5 candidates seek Democratic nomination for Union County Sheriff
Current Sheriff David Taylor challenged by Robbie Hines, Jeff Bailey, Curtis Jennings Jr., John Sherfield
Updated: 10:29 PM EDT Jun 5, 2020
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REPORTER: WHILE UNION COUNTY SHERIFF DAVID TAYLOR IS RUNNING FOR RE-ELECTION, HE’S DEALING WITH A SECOND INVESTIGATION AFTER HIS DEPARTMENT WAS ALREADY INVESTIGATED BY SOUTH CAROLINA LAW ENFORCEMENT DIVISION. IN FEBRUARY, AFTER AFTER A — AFTER A SUSPECTED EMBEZZLEMENT, SLED RELEASED A REPORT THAT WAS OVER 1000 PAGES. INVESTIGATORS ALSO FOUND INAPPROPRIATE TEXTS BY TAYLOR ON HIS WORK PHONE. THE CASE FOUND “SEVERAL FLAWS IN THE MANAGEMENT” BUT DID NOT RECOMMEND ANY CRIMINAL CHARGES AGAINST TAYLOR. ALL OF THIS IS AHEAD OF NEXT WEEK’S PRIMARY ELECTION. 5 CANDIDATES ARE LOOKING TO BE THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE FOR SHERIFF OF UNION COUNTY TAYLOR WHO EARLIER THIS YEAR SAID HE WOULD NOT RUN, THEN LATER ANNOUNCED HE’D CHANGED HIS MIND. >> PEOPLE SAID, YOU LIED TO THE COMMUNITY. NO, THIS IS AMERICA. I HAVE A RIGHT TO CHANGE MY MIND. AND THAT’S WHAT I DID. I CHANGED MY MIND BECAUSE THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY COME TO ME AND ASKED ME TO RETHINK THE DECISION I’D MADE. REPORTER: SOME OF SHERIFF TAYLOR’S CHALLENGERS USED TO WORK FOR HIM. AFTER 30 YEARS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, JOHN SHERFIELD RETIRED FROM THE UNION COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE IN FEBRUARY. >> WE’VE HAD SEVERAL OVERDOSES AND SEVERAL OF THOSE HAVE RESULTED IN DEATH. AND BEING A NARCOTICS OFFICER, I’VE BATTLED THIS BATTLE FOR OVER 20 YEARS. SO WHO ELSE BETTER TO BATTLE A NARCOTICS PROBLEM AS THE SHERIFF THAN THE PREVIOUS NARCOTICS OFFICER? REPORTER: CURTIS HARRIS JENNINGS JUNIOR IS ON A LEAVE OF ABSENCE AS POLICE CHIEF OF JONESVILLE TO RUN FOR SHERIFF. >> IMMEDIATELY, IF I WIN THE SEAT IN THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE, I WILL REACH OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AND I WANT TO ESTABLISH COMMUNITY-BASED LEADERS IN THE MONARCH MILLS, THE LOCKHARDT, THE UNION, THE JONESVILLE, THE CARLISLE’S AREA, AND HAVE QUARTERLY MEETINGS WITH THEM SO THAT WE CAN TRY TO HAVE QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS ABOUT WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITIES. REPORTER: FORMER UNION COUNTY MAGISTRATE JEFF BAILEY RAN AS A REPUBLICAN AND LOST AGAINST SHERIFF DAVID TAYLOR IN 2016. NOW, BAILEY FILED AS A DEMOCRAT. >> WE’VE GOT TO GET THE FINANCES OF THE SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT STRAIGHTENED OUT. WE’VE GOT TO GAIN THAT TRUST BACK IN, YOU KNOW, COUNTY COUNCIL THAT’S WHERE THE MONEY COMES FROM. AND THEY’RE HELD ACCOUNTABLE TO THEIR CONSTITUIENTS. WE HAVE TO GET THAT TRUST BACK. REPORTER: ROBBIE HINES WAS THE FIRST-EVER MAJOR FOR THE UNION COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE. HINES TELLS ME TAYLOR FIRED HIM AFTER LEARNING HINES PLANNED TO RUN FOR SHERIFF. >> I WANT TO BRING POSITIVE CHANGE BACK TO THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE. PROFESSIONALISM. AND INTEGRITY. BACK TO THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE, WHERE WE WILL UNFORTUNATLEY HAVE TO REGAIN THE TRUST OF THE CITIZENS OF UNION COUNTY. AND RIGHTFULLY SO, WE’VE LOST A LOT OF TRUST. UNFORTUNATELY, BECAUSE I DID WORK UNDER THE PRESENT SHERIFF, I HAVE BEEN LABELED AS GUILTY BY ASSOCIATION, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT I’M NOT GUILTY. REPORTER: SLED CONFIRMED TO FOR NEWS –WYFF NEWS 4 THAT SHERIFF DAVID TAYLORS IS CURRENTLY BEING INVESTIGATED, BUT THE STATE AGENCY WOULD NOT SAY ANYTHING MORE. I’VE REQUESTED MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS INVESTIGATION. MY REQUEST WAS DECLINED. ALL 5 DEMOCRATS ARE ON THE BALLOT FOR JUNE 9, ALONG WITH REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE THOM MCABEE, WHO HAS NO CHALLENGER. IN UNION COUNTY, RENEE WUNDERLICH, WYFF
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5 candidates seek Democratic nomination for Union County Sheriff
Current Sheriff David Taylor challenged by Robbie Hines, Jeff Bailey, Curtis Jennings Jr., John Sherfield
Updated: 10:29 PM EDT Jun 5, 2020
Five candidates are looking to be the Democratic nominee for sheriff of Union County, including Sheriff David Taylor, who said earlier this year he would not run.
Five candidates are looking to be the Democratic nominee for sheriff of Union County, including Sheriff David Taylor, who said earlier this year he would not run.
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