The Lowndes County Democratic Executive Committee had to move quick.
And they did.
The committee named Anthony Nelson as the replacement Democratic nomination in the Lowndes County sheriff election. Nelson, Lowndes County Juvenile Detention Center administrator, previously ran for the Democratic nomination but lost in the primary election to Interim Columbus Police Chief Selvain McQueen. Nelson will replace McQueen, who withdrew from the race last week.
The committee met Monday to discuss who, and if someone, could replace McQueen. Nelson attended the meeting and received support to step in and run under the Democratic flag.
Nelson accepted but was hesitant about whether an effective campaign could be launched with two months left.
“All the signs are taken down,” he said. “I don”t know if I have the time or the money.”
Sarah DeMoach of Columbus said someone should represent the Democratic Party and Nelson is known from the primary race.
“His name is already out there,” she said.
Nelson will face Republican candidate Mike Arledge in the general election on Nov. 8.
McQueen”s withdrawal
McQueen cited a potential Hatch Act violation as the reason for dropping out of the race. The Hatch Act is a federal law that prohibits a person from running for a partisan office if he or she is a local government employee and works in connection with programs or activities funded by federal loans or grants.
If a person is in violation of the Hatch Act, the employing agency must remove the person from employment or forfeit federal assistance equal to two years of that person”s salary. If the person is hired by a state or local agency within 18 months, then that agency or the previous employing agency may lose some federal funding.
After allegations surfaced that McQueen may be in violation, he requested the opinion of the Hatch Act Unit Office of Special Council. McQueen stated in an affidavit submitted to the Mississippi secretary of state”s office Thursday that it is unknown whether he was in violation of the Hatch Act, but he felt it was “in the best interest of the city” to withdraw anyway.
Substitute clause
Haley Salazar, Lowndes County circuit clerk, said there are “certain reasons” for someone to drop out of an election that allow a political party to nominate a replacement on the ballot. The reasons must be “non-political.” The State Board of Elections Commission — which includes the governor, attorney general and secretary of state — will decide if the reasons are non-political. If so, the local party executive committee has the opportunity to nominate a replacement.
McQueen states in his affidavit the reasons for withdrawal are “legitimate, non-political reasons.”
McQueen, former head of the Criminal Investigations Division, became Columbus” interim police chief after the Columbus City Council fired Joseph St. John from the post in July.
Though city has been approved for federal grants for the police department, “no funding has been provided since my appointment as interim chief, and nor was any provided that had anything to do with my employment in the Criminal Investigations Division of the police department,” McQueen wrote in his affidavit.
Investigation incomplete
Without completion of the Hatch Act investigation, it is unclear whether or not McQueen actually violated the Hatch Act. McQueen withdrew before the Office of Special Counsel could investigate issue its official opinion on the matter.
“I am very pleased to be serving as interim chief of police, but the reality is that the interim appointment is a full-time job and the race for sheriff was difficult enough without the allegations for impropriety against me, the mayor and the city, arising from the alleged violations,” McQueen wrote in his affidavit.
McQueen had “no comment beyond what”s on that paper,” but did note his decision to withdraw is because he did not “want to be found on the wrong side of the law.
“Why would I take a chance of being in violation of the law when for nearly 24 years I have been enforcing the law?” McQueen said.
Leroy Brooks, executive committee member and Lowndes County supervisor, said the commission notified the Lowndes County Democratic Executive Committee that they could choose a substitute candidate and needed the decision by Tuesday afternoon.
Brooks asked those in attendance at Monday”s meeting to respect McQueen”s decision.
“We, as Democrats, don”t need to spread any malicious rumors,” he said. “This man was looking after his own position.”
Nelson said at the meeting he believes his current position does not deal with any federal funding, and he would not be in violation of the Hatch Act by running for sheriff.
Oktibbeha sheriff”s race
Similar accusations of a Hatch-Act violation were fielded against Rudy Johnson, who is running as the Republican candidate for Oktibbeha County sheriff. He also is director of the Golden Triangle Planning and Development District. The Hatch Act Unit ruled that Johnson was not in violation of the Hatch Act since the GTPDD is “a private, nonprofit, non-share, civic-improvement corporation.”
Johnson faces Democratic candidate Steve Gladney, a retired state trooper who ousted 35-year incumbent Dolph Bryan in the Democratic primary runoff.
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