Sheriff, Caught In A Lie?

The Florida Times-Union
June 12, 2007

Sheriff says he didn't OK re-election signs

By Gordon Jackson, The Times-Union

WAVERLY - Primary elections for county offices aren't scheduled until July 15, 2008, but there are signs - red, white and blue ones - indicating Camden County Sheriff Bill Smith is running for re-election.
Multicolored signs that read: "Experience matters, Bill Smith Sheriff" have been popping up in the Waverly area in north Camden County, including in front of a business on U.S. 17 and houses on Horse Stamp Church Road.
Smith, however, said he hasn't decided if he'll run.
"I have not made an indication to a living soul I'm going to run," Smith said. "I have nothing to do with these signs."
An employee at Dalton Signs, the Kingsland company that printed Smith's campaign signs when he ran for re-election in 2004, said they printed a batch of stickers for Smith about a month ago. No new campaign signs have been printed for the sheriff, the worker at Dalton Signs said.
Debbie Blankenship of Waverly said the two Bill Smith for Sheriff campaign signs in front of her husband's business on U.S. 17, Puppy Love Kennels, were given to her about a month ago. Blankenship said she talked to Smith in a telephone conversation before she got her signs and he told her he planned to run for re-election next year.
When she asked how she could show her support, Blankenship said Smith suggested she place some campaign signs on her property. Blankenship said her daughter picked up the signs from someone who had some left over from a previous campaign for Smith, but she wasn't sure who that person was.
Those signs are in violation of the county's sign ordinance, which restricts the erection of political signs to no more than "60 days prior to the elections to which such signs are applicable." The county's ordinance also requires all political signs be removed "within 30 days following the general election."
But Smith refused to take responsibility for the apparent violation of the county's ordinance.
"That's her property," Smith said. "That's between her and the county" if she is in violation of county sign laws.
Officials with the county's planning and zoning department said people with a political sign on their property in violation of the county ordinance will be asked to remove the signs. They will be cited if they ignore the order.
Tommy Gregory, the only person to formally announce his candidacy for the county's top law enforcement job, said the signs clarify who will be his likely opponent in the primary elections.
"I'm not complaining," Gregory said. "The signs are out. It's nice to know he's running."
Gregory said he first saw Smith's re-election signs May 4, the day after he announced his candidacy for sheriff.
The only campaign materials Gregory said he has printed are some clear printed proofs that can go on the rear windows of vehicles.
"We do have some door-to-door literature that's being printed, but we haven't received those yet," he said.
Gregory declined to criticize Smith supporters for their early display of support by posting the signs in violation of the county's ordinance for political signs.
He said he will wait until he can legally place signs 11 months from now, unless the county has no plans to enforce its ordinance for political signs.
"If they're not going to enforce it, I'm going to print them [campaign signs] as soon as possible," he said. "If I don't do it, I'm definitely going to lose."
gordon.jackson@jacksonville.com,
(912) 729-3672
This story can be found on Jacksonville.com at http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/061207/geo_176397379.shtml.


TRSP Review: Smith or Blankenship is lying. Which one, I am willing to guess it is SLICK WILLIE. Nice try Sheriff.

We will beat Bill in '08. This proves he knows this time will not be a cake walk and that people are not going to take this crap anymore.

Vote NO on June 19th.