REQUIEM FOR “AMERICA’S SHERIFF”

This chilling Reader Rant won’t be forgotten soon, if ever.

Parnell,

As one of the many people who used to work for you, I have a message for you.

I hope you end up seeing this. Remember your first term as sheriff? Remember all the good people you brought with you and promoted to command level positions? Remember Chief Deputy Matt Cawthorn, Captain Steve Smith, Captain Sean Lippe, Captain “Bubba” Collier? All men of integrity and experience. You brought in and promoted some amazing people. Unfortunately, you brought some snakes with you as well. I won’t name them, you, me, and the rest of the world already know who they are. All this great leadership tried to establish some boundaries and act with integrity. These were men who would stand up and speak out when you were in the wrong. Do you remember all the investigations, all the incidents were one of “your boys” fucked up and you defended them? Instead of listening to your command staff, you listened to the snakes whisper in your ear. The snakes who told you that those captains are just jealous of what they’re doing. The snakes who kept telling you that you’re the sheriff and you can do what you want. The snakes who kept asking you “who’s the sheriff, you or them?” The snakes who slid little notes under your office door? Do you remember telling those men of expertise and integrity to stop picking on your “go getters?” One by one those men of integrity were run off by you and your pet snakes. Those snakes were promoted and brought other snakes with them. Eventually you didn’t have anyone to tell you no. Several of those newly promoted continued to do whatever they wanted because “the sheriff wants this,” knowing full well no one else has access to you to ever check. I bet you weren’t even aware of half the things they were doing “per the Sheriff.” One of those snakes even set you up with a young rookie deputy to work on your ranch. You’re the sheriff, they work for you. Everything was all well and good until til you promoted Cody to Chief Deputy. One of your pet snakes got mad, turned around and bit you. Will that be the only snake that decides to bite the hand that fed it? How many more will turn on you before this is through? Now you’re looking at an investigation by the Texas Rangers. An investigation in which everyone from the ranch hand deputy up to the former chief deputy has publicly said you did it. Your only defense is “nuh uh.” So as a former employee of yours, I sincerely hope that every time you write a check to your attorney, that you think back to that first term when all those men of integrity tried to prevent you from going down that road. Every time that ranger asks you a question, I want you to remember.

Every time you call on one of your “friends” to help you only to find they want nothing to do with this, I want you to remember. Every time you think of how your legacy as “America’s Sheriff” is going to be forever tarnished by your corruption. Every time, I want you to think back to that first term and remember how those men tried to help you.