YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - Still no word on whether Mahoning County Democratic Party Chairman Dave Betras will fight the rejection of his nomination to the Mahoning County Board of Elections.

Republican Secretary of State Jon Husted declared that Betras was not competent to serve on the elections board, even though he was selected by the county democratic executive committee to replace Michael Morely on the elections board.

Husted cited Betras' involvement with former Attorney General Marc Dann.

State Representative Bob Hagan says Betras was never implicated in any wrongdoing and in a strongly worded letter to Husted, Hagan said, "Mr. Secretary your words are baseless in any sort of factual or legal context and were written purely to defame and vilify Mr. Betras and what he stands for; the people of the Mahoning Valley."

The Chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party, Chris Redfern, said, "This decision is baseless, smacks of politics and is a disservice not only to Mr. Betras but also to the voters of Mahoning County."

Former Mahoning County Republican Party Chairman, Bill Binning, says the local committee deserves more of an explanation. "Secretary of State Jon Husted owes it to the committee to tell them why. To give vague references i don't think is sufficient, because they obviously felt that he's the person they want representing them on that board," Binning said.

21 News contact Betras late Tuesday afternoon, he told us that he is still considering what his next move will be.