Gag Order Issued In $1 Million Lawsuit

by Eugene L. Tinklepaugh - July 20, 2006 - Washington Daily News

Superintendent responds to allegations of abuses in spending, and power

A judge issued a gag order in a case pending against Beaufort County and involving a $1 million school-funding dispute.

The gag order, issued during a pre-trial conference Wednesday, means attorneys involved with the case can’t talk about it. A call to the civil clerk’s office confirmed the judge’s order, which also applies to the clerk assigned to the case when it is heard in court.

The conference was held to hear a motion for trial. The gag order prevents either side, including the clerk, from discussing details of that motion, whether the motion was granted or whether a continuance was granted.

The trial, scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. today for jury selection, may be postponed if the judge allows the request for a continuance made by the county’s special counsel in this case.

Brenda Edwards, the clerk in court Wednesday, said she didn’t know if the judge’s gag order applied just to the conference or is to be upheld throughout the trial. The order was not available at the close of the courthouse’s business hours Wednesday.

This is extraordinary. Once group of elected officials (BOE) is suing another group of elected officials (County Commissioners) over the issue of whether they first group is getting as much of the taxpayers money is they DESERVE. That is right. The BOE seems to think that spending more money than over a dozen countries who are doing a better job than they at edcuating children cannot be due to the fact that the BOE is incompetently spending the money they get. No. They don't have as much as they want so it automatically means the problem is that they deserve more money.