WASHINGTON 鈥� An interim Washington County commissioner may be in for a tough confirmation process after he made a comment derogatory to women and shared a seemingly racist Facebook post.
Earlier this week, reports, Vincent G. 鈥淲oody鈥� Spong shared a post on his personal Facebook page depicting the character Buckwheat from 鈥淭he Little Rascals鈥� and reading that the character 鈥渉as converted to the Muslim faith and changed his name to ‘Kareem of Wheat.’ Let’s just hope that he doesn’t become a cereal killer …鈥�
Maryland blogger first posted two articles on the Facebook post, which was later deleted. The Herald Mail says that when asked him about it, Spong said, 鈥渢here鈥檚 nothing racist about it.鈥�
During a meeting last month, says Donna Brightman, the president of the county鈥檚 Board of Education, Spong compared 鈥渇acts鈥� to 鈥渨hores鈥� while discussing the school system鈥檚 budget. Spong told The Herald Mail, of Hagerstown, that he didn鈥檛 use the word 鈥渨hore,鈥� but acknowledges using a similar term.
Spong was named to the county board of commissioners last year by the county鈥檚 Republican Central Committee to fill the slot vacated by William J. Wivell when Wivell was appointed to the House of Delegates, reports.
While the committee could name Spong on an interim basis because the seat was vacated by a fellow Republican, Spong still faces a Senate confirmation, The Sun says.
Sen. Jamie Raskin, a Democrat who chairs the Senate鈥檚 Executive Nominations Committee, told The Sun that senators from both parties have expressed concerns about the comments, and that nominees have been rejected for 鈥渓ess egregious鈥� conduct than that of which Spong is accused.
Sens. George C. Edwards and Andrew A. Serafini, both Republicans whose districts include Washington County, said in a statement: “While Mr. Spong has made valuable contributions to Washington County as an educator and community leader, his course of conduct over the past eight months raises concerns that will be considered by the Senate Executive Nominations Committee.鈥�
The Herald Mail says it鈥檚 not known when the committee, or the full Senate, will vote on Spong鈥檚 confirmation.
