Not So God Forsaken After All?

Jeff_Christopher,_official_photo_0

The quote was, “If I can’t win and get justice in the state of Delaware, then I’ll pick my family up and I’ll move out of this godforsaken place.”

This was a quote by the current Sussex County Sheriff, Jeff Christopher, which he made prior to a decision by the Supreme Court of Delaware, a decision that handed Sheriff Christopher his second court defeat in his attempt to convince the judicial system that his interpretation of the state constitution was the correct one.

Sheriff Christopher had contended that the simple phrase within the constitution, “conservator of the peace”, empowered the office of sheriff with full arrest authority, and all law enforcement powers.

It would seem as though not only did the Delaware Legislature not see it that way, since they passed legislation that completely revoked such authority, but both high courts in Delaware also did not see it that way, and upheld the Legislature’s actions.

Unfortunately, the way that Sheriff Christopher constructed his court argument, there is little chance that the U.S. Supreme Court will ever take up the case, since the argument was based on a state constitution.

In a quote from Delawareonline, the sheriff said, “I think the people understood,” Christopher said. “It’s not injustice from the people. It’s the corporate system of courts that are not paying attention.”

So you can see, that like others on the hard right, Sheriff Christopher has a built-in excuse why his case failed, because we have a corporate court system, or in other words, the courts are corrupt and filled with liberals. This built-in excuse allows the hard right to say and do some outlandish things, and when it is shown to be outside the mainstream of American thinking, well they just say it is because this or that group is crooked.

In the same Delawareonline article Sheriff Christopher announced his intentions to once again run for the office of Sussex County Sheriff, as a Republican, for now anyway. It seems as though Sheriff Christopher has an affinity for the Indpendent Party of Delaware (IPOD).

idiots

 

Sheriff Christopher had this to say about the IPOD, “”I’m on the GOP ticket at this point. I support the Independent Party as well. I know a lot of them. Everything I do is constitutionally based, and I think we have something in common,”

I guess the Sheriff is talking about this plank in the IPOD’s 2012 platform, “”full restoration of the constitutional role of the Sheriff as elected Conservator of the Peace.”

Well Sheriff Christopher, once again that role has been clarified by our legislative branch and  in our judicial system, but that’s right, you have your built-in excuse.

So, is this nod towards the IPOD just the latest built-in excuse? Is this the Sheriff’s fall back position when he fails to receive support from the GOP? Will he simply switch to the POD people party and say he has more in common with them?

Well come to think of it, maybe he does.

You see, in my opinion the GOP is a party that believes in the rule of law, and respects our system of government, and realizes, that while it is flawed, it is still the freest form of government in the world, and to have its elected officials running around claiming that every branch and office is corrupt and tyrannical, all  except their own office, held by themselves, is not only counter to being free, it is extremely dangerous.

The IPOD on the other hand has no problem running around crying that the sky is falling at every turn, that all of the state’s judges are corrupt, that every agency is corrupt and that every elected official is corrupt, well all except Sheriff Christopher that is.

But beware Sheriff, they will turn on you as well!

One has to question the logic of making such a statement, could it simply be that the Sheriff already plans to move to the IPOD?
One thing is for sure, a statement such as this has the potential to become a self-fulfilling prophecy. How much support will, or should, the Sheriff receive from loyal GOP members? Why should they donate, or work for him, after floating this political balloon?

It is for sure that the Sheriff will have to run on his view that the office of the sheriff is constitutionally empowered with full law enforcement powers. This election will be centered around this idea. This election may well end this question for quite sometime.

The real question is, are the voters of Sussex County weary of this seemingly never-ending round and round debate? Time will tell. Time will also tell whether the Sheriff will face a GOP primary, and whether when faced with one, will the Sheriff stand and fight, or change horses and ride away from the GOP?

 

18 Comments on "Not So God Forsaken After All?"

  1. Anonymous says:

    You forgot the best part where Vance Phillips sucker kicked him on the banana hammock then Vance has been accused by a teenage girl of raping her in a roach motel. That’s what people want to read about in Vance’s re-election coming up.

  2. Frank Knotts says:

    Well maybe Mr. Phillips will also find his way to the IPOD!

  3. Mike Simms says:

    I’m really disgusted with the way someone from a two party system jumps on the independent bandwagon just because their party doesn’t agree with them. Makes the independent party become less independent, and more like the trash can of the two party system.

  4. saltyindependent says:

    posse comitas baby!

  5. Frank Knotts says:

    Mike, with all due respect, due to the leadership of the IPOD such as Wolfgang, a trash can is all the IPOD is. When you put out a call for any and all to join, with no guiding ideology, this is what you will get, the cast-offs of the mainstream.

  6. waterpirate says:

    Where is one good man/woman to primary or challenge this nonsense in the next election? As a row office, with a now clearly defined scope of operation, I would vote for anybody that promises to execute the job as defined.

  7. Rick says:

    It would seem as though not only did the Delaware Legislature not see it that way, since they passed legislation that completely revoked such authority, but both high courts in Delaware also did not see it that way, and upheld the Legislature’s actions.

    Democrats never obey the clear language of the constitution; the same thing has happened at the federal level, for decades. Hence, we have an unlimited government.

    To me, the phrase “the sheriff shall be the conservator of the peace” has a clear meaning. I suppose in “Newspeak,” the political language used in the novel “1984,” it means nothing.

  8. Dave says:

    More important, is the fact that the Sheriff vowed to leave this God forsaken place and yet apparently has change his mind.

    Sort of makes one wonder what else he has promised, only to subsequently change his mind, like not wanting to establish a police force, or protecting the people from federal tanks and ships, or just wanting training to protect his deputies.

  9. Rick says:

    More important, is the fact that the Sheriff vowed to leave this God forsaken place and yet apparently has change his mind.

    We’ll see how ‘important’ it is on Election Day.

  10. Mike Rowe says:

    Sheriff Christopher is the incumbent and a Republican. He has no plans of running on the IPOD ticket, and his mentioning of his support from those in the IPOD was nothing more than an elected official acknowledging that he, as the Sheriff of Sussex County, represents Republicans, Democrats, as well as Independents. He is a public servant who cares greatly for his constituents, and if the people of Sussex were to re- elect him, he would be honored to serve them.

    Frank said….”You see, in my opinion the GOP is a party that believes in the rule of law, and respects our system of government, and realizes, that while it is flawed, it is still the freest form of government in the world, and to have its elected officials running around claiming that every branch and office is corrupt and tyrannical, all except their own office, held by themselves, is not only counter to being free, it is extremely dangerous.”

    The Sheriff believes in the rule of law as well Frank, and the statement that he has been running around claiming that every branch and office is corrupt and tyrannical is factually inaccurate.

  11. Dave says:

    He doesn’t represent me. I do not need protection from the mythical “federal tyranny” that he spends his days fantasizing about. I trust this sheriff to uphold the rule of law as he sees it. Effectively it becomes his law, the ones he likes. The ones he doesn’t like are simply declared unconstitutional.

    PT Barnum noted that there is a sucker born every minute, so I don’t feel the need to fill that role. I’ll just leave it to folks who believe that Christopher, in addition to his other abilities, is a constitutional scholar.

  12. Frank Knotts says:

    Rick, there is absolutely nothing clear about the phrase conservator of the peace in the constitution. That is why over the years following the ratification of the constitution, much legislation was passed “GIVING” powers and authority to the office, and that which can be “GIVEN”, can be taken away. I wonder if the Legislature had decided to create a county police department out of the sheriff’s office, would Sheriff Christopher have objected? One wonders.
    Mike Rowe, your input on this as always is appreciated, but for full discloser maybe you should let everyone know what your current relationship is with Sheriff Christopher. It will add relevance to your comments.
    As for my statement, while maybe slightly exaggerated, lands close enough to the mark to draw out a defense.
    Mike you say, “The Sheriff believes in the rule of law as well Frank”, well in my opinion, he seems to believe only in his view of the rule of law and that his interpretation is the only one that matters. While he may feel that he has all the powers that empowered law enforcement agencies have, are we to believe that he also sees the office as court, judge and jury as well?
    One should remember that this administration of the sheriff’s office has been filled with never ending controversy, not only about whether or not the office has law enforcement powers, but there have also been accusations of fraud concerning deputies use of official vehicles and possible falsification of time sheets. Accusations that the Sheriff was aware of these crimes. There was also the scuffle with a sitting County Councilman. These are all things that will be brought out during this election cycle.
    You see, I and others don’t see tyranny around every corner, and under every bush, and we feel that our police protection is adequate, we don’t believe that we need even more government, no matter how the growth of government is packaged.
    Big government conservatism in my view is not conservatism at all.

  13. Observer says:

    Once again Frank attempts to boost his sagging ratings and lousy writing by attacking those greater than himself.
    Frank and his gang of Knottheads, first used Ayotte and Colley to cause controversy, then switched to IPoD and vonBaumgart and now Sheriff Christopher to boost his ratings.
    IPoD is growing daily while the GOP loses registered every month. They don’t sound like misfits to me Frank.
    Frank, you continue to be a large festering pustule on the buttocks of humanity. Keep it up Lesbiman, and somebody might believe you.

  14. Where's Bodie? says:

    Did we forget that Bodie was one of the Sheriff’s confidants? How’s that working for ya?

    Please someone step up to primary this whack job.

  15. Harry Whittington says:

    He has no plans of running on the IPOD ticket, and his mentioning of his support from those in the IPOD was nothing more than an elected official acknowledging that he, as the Sheriff of Sussex County, represents Republicans, Democrats, as well as Independents. He is a public servant who cares greatly for his constituents, and if the people of Sussex were to re- elect him, he would be honored to serve them.

    Except that’s exactly what Sheriff Christopher did not say. But thanks for trying to put lipstick on this pig.

  16. Observer says:

    After reading a few of you posts Frank, one must believe that you are the only person in the world that is right and everybody else is wrong.
    Since you are perfect, that would make you GOD.

  17. Frank Knotts says:

    Observer, I state my opinion, not that I am right or wrong, and certainly not God. You have listed people that I have written about and accuse me of using them. Not so, I have written about people who put themselves into the public forum. One is a bumbling fool who seeks glory through elected office, any office. Another is a media personality with the personality of a porcupine with an ingrown quill up his butt. As for the IPOD, their candidates are the purest demonstration of why it will never be more than a punch line, candidates like the bumbling fool seeking glory through elected office, any office.
    Why don’t you provide a link to these growing numbers you tout, and remember, some of us understand that unaffiliated does not equate to being members of the IPOD.
    And if the GOP numbers are shrinking, it is likely due to people such as Ayotte, Colley and Christopher.

  18. Independent Consultant says:

    The IPoD categorically turned down John Adkins in the 2007 41st District special election in the wake of his dismissal from the General Assembly, following a DWI incident and emergent matters.

    It is sheer idiocy to speculate that Chairman von Baumgart and the nominating committee would ever consider the likes of Vance Phillips and equally insipid to assume that defendant Phillips would ever turn to the IPoD. After all, there is no love lost.

    The rest of the article is pure DR trash as usual.

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