Standard-Examiner: Hatch Act Filed On Weber Candidate

Perhaps Weber County voters should forget the whole democracy thing, and just let the federal Office of Special Counsel personally select all our Weber County public officials from now on

Well here we go again. Once again, just like in the Jon Greiner case, meddling federal bureaucrats interfere with the orderly process of electing a local law enforcement CEO. Here's the lede from this morning's Standard-Examiner front page story:

OGDEN -- The U.S. Office of Special Counsel is looking into a complaint contending that Terry L. Thompson, a Republican Party candidate for Weber County sheriff, is in violation of the Hatch Act because he has supervised federal grants as part of his duties as chief deputy.
The complaint was filed in June by a law enforcement officer who resides outside of Weber County, said Gary Haws, who is Thompson's Democratic Party challenger. Haws declined to identify the individual or provide information about where the person works.

Read the full Scott Schwebke story here:

• Hatch Act filed on Weber candidate

One high-ranking Weber County Sheriff's Office spokesman hits the nail on the head:

Weber County Undersheriff Kevin McLeod said ... if the Hatch Act is narrowly defined to include use of federal funding for any benefit, it could be possible that no one in law enforcement could run for partisan office.

Here's another good idea: Perhaps Weber County voters should forget the whole democracy thing, and just let Obama's federal Office of Special Counsel personally select all our Weber County public officials from now on, yes?