Move over “hanging chads,” it’s hang-on Binkey time! That’s right, hanging chads, first made popular the 2000 presidential elections in Florida, have nothing on the Binkster.

In an amazing feat of political machismo, Adams County Circuit Clerk M.L. “Binkey” Vines wound up being on the top of the leader board following Tuesday night’s Democratic Party primary election.

Vines was indicted late last year by an Adams County grand jury on 13 charges of embezzling public funds.

Earlier this year, he pleaded guilty to three of the charges, in exchange for having the attorney general’s office drop the other 10. In a move that was either a brilliant stroke of luck or a political insider, good-old-boy move, Vines threw himself on the mercy of the court.

A visiting judge in a baffling move, refused to accept Vines’ plea, essentially putting the charges in a permanent state of limbo, clearing the way for him to run again for office.

That Vines even had the nerve to remain in the race is an insult to the oath of office he took when he was first elected.

Mississippi’s Constitution requires circuit clerk’s to be sworn in:

“I, (person’s name), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Mississippi, and obey the laws thereof; that I am not disqualified from holding the office of Adams County Circuit Clerk; that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the office upon which I am about to enter. So help me God.”

You’ll note there is no asterisk on that statement pointing to footnotes that might say:

* Unless I am proven to be a “bad bookkeeper;”

* Unless I made an honest mistake — repeatedly after being told not to do so by state auditors;

* But only until I get caught doing something bad;

* Not required so long as you share whatever you take with others and pay it back if you get caught.

No, none of those footnotes existed on Vines’ oath.

He swore to obey the law.

He didn’t — over and over again.

An Adams County grand jury felt enough evidence existed to charge him with 13 separate counts of embezzling public funds. Vines admitted to guilty to three of those charges to avoid having to face all 13 charges.

He can hide behind the charade that all of the problems were just a misunderstanding, merely a case of being a bad bookkeeper, but his excuses don’t add up.

Binkey’s smoky trail leads to fire. He’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing, a false prophet.

If he was truly innocent, why didn’t he just proceed on to have his day in court? Perhaps because he feared having the truth revealed.

Last week’s primary was disconcerting at first. How in the world could residents continue to vote for Binkey after all that he’s done?

Affidavit and absentee ballots aside, the good news is that 65 percent of the people who voted chose NOT to select Vines.

Perhaps, when the runoff — which seems an almost certainty at this point — is over, our county will be rid of Vines once and for all.

Hanging (on) Binkey is getting old. It’s time for his chad to be punched from the public trust.

Kevin Cooper is publisher of The Natchez Democrat. He can be reached at 601-445-3539 or kevin.cooper@natchezdemocrat.com.