January 4, 2023 |
In November’s General Election, Tanya Lewman defeated Rawlins City Councilwoman Linda Smith by 102 votes. The final tally according to the official election results from the county clerk were Lewman 392 to Smith’s 290.
Lewman was not sworn-in last night as the Ward 2 council member. During the public hearing that opened Tuesday night’s meeting, Lewman said she would not be taking the oath because of campaign donation that came from a corporation and not an individual. The local company that donated the $300 check was Dirty Boyz Sanitation.
Pictured above: File photo of Rawlins City Hall. Photo by Cali O’Hare/Bigfoot 99.
Several members of the public, supporters of Lewman, expressed their disappointment about the matter during the public comment session. Patrick Gonzales, for instance, said the matter should be decided by council in a special session. Gonzales referred to similar situation about six years ago where an empty seat was filled by a council vote.
City Attorney Gwendolyn Wade disagreed. Wade said the legal situation the city faces now is different than the one Gonzales referenced. The city attorney said the empty seat at the beginning of the term must be decided using state law as the guide.
According to state law, anyone violating a provision of the Wyoming Campaign Practices Act may be guilty of a misdemeanor or a felony resulting in a fine, incarceration or both. Any corporation, person or organization violating contribution limits or acts is subject to civil penalties. Civil action may be brought by any person adversely affected by the transgression.
Councilwoman Smith remained seated during the early portion of the meeting and participated in several votes until the new council people were sworn in.
