Recall

Beyond the John West Recall: What the Court Records Really Show
County Politics / Election / Lawsuit / Local News / Recall

Beyond the John West Recall: What the Court Records Really Show

In the defamation lawsuit filed by former Josephine County Commissioner John West against Jay Meredith (author of the John West recall allegations), the early court proceedings followed a distinct path before reaching a procedural conclusion. The Early Rulings: Establishing Legitimacy During the initial phase of litigation, the defense filed an Anti-SLAPP motion in an attempt to dismiss the lawsuit early on the grounds that it targeted protected public speech. Presiding over the case, Judge Galli…

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September 4, 2026
Procedural Timeline: John West v. Jay Meredith (Case No. 25CV43500)
County Politics / Election / Lawsuit / Local News / Local Politics / Recall

Procedural Timeline: John West v. Jay Meredith (Case No. 25CV43500)

Former Josephine County Commissioner John West filed a $2 million defamation lawsuit against Jay Meredith. The suit targeted a "recall dossier" and various news articles published during and after West’s December 2024 recall election. While the lawsuit survived initial challenges, it was ultimately dismissed on a strict statutory timeline technicality rather than the actual truth of the statements. The Three Court Hearings February 25, 2026 – Anti-SLAPP Motion Denied: Judge Galli denied the defendant's Anti-SLAPP…

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June 23, 2026
Legal Updates: John West Litigation
County Politics / Election / Lawsuit / Local News / Recall

Legal Updates: John West Litigation

John West v. J.J. Scofield May 29, 2026: Following a two-hour hearing, Judge Galli denied J.J. Scofield’s anti-SLAPP motion (a motion intended to dismiss lawsuits that chill free speech). This lawsuit centers around statements J.J. Scofield made in Facebook regarding alleged “illegal meetings” by John West. John West v. Jay Meredith February 25, 2026: In the initial hearing, Judge Galli denied Jay Meredith’s anti-SLAPP motion, a ruling confirmed by the Daily Courier. Judge Galli also…

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May 30, 2026
Conservatism Means Accountability
City Politics / County Politics / Local News / Local Politics / Recall

Conservatism Means Accountability

Political parties play an important role in a healthy democracy. They recruit candidates, help them get elected, and advance shared policy goals. But that role carries responsibility. When party loyalty is placed above public trust, ethical standards, or the rule of law, the party risks undermining the very principles it claims to defend. The following points outline where that line should be drawn and where our party has too often missed it.Political parties exist to:•…

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December 28, 2025
Recall Signatures vs. Scrutiny: Commissioners on the Recall Tightrope
County Politics / Local News / Local Politics / Recall

Recall Signatures vs. Scrutiny: Commissioners on the Recall Tightrope

It appears that enough signatures have already been collected for the recall of both Commissioner Chris Barnett and Andreas Blech. As of 11/17/25 Chief Petitioner Jim Goodwin submitted:Commissioner Blech: 7,079 signatures submittedCommissioner Barnett: 7,312 signatures submittedThe required number of signatures is: 6,445 valid signaturesSignature gathering remains open until: Sunday, November 23, 2025 The calls have already started from the commissioners and the republican party. They are demanding signature verification as opposed to a formula. Odd,…

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November 18, 2025
The Real Power Struggle in Josephine County: Commissioners Recall
County Politics / Local News / Recall

The Real Power Struggle in Josephine County: Commissioners Recall

A multi-purpose recall effort is underway against county commissioners. Left-wing groups such as Rogue Indivisible and Citizens for Responsible Government (CRG) are working to turn Josephine County blue, working with disgruntled former department heads. These ex-department heads are pushing hard to ensure that unelected bureaucrats, rather than the people’s elected representatives, hold the real power in county government. For years, Josephine County has faced a power struggle: should the county be run by the commissioners…

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September 29, 2025
The Problem of “Closet Democrats” in Josephine County
County Politics / Local News / Recall

The Problem of “Closet Democrats” in Josephine County

Looking over the political landscape of our county, where Republicans outnumber Democrats by a 2-to-1 margin, I find some of the antics that take place by a few individuals very concerning.I have used this term before and continue to use it: Closet Democrat. What exactly is a Closet Democrat. It is a person who calls themselves a Republican, often even going so far as to say they are a “lifelong Republican” - but in reality,…

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September 20, 2025