To Brown and his supporters this suit was little more than a political annoyance that would be quickly dispatched on a legal technicality.

However, according to a number of courtroom observers, when it didn’t turn out that way, Brown was obviously so stunned, he reacted visibly to the judge’s ruling. One witness to the proceedings stated that Brown looked “positively ashen” when the ruling was handed down.

When I reached Brown for a comment after court, he demonstrated his high level of maturity by hanging up. Mentioning this to his attorney — my next call — he replied, “Hey, he’s 25-years old. What do you expect?”

What I expect, is for my county commissioner to be polite, respectful, demonstrate that he is mature enough to deal with the press under adverse circumstances, accept my call and answer my questions — honestly. THAT’s what.

A second challenge to Brown’s residency was also filed by James M. Olsen of Bainbridge Island. According to Olsen, Brown resides with his parents in Silverdale — outside the district he was elected from.

Olsen says it isn’t his intention to drive Brown from office, but says he takes issue with what he termed “perjury and misrepresentation.” He also claims he isn’t acting in concert with Ross.

That matter will be heard by the Kitsap County Canvassing Board, which consists of Commissioner Chris Endresen, Kitsap County Prosecutor Russ Hague, and Auditor Karen Flynn. Like Brown, all three are Democrats. According to PDC reports, the three of them all contributed money to Brown’s election campaign. In fact, Flynn contributed twice.

Endresen has also been quoted in the press as saying she views Olsen’s action as, “harassment from sore losers.” Olsen meanwhile has refused to engage in a war of words, saying, only that the truth will become obvious when he presents his evidence.

For the proceedings to have any public credibility at all, with all three Canvassing Board members being Democrats and all contributing to Brown’s campaign, the three of them owe it to the voters to recuse themselves. This isn’t meant to impugn anyone’s integrity, but public perception and the appearance of fairness and impartiality in this case are very important.

The case must be heard no later than Feb. 24. Olson has understandably asked for a change of venue.

Brown could have avoided this entire public sideshow by calling a press conference at the apartment the day the suit was filed and inviting members of the press in for coffee. That simple, common sense solution that would have negated the entire issue and elevated his stature to that of an honest politician.

But was Brown in a position to do that? And if he had, what would we have found? An empty apartment?

The Democratic Party should have taken the lead on this and insisted on nothing less than full and immediate public disclosure from Brown. Not doing so, and supporting fighting this on a technicality by saying a driver’s license and utility bills are proof of residence, undermines the party’s credibility as well.

On our political blog (westsoundpolitics.blogspot.com) I’ve been insisting Brown answer three simple questions:

• Does he or does he not live at the address he gave on his Declaration of Candidacy? This is a simple yes or no question.
• If not, where exactly is it that he does live?
• If he doesn’t live at the address he gave, is wherever it is he does live in the district he was elected from or not?

Considering the circumstances, these aren’t unreasonable qustions to expect someone in Brown’s situation to answer. I believe that even if he slithers out of the lawsuit on a technicality, he owes the people of his district the answers to those questions. They elected him believing he lives in the district — not somewhere else.

This isn’t about politics, it’s about honesty and integrity. Brown’s arrogance has made him unhappy with my insisting he answer those questions. He seems to think he is above accountability. He also recently suggested I be removed from the Kitsap County Planning Commission, making the fact I am a newspaperman the issue, and saying he considers me a “propagandist.” I can only conclude that move was politically motivated by my editorial commentary concerning his campaign ethics, serious lack of qualifications for the job, and of course, his current legal troubles over the question of his residency.

Commissioner Jan Angel, who appointed me, stood her ground and refused to be intimated.

I’d also like to note that although I’m not legally bound to do so, I gave my word to the commissioners that I wouldn’t personally author any articles or editorially comment upon any actions or ordinances in front of, or being deliberated on, by the Planning Commission. I’ve kept that promise for the entire six years I’ve served on the Planning Commission and defy anyone to prove otherwise.

It appears to me at least, that Josh Brown’s action in spearheading that lame attempt to kick me off the Planning Commission is nothing more than small-minded, blatant political retribution aimed at trying to either intimidate or silence a critic. I think this obvious attempt at censorship is a huge clue about how his mind works — not to mention how his ego has over-inflated since being elected.

Hopefully, his legal troubles will deflate that ego enough to give him some much-needed perspective — not to mention a reality check — about how the real world actually works.