Stories written by John Nix
Born in 1963 in Kinston, NC and still resides there. Eagle Scout. Graduate of East Carolina University School of Industrial Technology(BS), 1986. Diverse work history includes Substance Abuse Counselor and Education Consultant working with "high risk youth" in public housing. Began surveying career in 1995 as a surveyor's helper, became licensed to survey in the state of NC in 2000, co-founded his surveying firm, Matrix East, PLLC in 2001 and currently employs eight full-time workers. He was propelled into the political realm in 2010 as part of a lawsuit filed against Attorney General Eric Holder and the United States Department of Justice for the reversal of Section 5 of the Voting Acts Rights in an effort to eliminate excessive federal oversight. This in response to a 2008 local referendum to change local City Council and Mayoral elections to non-partisan. The referendum passed by nearly 67% but USDOJ denied non-partisan elections citing racial discrimination. City Council refused to appeal the decision so Nix, etals v. Eric Holder was filed and was later considered by SCOTUS.(http://www.justice.gov/crt/about/app/briefs/nixsctopp.pdf) As the case's "damaged party" Nix ran for City Council unsuccessfully in 2011 as an unaffiliated candidate, forced to collect nearly 700 signatures to access the ballot. In 2012 in an effort to mute the case, Holder pre-cleared Kinston for nonpartisan elections. SCOTUS did not hear Nix v. Holder. Fortunately, they did hear another case paralleling Shelby County, AL v. Eric Holder for the reversal of Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act in which the attorneys for Nix v. Holder filed an amicus brief. (http://www.cato.org/publications/legal-briefs/nix-v-holder-shelby-county-v-holder) Shelby won that case, effectively dismantling Section 5.As a result of the tandem lawsuits, sixteen(16) states were freed of oppressive federal oversight. He had an unsuccessful second run for City Council in 2013, the first ever nonpartisan city council race in Kinston. He has been a guest contributor to the Kinston Free Press since 2008. He posts daily YouTube videos at "John Nix & The Daily News Fix" in which he expresses a constitutionally conservative view on current political events. He currently serves as Chairman, Kinston Utilities Advisory Committee; Vice-Chair, Kinston Planning Board; member, NCGOP Executive Committee; member, Republican Liberty Caucus of North Carolina; President, CSS Neuse Foundation. John and his wife Michele has five children between them and two grandchildren. He may be reached by email at john@matrixeast.net