There are rumors in Florence County, South Carolina, about a possible federal investigation into the deputy chief Glen Kirby – one of four candidates currently competing to become sheriff in the most populous region of Pee Dee.
Are the rumors true?
Kind of …
This news outlet has managed to confirm that a formal complaint about Kirby has been submitted to the United States Office of the Special Council (OSC), an independent federal investigating and prosecuting agency that – among other responsibilities – oversees allegations related to the Hatch act.
Signed in law in 1939 by Franklin D. Roosevelt, the Hatch Act generally aims to prevent federal employees from engaging in electioneering. Specifically, it prohibits officials in the executive branch of government (excluding the president and vice president) from using their “official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering with or affecting the outcome of an election”.
Southern Carolinians are familiar with the law because our former governor, Nikki Haley, was determined to have violated him during his tenure as a US ambassador to the United Nations.
Does the Hatch Act also apply to state and local officials? yea, provided they are employed primarily in programs financed in whole or in part by loans or grants from the federal government.
That’s the basis of the complaint against Kirby …
“Congressman Kirby is promoting his Republican campaign for the Florence County Sheriff using his high-ranking position in the (sheriff’s office), an agency that receives federal funds, using resources from the (office) to promote his party campaign,” copy of the compatible obtained by this declared news medium.
(Click to view)
(Via: Provided)
The complaint goes on to accuse Kirby of “using his position as deputy chief to create name recognition opportunities for himself … where he later shares those opportunities on his Facebook campaign page”.
Two dozen alleged breaches of the Hatch Act are listed in the complaint, most of them related to campaign posts on Facebook made by the Kirby campaign.
The complaint goes on to detail these allegations, accusing Kirby of wearing badges, uniforms and equipment provided by taxpayers – even uniformed deputies – for political purposes. In addition, he claims that he used his position to stage “various community events on behalf of the sheriff’s office to help him obtain name recognition.”
The charges against Kirby are not new to our readers. As we reported last month, “some in Florence questioned whether Kirby is leveraging his position in the sheriff’s office to obtain benefits to which he otherwise would not be entitled.”
To be clear: Kirby is no under federal investigation (the headline that some have urged us to write in connection with these allegations). Instead, a complaint requesting such an investigation has been submitted to the CSO – which must now determine whether such an investigation is justified. Our guess is that such a determination is likely no be achieved before the Republican primary elections of June 9, 2020 between Kirby and the ex-soldier of the SC Highway Patrol (SCHP) TJ Joye.
If it is, however, we will certainly notify our readers …
(Click to view)
(Via: FCSO)
Kirby’s camp left no doubt as to the source of the allegations against the deputy sheriff.
“This is straight from TJ Joye and his band of Democratic thugs,” said Kirby’s campaign advisor Walter Whetsell. “Your play is intended to support the next negative publicity that your Democratic-funded dark money friends are planning to launch against Glen Kirby.”
“To be clear, TJ Joye’s accusations are without merit.” Whetsell added. “He should be ashamed of himself. Regretting Glen’s posts on Facebook is absurd, childish and inferior to anyone charged with protecting the life and safety of the 138,293 citizens of Florence County.”
The race between Kirby and Joye has become incredibly controversial – and petty – in recent weeks.
“It’s pitting family against family,” a Florence County source told us, lamenting the local division that the race has generated.
In addition to Joye and Kirby, two Democrats – deputy from Florence Darrin Yarborough and veteran police officer Jody Lynch – presented the paperwork for this seat with the SC Electoral Commission (SCVotes.org). Lynch did not submit any paperwork to the SC State Ethics Commission (SCSEC), however, claiming that she did not exceed the donation or spending limits that would trigger such a request.
There is no incumbent in this election. Ex-sheriff Kenney Boone – who has held the position since 2004 – resigned in January after pleading guilty to embezzlement and improbity in the position. Boone had been suspended from office since his initial charge on these charges in April 2019. Before being indicted, he was seeking a fifth term as sheriff.
As we noted during Memorial Day weekend, Joye’s supporters are reportedly launching a dark money effort in hopes of linking Kirby to the scandals that toppled Boone.
Stay tuned … we will keep our readers informed of the latest developments in this increasingly fierce election.
-FITSNews
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