Peggy West, the Milwaukee County Supervisor Who Didn't Know Arizona Borders Mexico, Faces Charges of Campaign Violations

Sylvia Ortiz: Ticked off at Peggy Romo West

February 22, 2012 - She didn't know where the State of Arizona is two years ago, and now it seems that 12th District Supervisor Milwaukee County Supervisor Peggy Romo West could not find her campaign rules book.

West, running for re-election, is accused by opponent Sylvia Ortiz of campaign violations by allegedly using Milwaukee County employees and vehicles in her campaign efforts. They face off in the spring general election, to be held on April 3, 2012.

Not only that, but Ortiz also criticizes West for  posting about county business on Facebook and Twitter during county board committee meetings.

But wait, there's more! Ortiz also says that there's something fishy about the filing of West's nomination papers at the county Election Commission. "Ortiz claimed that Romo West gained an advantage," reports JSOnline, "because a commission staffer took home some of Romo West’s nomination papers 'to put a rush on analyzing them'." Ortiz is not somebody you want mad at you: She can take the heat, as she proved in a jalapeno eating contest in May, 2011.

Peggy West campaigning: What truck?

A report on Hispanicnewsnetwork's Blog says that Sylvia Ortiz, candidate for 12th Milwaukee County Supervisor District "filed an ethics complaint that could possibily result in criminal charges against current Supervisor Peggy Romo West." The complaint was filed on Monday, February 13.

"Ortiz also filed a complaint with the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office," says Hispanicnewsnetwork. "Ortiz is requesting the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office to review West actions and documents detailing her postings for possible infractions of the law while in office."

As for the Facebook and Twitter activities, "I am outraged," Ortiz said in a statement as reported by JSOnline. The Ortiz statement said that Peggy West’s social media posts could give her "unlawful advantages" in the campaign. .JSOnline reported that West unfriended Ortiz on Facebook. "Romo West’s personal Twitter page Friday had removed all posts except one sent to her February 7 regarding a fundraiser for Romo West.

Ortiz had apparently been archived West's posts on Twitter and Facebook. According to the Hispanicnewsnetwork report, "Ortiz released West’s compiled documents totaling 183 pages of postings in social media and photos showing West with campaign t-shirt seating inside a Milwaukee County vehicle."

Incredibly, "West posted a photo of herself inside a County truck," reported Hispanicnewsnetwork, "with a Re-elect West campaign t-shirt on September 6, 2011, according to Ortiz."

Perhaps, on reflection, it's not so incredible. After all, Peggy Romo West is the woman who leaped to national fame for not knowing that Arizona borders Mexico. It is documented that she's not terribly bright, and so it should come as no surprise that West would actually post photos of herself wearing a campaign shirt while being given a ride in a County vehicle.