s conspiracy theory problem

McDowell County Commissioner Brenda Vaughn has a tendency to spread conspiracy theories and hoaxes on her public Facebook profile while simultaneously using that profile to campaign for re-election.

In April 2018, shortly after Vaughn was sworn in as commissioner, two of her posts caught my eye.

The first was a picture of President Clinton next to some text which suggested Clinton helped cover up the death of Vince Foster. (her post has since been deleted) (here is an article that explains this conspiracy theory)

The second, which was much less shocking but points to a broader issue of Commissioner Vaughn having difficulty discerning what is and is not factual, was a hoax image claiming that Starbucks refused to serve Iraq veterans (this post was also deleted).

To be clear: the posts did not originate from Vaughn, she simply chose to share them on her account.

I emailed the McDowell News shortly after because it seemed noteworthy that a public official was using their platform in this way. The McDowell News did not respond until I emailed them again five months later in late September 2018.

On September 27, 2018, Vaughn posted a story from FrontPage Magazine, which was founded by David Horowitz and peddles conspiracy theories and half-truths. (her post is still up as of today, 10/27/2018) (saved screenshot)

The story’s headline: “Kavanaugh Accuser’s Lawyer is Vice Chair of Soros Funded Org Opposing Kavanaugh.”

The frequently-referenced boogeyman of the right, George Soros, has now been referenced by a local county commissioner. (Here is an article by Talia Lavin which helps lay out why these posts about Soros are anti-Semitic.)

When I saw that Vaughn posted the story, this again seemed noteworthy, so I emailed the McDowell News again. The editor of the McDowell News responded this time, and he stated they would print a letter to the editor “about my concerns” if I wanted to submit one. I appreciated the offer, but I chose not to do so. To be frank, since their guidelines required the publication of my first and last name and a partial address, I did not feel safe or secure in doing that and I did not feel as though I could adequately explain or describe the issue within their word limit.

Given the anti-Semitic implications of referencing George Soros, I thought it might make sense if the McDowell News questioned Vaughn, but I suppose they did not want to go down that route.

Although Vaughn does not have the broad reach of a federal or state representative, she does have some reach locally and she is choosing to use her Facebook account, which she also uses to campaign and speak as a county commissioner, as a way to spread those conspiracies. (saved screenshot)

On October 23, 2018, it was reported that an explosive device was found at Soros’ home. Throughout the week, other prominent Democratic leaders were targeted with similar devices.

On October 26, 2018, the alleged mail bomber was arrested. He apparently shared and bought into conspiracy theories related to George Soros.

That is ultimately why I contacted the McDowell News: because what Commissioner Vaughn is doing is dangerous and reckless. Spreading conspiracy theories, particularly those that revolve around specific people or groups of people, will feed into a broader hysteria which can have real consequences.

Even if it is in on a local, small scale, Vaughn helped stoke conspiratorial thinking and fear by posting that article. If she did so unintentionally, she is incapable of scrutinizing what she reads on the internet. If she did so intentionally, she is an enabler of anti-Semitism and dangerous conspiracy theories.

Public officials must be aware of what it is they share to the public, especially when they do not know who may be reading what they share.

The week of October 22, 2018 was a week of domestic terrorism which culminated in a shooting at a synagogue by someone who, based on initial reports, was fed a steady diet of anti-Semitic conspiracy theories.

Much of what is mentioned above is specific to Vaughn sharing the Soros article since I thought it was especially thoughtless given the broader implications. Going forward I will catalogue additional posts/shares by Vaughn if there are any. I believe elected officials need to be held to account, and I will attempt to do so.

UPDATES:

November 3, 2018: Vaughn shared a post that reads, “Tired of Trump haters blaming Trump for separating illegal families? THE LAW WAS PASSED IN 1997 by Bill Clinton.“
An inaccurate and misleading share by Vaughn. (saved screenshot)

November 6, 2018: Vaughn wins her election for McDowell County Commissioner, coming in at the number one spot out of five candidates on the ballot.

November 21, 2018: Vaughn decided to announce that she does not understand the function of the judicial branch of the government. Bonus: one of the comments on the post mentions Soros and Vaughn liked that comment. (saved screenshot) Quote below:

“Who, Other than myself is completely sick of the:
“A judge struck down”
Just who died and gave a judge the almighty power to over rule everything????????”

November 24, 2018: Vaughn shared an image with a message that originated from a Facebook group that existed to satirize and rile up conservatives. (saved screenshot)

January 9, 2019: Vaughn shared an image stating Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14) is not fit to represent Americans in Congress, apparently forgetting that New York’s representatives are not elected by gullible Facebook users in North Carolina. (saved screenshot)

January 21, 2019: Vaughn shared a viral post filled with lies and deceptive exaggerations regarding public assistance and undocumented immigrants. (saved screenshot)

January 22, 2019: Vaughn shared an alarmist image forcing the reader to imagine the conservative fantasy in which everyone’s guns are taken away and history is erased. (saved screenshot)

January 24, 2019: Vaughn again decided to announce that she does not understand how another branch of the government works, this time the legislative branch, in the context of the government shutdown. (saved screenshot) Quote below:

How in the name of common sense did we get to a place in our country that allows the Speaker of the House to dictate directions that over ride the President of the United States? How is one party able to withhold food from its citizens table simply because they have a beef with the President. Especially when in the past they said we need exactly what the President is asking for. Is this democracy or the beginning of dictatorship ? WAKE UP AMERICA. OUR GOVERNMENT IS BEING CORRUPTED AT A NEW LEVEL. REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT I DONT CARE THIS IS WRONG.

January 24, 2019: Vaughn shared a post that misrepresents the purpose and function of the Reproductive Health Act which was recently signed into law in New York. (saved screenshot)

March 26, 2019: Vaughn shared an image which refers to “Spygate,” a conspiracy theory that claims the “deep state” was spying on and working to undermine Trump’s presidential campaign. (saved screenshot)

April 18, 2019: One minute after celebrating her one-year anniversary as county commissioner, Vaughn shared an image showing the second plane crashing into the Twin Towers on 9/11 with text above that reads, “Every time a Muslim stand up in Congress and tells us they are going to change the constitution, impeach our president, or vote for socialism, remember you swore you would never forget. They swore they would destroy us from within.” (saved screenshot) The Islamophobic image is presumably in reference to Rep. Ilhan Omar (MN-5), who has been in the news recently. Omar was on a hit list compiled by white nationalist Coast Guard Lt. Christopher Hassan. After Trump targeted Rep. Omar with an Islamophobic video of his own which selectively distorts her words, the congresswoman received more death threats.

April 18, 2019: Vaughn shared a vague, conspiratorial-sounding post which reads, “Many Americans have no idea how close they are to losing their country.” The post originated from a Facebook page titled “Rino Swamp.” The page is filled with hoaxes, conspiracies, misleading information, and outright lies. (saved screenshot)

May 6, 2019: Vaughn shared an image of Rep. Ilhan Omar (MN-5) with text on the image that reads, “IMPEACH ILHAN OMAR. Who else isn’t afraid to repost this?” Bonus: someone left a comment which reads, in part, that Rep. Omar “is a threat to America” and Vaughn liked that comment. Without any specifics given as to why Rep. Omar should be impeached or how she is a “threat to America,” it seems reasonable to assume Vaughn is simply Islamophobic. (saved screenshot)

August 21, 2019: Vaughn posted a list of what she believes is taking place in her invented version of the United States: guns are/will be taken from law-abiding citizens, open borders are/will be established, and unborn children are/will be killed. (saved screenshot) Quote below:

Take law abiding citizens guns- with so called gun control!
Open our borders!
And
Kill our Unborn Children.
Lord … what has happened to the country that was founded on Biblical Principles???

August 23, 2019: Vaughn shared an image expressing her support for testing welfare recipients for drug use despite the multitude of evidence contradicting its efficacy. (saved screenshot)

August 31, 2019: Vaughn shared an article from 2016 from Life Site News which is an anti-choice website founded by the Campaign Life Coalition, a conservative Canadian lobbyist organization. The article’s story seems to be broadly based on real events but the quotes are suspect: they are nowhere to be found other than on similarly dubious websites. The subject matter is outdated and therefore decontextualized: Ireland overturned its abortion ban in 2018. (saved screenshot)

September 22, 2019: Vaughn shared an image expressing, again, her support for testing welfare recipients for drug use. The image specifically references Florida, Kentucky, and Missouri for being “the first states that will require drug testing when applying for welfare.” Drug testing in Florida lasted approximately four months. The results: only 2.6 percent tested positive and “the requirement cost more money to carry out than it saved.” Drug testing in Missouri produced similar results. Drug testing in Kentucky does not even appear to have made it past being a legislative proposal. (saved screenshot)

September 28, 2019: Vaughn shared an article from Life Site News titled “If Christians don’t personally engage in politics, it’s all over for America.” The anti-gay screed was written by Robert Marshall, a former Virginian politician. One of the tags on this article is “LGBT Tyranny.” The article is especially concerning in the context of Vaughn’s role as a public official who can create local policy and has some power when it comes to hiring and firing people, even if only partially or indirectly. (saved screenshot)

December 20, 2019: Vaughn shared a post that refers to impeachment, which Congress has the constitutional authority to conduct, as “an overthrow.” (saved screenshot)

January 1, 2020: Vaughn shared a post which is a collection of unrelated facts and vague half-truths that are organized into a list meant to create the appearance of a larger conspiracy theory. The first three points attempt to suggest there was a quid pro quo between President Obama and Pearson Publishing that the the FBI “discovered,” and that discovery led to the resignation of Pearson’s CEO. The last three points attempt to suggest that Obama helped James Comey, Joe Biden, Andrew McCabe, and John Brennan secure book deals with Macmillan Publishers and it attempts to tie Obama to Jeffrey Epstein by pointing out that Macmillan Publishers was, at one point in time, bought by Robert Maxwell (he died in 1991), who was the father of Ghislaine Maxwell, who allegedly helped recruit and traffic young girls for Epstein. (I guess Vaughn wanted to start 2020 off strong with this post.) (saved screenshot)

January 7, 2020: Vaughn shared an image of the Statue of Liberty with text on it that reads, “Print from 1886 STILL STANDS TRUE TODAY…” and it continues, “There is room in America and brotherhood for all who will support our institutions and aid in our development. But those who come to disturb our peace and dethrone our laws are aliens and enemies forever.” The words are in fact from 1886, but of course they are decontextualized. The original quote also includes these words: “The rays from this beacon, lighting this gateway to the continent, will welcome the poor and the persecuted with the hope and promise of homes and citizenship. It will teach them that there is room and brotherhood for all who will support our institutions and aid in our development; but that those who come to disturb our peace and dethrone our laws are aliens and enemies forever.” (saved screenshot)

January 7, 2020: Vaughn shared an article titled “Trump warns evangelicals: Democrats want to impose ‘anti-religious agenda’ on America” from The Christian Post. Taking cues from President Trump as if he is a religious authority is an interesting choice. (saved screenshot)

January 12, 2020: Vaughn shared an image of Rep. Ilhan Omar (MN-5) juxtaposed with a picture of a blurred-out body being dragged by a truck. The caption on Rep. Omar’s picture reads, “EVERY TIME I SEE HER FACE / I THINK OF WHAT THEY DID TO OUR SOLDIERS WHEN WE BROUGHT THEM FOOD” and the second picture has the text “SOMOLIA / 1993” on it. After a few minutes of searching, I found the original picture (alternative link) which was taken by Feisal Omar of Reuters. This is the caption from Reuters: “Somali government soldiers drag the body of an Al Shabaab fighter killed during fights south of Mogadishu August 24, 2010. Gunmen in army uniforms stormed a hotel in the Somali capital Mogadishu frequented by government officials on Tuesday, killing at least 31 people including legislators, the government said. REUTERS/Feisal Omar” (saved screenshot)

(Chaser: Vaughn shared an image two days later of a man sitting in church with a quote that reads, “A PERSON’S CHARACTER IS SHOWN THROUGH THEIR ACTIONS IN LIFE, NOT WHERE THEY SIT ON SUNDAY.” Vaughn shared the picture of Rep. Omar at 9:34am on January 12, 2020 — a Sunday.) (saved screenshot)

January 13, 2020: Vaughn, a local politician with no self-awareness, asked her Facebook audience, in essence: “Do you trust politicians?” (saved screenshot)

January 18, 2020: Vaughn shared an image of Joe Biden with text that reads, “THE DEMOCRATS ARE TRYING TO IMPEACH A PRESIDENT FOR TRYING TO EXPOSE A CRIME, AND THEN ELECT THE PERSON WHO COMMITTED THE CRIME!” Regarding Ukraine/Hunter Biden, what Joe Biden did was not criminal. The premise is entirely conspiratorial and delusional. Nepotistic and unethical? Absolutely. Criminal? No. The post originated from a Facebook group named “Drain The Swamp.” The group is filled with misattributed and fabricated quotes, xenophobic and Islamophobic nonsense, much of it targeting Representatives Ilhan Omar (MN-5) and Rashida Tlaib (MI-13). (saved screenshot)

January 20, 2020: Vaughn posted an image featuring an illustration of Martin Luther King, Jr’s likeness and a quote from him that reads, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” Vaughn’s comment with the image reads, “So true. We need to read this and apply it to our hearts and minds… It seems that hatred is driving today’s decisions in all aspects of life. Prayer changes things, we must change our hearts before we can change our attitude and actions.” This is from the person who simultaneously spreads hatred and lies about Muslims and people who receive public assistance. (saved screenshot)

January 27, 2020: Vaughn posted an image of Representatives Adam Schiff (CA-28), Nancy Pelosi (CA-12), Elijah Cummings (MD-7), and Jerry Naddler (NY-10) with text that reads, “HAVEN’T YOU FIGURED IT OUT YET? IT’S NOT ABOUT TRUMP’S ‘CORRUPTION’ / IT’S ABOUT MAKING SURE YOU DON’T FIND OUT ABOUT THEIR CORRUPTION.” More peddling of conspiracies by Vaughn. (saved screenshot)

January 30, 2020: Vaughn shared an image of the alleged whistleblower in the Trump-Ukraine scandal. The image features a mixture of lies, conspiracy theory, and unrelated factoids with the intention of painting the alleged whistleblower as some sort of Democratic operative so as to discredit the investigations of Trump and his impeachment. It is difficult to parse each point because the whistleblower has not actually been confirmed, and a handful of members of Congress have also attempted to out the whistleblower which may endanger their life. (saved screenshot)

January 31, 2020: Vaughn shared an image of Rep. Jim Jordan (OH-4) featuring a quote that was originally posted on his Twitter account. Rep. Jordan is famous for rattling off a mixture of lies and unrelated, decontextualized facts so that he can reorient those lies and facts into a story about something that did not happen. (saved screenshot)

February 2, 2020: Vaughn shared a post regarding gun laws and crime statistics in Australia. The post is, of course, nonsense from a decade ago that has already been debunked. (saved screenshot)

February 3, 2020: Vaughn shared a video titled, “Joe Biden bragging about using his power to hold up $1 billion in U.S. loans unless Ukraine” which again is meant to imply that Biden either did something wrong or that Trump did not do anything wrong because Biden did the same thing. The comparison is a false equivalence. (saved screenshot)

February 10, 2020: Vaughn posted a picture showing a notice that was sent out by the NC State Board of Elections letting people know that voters will not be required to present photo ID in the upcoming March 2020 primary. She added a simple caption: “Voters ID Not Required“

Of course, she couldn’t restrain herself to keeping it strictly informational. She posted  more in the comments below her picture:

We the people in North Carolina voted to require Photo Voter ID- A female judge in Virginia some way declared it unconstitutional in her opinion and has won a stay on the action. I think it is wrong that she could put a stop to what we voted. WE need LESS Government not More….

Again, Vaughn decides to reveal that she does not understand (or approve of) how the separate branches of government work. Unless I am overlooking the obvious, I have no idea where “in Virginia” comes from. The judge who released the decision was Loretta Biggs who is in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. Also: “WE need LESS Government not More….” …and we’re going to accomplish that by voting to amend the state constitution which will force the state government to enact voter ID which county governments must then follow. Got it. (saved screenshot)

February 22, 2020: Vaughn posted a comment after the results of the Nevada Democratic caucuses came in:

Ok…. Wow…. Now everyone that is excited about Bernie Sanders winning the Nevada Caucuses… Go ahead and send me 1/2 your monthly income, and the keys to the beach house I will have the right to just move into since you have a couple more…. Wake Up People… Wake UP….. Old Joe he don’t want to work…. And you are a good working citizen, since you work so hard to make an honest living Ole Bern will send him part of your income since old Joe just don’t want to work…

Vaughn, with an apparent penchant for letting people know just how ignorant she is, does not appear to understand what Bernie Sanders believes, what his policy proposals are, or what socialism is. (saved screenshot)

March 17, 2020: Vaughn shared a post about the coronavirus pandemic which was surprisingly rational and measured. It explains that drastic action is being taken across the country and the world not because of hysteria, but because there is a legitimate need to reduce the stress on health care systems. The problem, however, is that Vaughn is a county commissioner and as of March 18, 2020, the county of McDowell has not taken the necessary drastic measures to reduce physical interaction. Perhaps she is pushing for drastic measures and the other commissioners have been reluctant, but the public wouldn’t know either way because communication has been severely lacking regarding their plans or ideas. On March 14, Governor Roy Cooper ordered public K-12 schools to close for two weeks. On March 17, he ordered restaurants and bars closed except for delivery and takeout. (saved screenshot)

***A brief pause in covering Vaughn’s online activity to focus on another McDowell County commissioner, Barry McPeters, Sr., and a local church leader in the context of the coronavirus pandemic and how it is impacting the local community***

On March 14, McPeters posted an invitation on Facebook announcing the time of different church services for the following day, Sunday, March 15. On the invitation, he wrote, “Yes! we are having Church…! SIN has infected & killed more people than the coronavirus has or ever will. JESUS is the Shot & antidote.“

Later that same day, McPeters posted again, this time sharing a video of Ron Baity, the pastor of Berean Baptist Church in Winston-Salem, in which Baity compares the coronavirus to the flu in order to downplay its seriousness and encourage people to go to church. In McPeters’ post, he himself downplayed the virus and again invited people to church:

“Listen to Dr Ron Baity give real statistics. Wake up people. Walmart was almost as busy today as Christmas. Ingles was non stop, Restaurants busy as all get out… I understand precautions. I worked in healthcare for 26 years paid and 31 volunteer… and been teaching 32 years, 6 in High School…. The flu is still waiting to peak at end of March & into April… I just shake my head in amazement.

Turkey Cove Baptist Church is still having Church tomorrow, come visit if your church has cancelled..!! And I have to work Monday at school”

In the comments below the post, someone questioned McPeters and replied, “You don’t seem to understand the risk you are putting on your seniors.” McPeters posted two lengthy responses in which he continued to downplay the risk/compare the virus to the flu. One part of his response stands out: “God isn’t going to hold it against us if we don’t have church due to an outbreak, but it is also not at that point either, as he is not going to hold it against us for having Church.“

This recklessness came even as North Carolina’s governor declared that, among other orders, public schools would be closed for at least two weeks. The World Health Organization declared it a pandemic on March 11. The gravity of the situation had apparently not set in yet.

Thankfully, by the next Sunday, March 22, the church decided to move its services online for the time being. (saved screenshots: 1, 2, 3, 4)

On March 24, the first two confirmed cases of coronavirus in McDowell County were announced.

The next day, on March 25, a third person tested positive, and it was confirmed that the first two cases are the pastor of New Manna Baptist Church and his wife, Tony and Rebecca Shirley. The church has hundreds of members. The McDowell News attempted to ask Shirley where he believed they may have been exposed and he declined to answer, replying, “I will let our statement and the public statement that the health department put out answer all further questions.”

Luckily, more information is readily available through Shirley’s public Twitter account where he laid out a timeline:

• On March 10, Shirley retweeted First Baptist Church of Hammond, Indiana. They posted a document which laid out how to minimize the spread of the virus and what to do if you are sick.
• (On March 11, the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic.)
• On March 12, he tweeted that he was on his way to the airport to go to Philadelphia so that he could preach at Liberty Baptist Church.
• On March 16, he tweeted, “Upgraded to first class and no one sitting beside me…Not very many behind me either! Coronavirus meant it for evil but God has worked it for my good!” and included a picture from inside the plane to show the empty seats.
• On March 18, he tweeted, “Excited to have church tonight – with a few in person and with the rest online!“
• On March 23, he tweeted, “With my recent travels/contacts and my wife’s fever, local health offocials asked us to be tested today. Now we wait…prayers appreciated“
• On March 24, he announced their test results, “Thanks for praying. Me and Becca both tested positive today for COVID19. God is always good and that includes right now! We want Him to be glorified through this.“

(saved screenshots: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)

***End of brief pause; back to Vaughn’s posts!***

April 27, 2020: Vaughn shared an article from 2017 titled “U.S. Has 3.5 Million More Registered Voters Than Live Adults — A Red Flag For Electoral Fraud” and it is, of course, a mixture of true and false information pieced together in order to propagate and amplify “voter fraud” lies and nonsense. (saved screenshot)

May 20, 2020: Vaughn posted an image of Jeff Foxworthy with a caption that reads, “If you think the CoronaVirus panic in an election year right after 3 failed Coup attempts against Trump is a coincidence? You might be dumb as a rock!” Below that is another caption that reads, “DEEPSTATE FOR DUMMIES.” (saved screenshot, saved screenshot 2)

June 20, 2020: Vaughn shared a post that reads, “If the police are going to be defunded, so should welfare, food stamps and free medical care. If you don’t need police, you can take care of yourself on every level.” Here Vaughn is endorsing the wholesale punishment of poor and vulnerable people if the police were to be defunded (which often simply means a reduction in their budget rather than elimination). She is again expressing her contempt for poor and vulnerable people. She is also ignorantly conflating the two: the police and public assistance programs do not have the same purpose or function. To state the obvious, the police cannot and do not provide Food and Nutrition benefits or Medicaid coverage. (saved screenshot)

July 20, 2020: Vaughn shared a post that reads, “Remember that feeling when the second plane hit the twin towers & we realized America was under attack You should feel that again.” Invoking a terrorist attack that killed ~3,000 people and resulted in the “War on Terror” in order to compare it to… what? Alarmist and delusional fearmongering. (saved screenshot)

August 29, 2020: Vaughn shared a post that reads, “No longer will I watch NASCAR, NFL, NBA. Who will post this” ostensibly because NASCAR now prohibits the display of the confederate flag: “The presence of the confederate flag at NASCAR events runs contrary to our commitment to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all fans, our competitors and our industry,” NFL commissioner Goodell said, “we were wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier and encourage all to speak out and peacefully protest,” and because NBA players dared to take a knee during the National Anthem as the season restarted. The horror! (saved screenshot)

September 13, 2020: Vaughn shared a post from a McDowell County resident who alleged that workers at the local Sonic Drive-In mocked police officers by making pig noises over the speaker and also refused service to the resident’s family because of their relation to the police. The story turned out to be a mixture of lies and exaggerations. The original post was deleted but Vaughn never deleted her post sharing it. By the time the original post was deleted, hundreds of people had shared the fabricated story and commented that they would either go complain to corporate or refuse to go to Sonic Drive-In again. (saved screenshot)

September 23, 2020: Vaughn posted a picture of Mark Robinson, candidate for lieutenant governor of North Carolina, at a “Back the Blue” fundraiser in Haywood County. There did not appear to be any masks or social distancing at the indoor event. Conspiratorial and anti-Semitic Facebook posts from Robinson recently came to light. From a WRAL article: “On Facebook, the Republican nominee for North Carolina lieutenant governor says Hollywood is demonic. He bashes Black people for giving their ‘shekels’ to satanic or Jewish movie producers. He insults famous women and sees cultural acceptance of homosexuality as part of a slide toward pedophilia and ‘the end of civilization as we know it.'” He did not apologize or distance himself from his previous comments, either: “‘Absolutely,’ Mark Robinson, a Greensboro man making his first run for public office, said this week. ‘I’m not ashamed of anything that I post.'” (saved screenshot)

October 22, 2020: Vaughn posted the following conspiratorial nonsense:

I am sitting here watching a debate. I am just wondering who is typing notes and pointers to Ole Joe that he is reading to get his responses from…. I am a Republican and I do support Trump- however I also do realize there is an election going on- the out come of this pending election will place one of the two men on this stage as the President.
Will Vice President Biden have to have a note pad of answers before him so he can respond to events that he is faced with if he is placed in this important role? I have not saw one time President Trump need the assistance of notes to assist his responses.
Wake up America. This is your country and your freedom at stake. Make a choice you have prayed over… Make a choice you, your children, and your grand children can live with.

Wake up America. Do you want someone who goes into a debate prepared and ready to take notes or do you want someone who doesn’t read much of anything and lies incessantly? (saved screenshot)

January 26, 2021: Vaughn shared a post wherein she makes sure everyone is aware of her contempt for the needy. Surprisingly, the sophomoric diatribe in question seems to be real and correctly attributed. The original piece is from April 2019. The Facebook post that Vaughn shared is from November 2019. I wonder if anything happened between then and now? Anything of note from 2020 that might have made people doubtful or distrustful of the institutions that are supposed to protect them? Did anything happen in 2007-2008 that may have fundamentally impacted millions of impressionable young people? The gist of the rant is that poor people, and in particular young people, should not feel bad about their lot in life because other people on Earth are poorer than they are. (saved screenshot)

January 26, 2021: Vaughn posted what is essentially a chain email about the rapture. Now that Joe Biden is president, it’s time to start talking about the anti-Christ again, I guess (and about the Mark of the Beast and “Marshall” law). I do not believe she typed it herself, it was likely copied and pasted elsewhere as it encourages others to continue posting it, but it is indicative of the way that she views the world. When Democrats are in power, the lens through which all events are interpreted apparently becomes much more delusional. (saved screenshot)

January 28, 2021: Vaughn posted another chain letter, this time stating that the United States was “founded on Christian principles” and that Christians are persecuted. The post seems to suggest that proclaiming you are a Christian in the United States (!) is a brave act. Again, the professional victimhood ramps up whenever Democrats are in power. Christians are not ostracized or oppressed in any meaningful way in the United States. (saved screenshot)

February 3, 2021: Vaughn stated the following in a now-deleted post: “Who is with me and really honestly and truly does not at all care what ‘Fauci’ recommends nor believe a word that he speaks.” Someone responded to Vaughn in an attempt to gently quell her concerns about Fauci, and then Vaughn responded by saying that she agrees with distancing, wearing a mask (even though she never wore a mask at the county commissioner meetings until chairman Tony Brown was allegedly hospitalized with the virus), and washing hands. Vaughn then doubled down and launched into conspiratorial nonsense: “What my issue is, the way he changes with the wind on his recommendations. And the knowledge that he has a vested interest in the very research lab that it seems was the specific lab that the Covid-19 Virus appears to have originated and released from. It breaks my heart all the loss of lives and debilitating life long struggle issues this virus is leaving in its path.” There are legitimate criticisms of Fauci, but what Vaughn posted is debunked and dangerous, particularly as a leader who should be modeling safe and scientific precautions rather than injecting more doubt into the community. (saved screenshot 1, saved screenshot 2)

February 13, 2021: Vaughn posted an article with the headline “NC’s Burr among GOP senators seen as possible votes against Trump,” her caption reads: “Flood his office in Washington with calls…(202) 224-3154Tell him – Not to Vote to Impeach President Donald Trump…” This was not a vote to impeach Trump. That vote already took place in the House and Trump was impeached. The second vote was a vote to convict him. Vaughn liked multiple replies to her post, including people referring to the Republican Party as a “disgrace” and “backstabbers.” Someone asked how Trump could be impeached since he’s no longer in office and Brenda replied to that person with the following: “It is the absolute craziest thing I have ever heard. I think its like kids playing a board game- they are making rules as they go to suit themselves.” (Trump was impeached the second time while still in office; these people do not understand what “impeachment” means nor do they understand what the process entails.) The same person replied again to Vaughn with “do tell! Bottom line they are terrified of him [Trump] because he can ruin their piggy banks and power. Its sickening!” Vaughn liked their response. Another person: “It is all cut and dried for the Democrats” (even though seven Republicans joined the Democrats and voted to convict Trump). Vaughn liked the comment. Another: “YOU OLD TRAITOR!!! YOU WILL NEVER BE ELECTED TO ANY OFFICE EVER AGAIN!!!!!!!HOW DARE YOU!!!!!!” (Sen. Burr has already announced he is not running for office again.) Vaughn liked the comment. Another: “His GreatGrandDad was a turn-coat also. This nut didn’t fall very far from the original tree. Time for BURR TO BURR OFF! ON TO THE NEXT ELECTION!” Vaughn liked the comment. Another, this one from Old Fort Alderman Andrew Carlton: “BURR HAS LOST MY SUPPORT…I will call him Monday morning and tell him personally.” Vaughn liked Carlton’s comment. Another, from McDowell County Commissioner David Walker: “Already called and left a message stating my displeasure with his Vote today.” Vaughn liked Walker’s comment. The reason I laid out each of these comments and pointed out that Vaughn liked them is because many in the Republican Party today demand fealty to one man: Donald Trump. It is disturbing, anti-democratic behavior for people who live in a democracy to demand this kind of loyalty to a politician, but it is another thing entirely that they continue to demand it for someone who is no longer in office. The comments are not even in response to an outcome that they did not want; the vote to convict Trump did not reach the required 67 votes and Trump was therefore acquitted. Vaughn and the others are upset and angry because a Republican dared to step out of line for even a moment (Burr voted in line with Trump 89.3% of the time!). Burr was censured by the North Carolina GOP after his vote, and his statement in response was apt: he said it was “truly a sad day for North Carolina Republicans. My party’s leadership has chosen loyalty to one man over the core principles of the Republican Party and the founders of our great nation.” (saved screenshot 1, saved screenshot 2)

February 19, 2021: Vaughn shared a now-deleted YouTube video with the caption “Interesting Listen…” The video’s title was “Trumps “Decides” to take back the presidency from Joe Biden “Trumps will do it”” The video’s thumbnail preview includes the text “RIP! BIDEN” and “BREAKING NEWS: DO YOU BELIEVE TRUMPS?” next to a picture of Trump. There are also two images which appear to be edited pictures of Biden in handcuffs with one of his hands blurred out, ostensibly showing a middle finger, and the other is of Nancy Pelosi in handcuffs. I have no idea what the actual content of the video was, but if I had to bet I would assume it was conspiratorial in nature based on the title, text, and images alone (not to mention Vaughn’s own proclivity to believe and share similar drivel). You can find some evidence of the video being posted elsewhere, and it’s usually in places where other nonsensical videos are posted. (saved screenshot)

February 19, 2021: Vaughn shared a post of a poem titled “THE BATTLING BOYS OF BENGHAZI” that was allegedly written by an unnamed “Marine Corps officer” (I cannot find any legitimate source, all of the sources I can find are other people sharing it as if it came from elsewhere). The post includes an edited picture of Hillary Clinton, meant to make her look (I assume) sick and/or evil. The post ends with the following claim, emphasis mine: “Or do we act like the press and give a pass to the people who literally sat there in the White House and watched the SEALs’ execution on live streaming video and did absolutely nothing?” The claim is, of course, false. Republicans like Vaughn have latched on to the Benghazi event in such a way that they’ve made it into a spectacle that they’ve distorted and twisted until it no longer matches the reality of what actually happened. It seems noteworthy that Vaughn has not posted a single time about the law enforcement officers who were killed and injured from the January 6, 2021 insurrection. Not only was this under Trump’s watch, but Trump’s own words incited the event. Does he get a pass? (saved screenshot)

February 19, 2021: Vaughn shared an image from 2019 (!) of a picture of Trump with a (correctly-attributed, for once) quote from him that reads, “As I learn more and more each day, I am coming to the conclusion that what is taking place is not an impeachment, it is a COUP, intended to take away the Power of the People, their VOTE, their Freedoms, their Second Amendment, Religion, Military, Border Wall, and their God-given rights as a Citizen of The United States of America!” with additional text below the quote that reads, “Say True if you are praying for Mr. President and for America!” The quote and the claim itself are absolutely unhinged now just as it was unhinged when it was first tweeted by Trump in October of 2019. The process of impeachment is constitutional, it is not a coup. I question whether Vaughn realized the post was from 2019 or if she believes it was about Trump’s second impeachment as well. (saved screenshot)

March 15, 2021: Vaughn posted the following: “CALL and EMAIL Senators Tillis and Burr, and Mitch McConnell, and insist that they deny HR8 and HR1446 votes of cloture.” Former commissioner Lynn Greene replied, saying, “What they are going to do is make criminals out of good people. Enough is enough.” Vaughn responded to him and said, “this is so true.” H.R.8 and H.R.1446 are bills meant to expand background checks for firearm purchases and transfers as well as close loopholes. Support for expanding background checks is incredibly popular (citation 1, citation 2), so it’s no surprise that Vaughn would oppose something that the vast majority of the country is in favor of. (saved screenshot)

June 8, 2021: Vaughn shared a video from Candace Owens in which Owens rambles on about why people are not getting or should not get the vaccine. Vaughn, a county commissioner whose job it is to look out for her community as an elected leader, is using her reach on Facebook to promote anti-vaccine nonsense in the middle of a pandemic when there is currently a nationwide campaign to get as many people vaccinated as possible to avoid future waves of the virus. (saved screenshot)

July 2, 2021: Vaughn posted a picture of an article from the McDowell News titled, “McDowell businesses short on employees” and included a caption of her own: “No help from Governor Cooper.” The small-government conservative would now like for the state to help! Sarcasm aside, the McDowell News article itself doesn’t go into any sort of deep analysis as to why there might be a worker shortage, the implication seems to be that unemployment benefits are the reason for the lack of workers rather than the possibility that workers are changing careers and realizing that they are not valued or appreciated by customers or bosses, not to mention their low pay and lack of benefits. (saved screenshot)

August 9, 2021: Vaughn shared a post from Judicial Watch, a right-wing organization notorious for spreading anti-Semitic conspiracy theories and lies about electoral fraud. The post suggests there were shady dealings between Anthony Fauci and the virology lab in Wuhan, China which resulted in the creation of COVID-19. This claim has been repeatedly debunked and explained. Vaughn continues to use her platform to share misinformation which will only worsen the public’s trust in experts. (saved screenshot)

August 9, 2021: Vaughn shared a link to the McDowell County Emergency Services website, ostensibly to provide information to the public as COVID-19 cases are rising in the community, with a caption: “Please make smart choices and use good judgment as you interact with friends and neighbors in small or large groups.” Her encouragement of “smart choices” and “good judgment” comes the same day that she actively worked to erode the trust of the public and two months after she shared anti-vaccine nonsense. (saved screenshot)

August 15, 2021: Vaughn shared a picture filled with puerile, nationalistic, and ignorant drivel. Going down the list of some of what’s mentioned in the picture: Vaughn seemingly does not understand or realize that our borders are not open, the U.S. does not have an official language even though English is already the language that is primarily spoken by a vast majority of the people who live here, drug screening for public assistance is a waste of time and money that doesn’t produce any meaningful results other than to make conservatives feel good about their own cruelty, and “non-citizens” are already very rarely eligible for any “freebies.” Vaughn simply does not understand basic functions or forms of government nor does she understand which policies are actually effective. She is interested in punishment more than she is in meaningful solutions or helping people in general. (saved screenshot)

September 2, 2021: Vaughn posted a link to the page for the Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina, Mark Robinson, and included the following message: “Every day since being elected and sworn in as your Lt. Governor Mark Robinson has fought for North Carolina Citizens. He stands for what is right, he fights for what is right and he doesn’t ever back down. He has my complete support and respect. I am proud to also call him friend, because no matter who you are if you are standing on the right side of things he is your friend. Remember this when you think there is no one in Raleigh fighting for what is RIGHT Lt. Governor Mark Robinson is fighting for you and North Carolina 100%!!!” To reiterate a previous post on this page regarding Mark Robinson: Conspiratorial and anti-Semitic Facebook posts from Robinson recently came to light. From a WRAL article: “On Facebook, the Republican nominee for North Carolina lieutenant governor says Hollywood is demonic. He bashes Black people for giving their ‘shekels’ to satanic or Jewish movie producers. He insults famous women and sees cultural acceptance of homosexuality as part of a slide toward pedophilia and ‘the end of civilization as we know it.'” He did not apologize or distance himself from his previous comments, either: “‘Absolutely,’ Mark Robinson, a Greensboro man making his first run for public office, said this week. ‘I’m not ashamed of anything that I post.'” In June 2021, Lt. Gov. Robinson referred to trans and gay people as “filth.” By saying that Robinson has her “complete support and respect,” Vaughn, who is supposed to represent and work for the whole of the community, made it clear that she agrees with Robinson’s bigotry and hate. (saved screenshot)

September 4, 2021: Vaughn posted the following: “This Delta Variant is hitting way to close to everyone’s home. With a sad heart but with a strong faith in Almighty God today I kneel down in prayer, asking for a full recovery of those with Covid19 & Delta Variant and in pain, and yes Lord I’m asking You to protect and cover us with Your mercy and forgiveness. Please protect & strengthen Us, the elderly, children, adults, sick, front liners and caregivers who are exhausted but not giving up.May I request you to put this prayer message on your status, for at least one day. Let us be united in praying for one another.May the Almighty God, the ultimate Saviour bless us and have mercy upon us.” Prayers are nice, but again, it would be better if Vaughn hadn’t previously used her platform to spread misinformation and sow doubt about the dangers of COVID19 and the safety of the vaccine. (saved screenshot)

May 18, 2022: I have not updated this page since September 2021. It became exhausting keeping up with what Vaughn was posting in addition to everything else happening in the world and even locally (like COVID19 surges), however as of yesterday, it appears that Vaugn lost her re-election bid by 33 votes to former county commissioner Lynn Greene. I will stop updating this page now that Vaughn has lost unless something noteworthy happens while she is still in her role as commissioner. It may be worth watching what Greene posts or says as commissioner because he does have a bit of a history of controversial statements of his own; he downplayed the pandemic as one example. Ultimately, I wanted this page to serve as a list of how an elected official used their social media to spread conspiracy theories, lies, and other general nonsense. This shouldn’t happen, and if it does, that person should be held accountable for their words and actions. Elected and public officials in general have (or should have) a responsibility to serve all of their constituents in a helpful, inclusive, and rational way, in my opinion, and part of that means not using their social media accounts to spread this type of stuff. It could and should be used in much more helpful ways.