DISTRICT ATTORNEY HAS TO SAY ABOUT IT. IT IS THE CHAIRMAN FOR THE GREENE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WHO IS THE FOCUS OF THE CRIMINAL COMPLAINT FOR ALLEGED ELECTION CODE VIOLATIONS. HIS INVESTIGATION, ACCORDING TO THE COMPLAINT, WAS MADE. HE SPOKE WITH THE STATE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, SEVERAL AGENCIES, AND THEN HE COMPLETED HIS INVESTIGATION AND HE FILED CHARGES. DISTRICT ATTORNEY DAVID RUSSO SAYS HE IS NOT PROSECTING THE CASE AGAINST THE COUNTY COMMISSIONER. CHAIRMAN. THAT’S BECAUSE HE IS SEEKING REELECTION AND IS LISTED AS A WITNESS. AND VICTIM IN THE CRIMINAL CASE IN QUESTION. COUNTY COMMISSIONER CHAIRMAN MIKE BELDING SITS ON THE ELECTION BOARD IN THAT CAPACITY. HE IS NAMED IN THE CRIMINAL COMPLAINT FOR ALLEGEDLY VIOLATING THE ELECTION CODE. IT SAYS HE DID NOT PROPERLY PUBLICIZE THE CASTING OF LOTS FOR CANDIDATES IN UPCOMING ELECTIONS. CASTING OF LOTS IS AN EVENT WHERE CANDIDATES NAMES ARE RANDOMLY PICKED TO DETERMINE WHERE THE NAMES APPEAR ON THE BALLOT. THE CRIMINAL COMPLAINT, SAYS BELDING, DIDN’T HAVE AN ELECTIONS BOARD MAJORITY PRESENT FOR THE EVENT AND DIDN’T FOLLOW PROCEDURES BEFORE HOLDING A SECOND CASTING OF BALLOTS. COMMISSIONER BELDING OFFERED THIS STATEMENT, QUOTE, ALTHOUGH I HAVE NOT RECEIVED THE CHARGES, I’M AWARE THERE THERE THEY EVOLVE AROUND AN ELECTION PROCESS THAT DAVE RUSSO IS INVOLVED WITH AS A CANDIDATE AND ANYTHING HE THINKS IS AMISS WITH THAT PROCESS SHOULD BE REFERRED TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE. THE ELECTIONS CODE AND IT’S THERE TO PROTECT THE SANCTITY OF OUR ELECTIONS, YOU KNOW, TO PROVIDE FOR A FREE ELECTIONS PROCESS. AND THE STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL WILL HAVE JURISDICTION OVER THIS CASE.