Editor’s Note:
The truth is often hard to come by in Cleveland County agencies and departments. For instance, it took me six years to finally learn the truth about where Commissioner Chairman Eddie Holbrook’s American Legion World Series got the $Millions to cover large ALWS losses just to keep their doors open. (The Eddie Holbrook Gate might be a better description.)
Intuitively I always knew the taxpayers were on the hook in some way or another for those millions of dollars. But it took the disgraceful defeat of Holbrook at the 2018 Elections (and some inside information) for me to finally get my hands on a copy of a $1,000,000 county check to Holbrook as well as many other large county checks totaling $5,000,000 or so. And counting???
As things always happen, the truth finally comes out. Whether it is the ALWS, sex scandals at Cleveland Community College. Credit Card fraud at Cleveland County Schools. Lots of shenanigans in the District Attorney’s Office. Or the case of police brutality as described and covered-up in my article published February 6, 2019. The truth comes out sooner or later.
The Sheriff of Cleveland County, Alan Norman, was requested to respond to my article published Feb 6, 2019. Sheriff Norman has chosen to remain silent and do nothing. Of course I chose to do my own checking up on the situation as well as take the calls from the various folks that are not happy with the cover-ups at the Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff Norman should have anticipated that. Expected it. And answered truthfully.
The fact is, the act of police brutality that backfired on a Sheriff’s Deputy that resulted in the Deputy’s broken leg is well known and verified in the community. The fact that the Sheriff Ain’t talking doesn’t make any difference anymore. The cover-up is exposed and it goes all the way to the top. Straight to Sheriff Alan Norman himself. And, that is a shame. A measure of trust in the Sheriff’s Office as well as the Sheriff himself has been lost.
Foolishly lost at that. The truth of the matter would have been the best answer. The best response. Finding a problem and fixing it appropriately would have been a good thing. A Sheriff that is open, honest and transparent to his constituents would set a good example for the rest of Cleveland County. And be applauded. Nobody can applaud a leader who has just been caught red-handed in a cover-up. Commissioner Eddie Holbrook is a perfect example of that.
So, where do we go from here?
Well, I have done my civic duty. I have brought this unconstitutional act to light and identified all involved. The news is out for the public to see. Now people have gotten some gumption and are talking and telling me about other problems at the Sheriff’s Office and problems elsewhere.
But Sheriff Norman and his silence have four more years before another election for sheriff is held. What can be done in a shorter time frame to bring justice to the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office?
The answer to that question is simple and clear. The Commissioners are the ones who raise the taxes that pays the bills at the Sheriff’s Office. And at other agencies too. The commissioner majority is up for election next year. It is expected that the Cleveland County Commissioners require all agencies and groups that receive county collected tax dollars to NOW be ACCOUNTABLE. For everything they do.
So, Folks, now you have the answer. The Commissioners must step up and hold the Sheriff as well as the District Attorney, Schools, CCC, DSS, the Fair and everybody else accountable for what they do. And also for what they don’t do that they should do.
Call your county Commissioners and tell them that you expect them to straighten up the mess at the Sheriff’s Office, the Courthouse in general and everywhere else too. And if they can’t or won’t do it, we will get rid of them at next year’s elections. That is the only language they understand. Especially since what happened to Commissioner Eddie Holbrook is fresh in their minds.
And folks, don’t worry about me. The calls are coming in and I will keep you informed of where the problems are. And sometimes offer the common sense solutions you are used to. As I have in this article.
