Photo by Bernie Scolaro from the December 5 meeting of the Woodbury County supervisors
Bernie Scolaro is a retired school counselor, a past president of the Sioux City Education Association, and former Sioux City school board member.
One of my first memories of political “participation” was proudly wearing a Nixon button in 4th grade. My father even took me to see President Richard Nixon pass through Tuckahoe, New York. The motorcade stopped, Nixon waved, and they left. A moment so brief I could have missed it if I blinked too long.
Nonetheless, I was in awe to see a president in person—a president who would later be the center of the Watergate scandal and would eventually choose to resign. (Years later as the lecture chairperson for my college, I would be introducing Nixon’s former counsel, John Dean, to talk about his role in the Watergate scandal.)
In 1976, I cast my first ever vote, for Jimmy Carter. I was a sophomore at LeMoyne College in Syracuse, New York so I voted by absentee ballot. I cannot tell you why I chose him or what I thought of his eventual presidency. I can tell you that he is one of the presidents in my lifetime for whom I have developed a deep admiration. After leaving the White House, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter spent years building houses for Habitat for Humanity. I am in awe of their truly unselfish work throughout the latter years of their lives. A true partnership of working together and serving others.
In November, a federal jury convicted Kim Taylor, wife of Woodbury County Supervisor Jeremy Taylor, of 52 counts of voter fraud and other election-related offenses. She was charged with fraudulent voting, fraudulent registration, and providing false information in registering and voting, all for the purpose of helping her husband win elections in 2020. Prosecutors named Jeremy Taylor as an unindicted co-conspirator in that case.
I attended the December 5 meeting of the Woodbury County supervisors, where Jeremy Taylor stepped down as vice chair of the board, but was adamant that he would not resign from his elected office. Among other things, he said during that meeting,
I was elected by the people of this county to do a job and I take that very seriously and work hard to do the absolute best job I can. They hold us accountable every four years.
I’m appreciative tonight about weighing in on what the right thing is for any other elected official. And I’m appreciative of the process that is in the hands of the people, as it always should be. Not the auditor or the board majority, though I respect each one of your opinions. But I also respect the due process of every individual.
I sat in the back of the room and rolled my eyes once too many times. Let me get this straight. He conspired with his wife to gain fraudulent votes to improve his chance of winning, but he respects the process and the “voters” who made the decision to elect him? What?
Jeremy Taylor’s words seemed to me as incredulous and insincere as a George Santos resume. His refusal to resign also mirrors that same former member of Congress. Am I asking too much of Supervisor Taylor to follow Nixon’s ultimate decision?
Jeremy Taylor should resign immediately from his position as a Woodbury County Supervisor. For the voters he cheated. For the integrity of our county and local political institutions, especially the Woodbury County Board of Supervisors. For his wife—to be by his wife’s side instead of behind his nameplate.
Someday, the Taylors could give back to the community. They could even volunteer for Habitat for Humanity. A true partnership of working together and serving others.