To the editor:
The recently released report by Lincoln County of its findings of the purported conduct of Commissioner Casey Miller during the Sept. 18, 2024 board meeting raises serious questions about the scope and impartiality of the investigation as well as the motivations of those behind it.
What began as an investigation into inflammatory allegations of misconduct by Commissioner Miller — bullying conduct, careless release of personnel details, and in some way befouling the county’s reputation — curiously swelled to include unsubstantiated claims of a conspiratorial collaboration between Commissioner Miller and myself.
Seriously? How does a provocative inquiry into so-called misbehavior by a county commissioner morph into a fishing expedition for suspected political conspirators?
The simple act of me showing up in the audience for a regular county commission meeting where I did not speak or roll my eyes has digressed into “suspicions of political motivations” according to the author of the report, a high-priced Portland attorney who cited the “highly-contested” race between myself and incumbent Claire Hall as the smoking gun: “Notably, Commissioner Miller stated that he could not recall, but did not deny, whether Rick Beasley thanked him for his statements following his report, as other witnesses recounted.”
Key dynamics were overlooked in the report, however. During a break I undertook the civil act of shaking Miller’s hand and thanking him for his 16 years of service, the same courtesy I would have extended the remaining two commissioners but for their hasty exit through the back door.
These facts are conveniently omitted from the report, which instead leans heavily on anonymous opinions to bolster an unbalanced narrative.
At no point did I have any discussions with Commissioner Miller that could reasonably be construed as collaboration or conspiracy. While others may have been present in the board chamber, they were not a party to our conversation. Yet, the investigation includes speculative opinions from undisclosed witnesses about interactions they knew nothing about — an exaggeration that undermines the credibility of the report.
Moreover, despite being mentioned in the findings, I was never contacted or interviewed by the legal firm conducting the investigation.
The timing of this half-hearted inquiry coincides with the resignation of a commissioner and the urgent need to fill the vacant seat, obscuring the task with conspiracy theories and biased conclusions. Meanwhile, Commissioner Miller has faced relentless public scrutiny and attacks throughout this process.
The political weaponizing of the county government via this unconvincing legal opinion has cast baseless connections between us and likely made it even more difficult for him to support my appointment without fear of further backlash. This is deeply unfair — not just to me, but to Casey Miller, now forced to weigh the best interests of Lincoln County against the very real threat of bonus vilification.
Whether or not Kaety Jacobson weighs in on her way out is irrelevant. The appointment now rests with two people I know well, one who has been disparaged and subjected to unwarranted pressure, and another who narrowly defeated me in the recent election.
These undercurrents increase their obligation to rise above partisanship and represent all of Lincoln County, especially the 13,000-plus residents who voted for a new voice — a substantial portion of our community that deserves to be heard.
I will not be deterred. I remain ready to serve Lincoln County with transparency, fairness, and true leadership.
— Rick Beasley/Depoe Bay
