UPSTATE LAWMAN USES GOVERNMENT RESOURCES TO CAMPAIGN
We’ve never been fans of Spartanburg, S.C. sheriff Chuck Wright. Whether it’s his office’s failure to go after the infamous “Upstate Peeper,” allegations of conspiracy in a civil case, or his annual adventures in rolling fascism – we’ve simply got no use for the guy.
He’s a thug, in our estimation … and if the rumors we’ve heard about him are anywhere close to the truth, then we’ve only begun to scratch the surface of his bad behavior. Wright has apparently heard the rumors, too. In fact he referenced them in a bizarre email sent this week from his taxpayer-funded address.
Wright – who is being challenged this year by one of his former corporals, Russell Lynch – sent an overtly campaign-related email entitled “Stay the course” to his sheriff’s office employees and to employees at the Spartanburg County detention center.
“I know you have seen the news or read the paper about another fellow who wants to be Sheriff,” Wright wrote. “My message to you is Stay the Course.”
“The main thing is you must know that I support you and will fight for you, stay safe, do not allow these events to make you lose sight of what we have asked you to do since day one, do your job, and stay safe,” Wright continued. “I will address you all when we have time to meet, I would as always ask for your prayers and support.”
Hold up … he’s asking his subordinates to support his political campaign? Using his government email?
That’s a clear “no-no,” although as we’ve seen repeatedly in this state campaign ethics laws are routinely broken – and rarely enforced.
Anyway, Wright’s message wrapped with an ominous reference to the upcoming political campaign – and an obligatory nod to religion (this is the socially conservative Upstate, after all).
“I can deal with whatever may come, but I can’t deal with any one of you getting distracted and getting hurt,” Wright concluded. “I do not like to communicate via the email, but until we can meet, please know that you are being prayed for and backed ALL the way.”
LOL … “the email.”
He also added a curious post script to his taxpayer-subsidized screed, telling his employees “Rumors are just that Rumors.”
Hmmmm …
“He’s getting scared,” a source who received Wright’s message told us, adding that his rival’s campaign “has dirt on him.”
Interesting …
Corruption among South Carolina sheriffs is obviously nothing new. Former Lexington County, S.C. sheriff James Metts is currently doing time in a federal prison on federal immigration violations – the latest in a rash of scandals involving local lawmen.
Among them? The infamous DUI arrest that led to the 2015 resignation of Berkeley County sheriff Wayne DeWitt. Previously, Williamsburg County sheriff Michael L. Johnson was busted filing fake police reports as part of a credit repair scam. Before that, Chesterfield County sheriff Sam Parker was indicted for his role in an inmate labor scandal. Parker was convicted and sentenced to prison – and his office’s bad behavior has since mushroomed into a much larger scandal.
In June 2012, Saluda County sheriff James Booth lost his job in another inmate labor scandal. In April 2012, Laurens County sheriff Ricky Chastain was busted using a squad car to drive his mistress to an abortion clinic so she could kill their illegitimate child.
Meanwhile in 2010, Lee County sheriff E.J. Melvin was busted participating in a narcotics ring – receiving “dues” from drug dealers in his county in exchange for providing them with his protection.
Gotta love the Palmetto State’s definition of “protecting and serving …”
23 comments
Electing sheriffs is an anachronism that corrupts our criminal justice system. The county councils that write the budgets that provide the salaries, benefits and everything else for county sheriffs’ departments need to get way more involved in oversight of how they are operating. A sheriff should not be a king.
I agree but to the ‘freemen”; that is the only law they recognize.
In Richland County, I think would rather have king sheriff. Have you noticed the latest corrupt shakedown of sales tax payers by Richland County Council to enrich political cornies?
“…..rival’s campaign “has dirt on him….”
Interesting way to phrase Cockroach Wright has shit on himself, repeatly
Maybe the Cockroach will use some of his Gestapo money to fund his, I Am Jesus Christ Campaign
Unfortunately, a few of our Sheriff’s in SC have drawn a sharp distinction between enforcing and obeying the law.
The High Sheriff, the supreme law enforcement individual in the county, must be held to the highest standards.
I suspected you are one of those “freeman’ types…my suspicion is now confirmed
“Chuckie” Wright is the absolute choice of the Spartanburg Tea party. The “Queen” of the Spartanburg Tea Party (Ms. Karen Martin) heaps praise on him to the point of being sickening.
Fuck the concept of the “High Sheriff” is what I say….that shit is rife with corruption and abuse of power
I case you didn’t know it, this is 2016, not England in the 1200’s
I suspected you are one of those “ignorant” types…my suspicion is now confirmed.
You can’t be for real. Do you sit around all and try to come up with the most absurd things to post, or does it come naturally. My money is on that it just flows out naturally.
You may not be for real, but you are entertaining in a pathetic sort of way.
Just drink up, (or whatever you do) and get back to me later.
Hit a nerve because I pointed out the obvious didn’t I???
Because deep down types like you ain’t happy unless you have something to be scared about…..there’s always a commie under a rock or a raghead behind every tree….or “Obammer” fucking up your day…….every single day…….
And pal, I’m as real as rain and a proud independent to boot…. not like those Trump camp followers who don’t even realize they’re being played like a cheap fiddle…….
Nah, you did not hit a nerve. I don’t concern myself with small turds like you and rarely waste my time with you freaks.
I am really curious as to how someone like you can have such a profound contempt for people that don’t agree with you politically.
It is such a waste of time for you to brood so deeply about a political disagreement. You need help son, to have such a vile reaction to your preconceived image of people when you differ on certain topics.
Have a good time out there, and I can’t stop you from responding to me, but don’t expect me to waste anymore time responding to you.
I did notice that you have been trolling me the last weeks, and if that is how you want to spend your time, more power to you, it is an open forum and I do love controversy and pissing off you trolls..
Son…Son???
FYI: I’m 62 years old, I’ve been in 3 wars, watched 2 goats fucking and been to the Arkansas State Fair!!!!!
For you to call me “son” is a new one (almost a compliment!!)
Anyhoo….
No need for “tit for tat”…You’ve shown what you and many others like you are all about…
You’re scared/concerned about what years you have left and for your children and grandchildren
I really don’t give a shit what happens (per se…) I am a realist you still cling to some abstract that really never was.
I don’t want to see children and animals scream in agony in a nuclear blast(if they’re not lucky enough to be vaporized..) or die puking and shitting their guts out a few weeks later due to radiation sickness. I have hoped and prayed that those days are over…and IF they are..fucking GREAT…if not, we only have ourselves to blame and what is left of the human race will curse us forever……
Other than that all bets are off. I’m making more money than I ver have in my life. I’ve planned and worked my hillbilly ass off for it but unlike your type, I don’t lose sleep worrying if it goes south…..
Guess what???? Shit happens…..they’re ain’t no guarantees
Your kind’s ass worries about every thing and think someone or some political entity or political group will “Make America Great Again”
This great country is already great but Athens fell, Rome fell,
Spain fell, Great Britain is but a shell of itself and we very well might be next in line no matter how much some wish it weren’t so but’s the way it is.
You can choose to be either a dinosaur and become extinct or a mammal and adapt.
That’s the way the damn world is….
This should be an appointed position, not an elected one.
Term limits wpuld be better. A lifetime maximum of 12 years would be nice. Appointments still involve major politics and cronyism. Look at all the crap Columbia put in the Police Chief’s office (excluding Tandy Carter) before the current Chief was hired.
With what I’ve seen in Columbia and RichCo, I’d rather take my shot with an elected sheriff.
“I support you and will fight for you, stay safe”
That actually sounds like a threat to me. Translation:
“Back me, & you stay safe.”
What else would they have to fear, except fear itself to quote someone famous?
A lot of political groups use fear, very effectively, as a motivator.
Neocons use fear to promote/justify their interventions around the world and funnel almost limitless amounts of money to the MIC.
Progressives use fear to pass never ending social manipulation laws and justify the funneling of limitless amounts of money for welfare in various forms.(fear of homelessness, starvation, etc.)
The masses respond accordingly, like timid tit-mice they run back into their hole at the mere suggestion a hawk is about, ceding 1/3 of their possessions and control of their lives to the carnival barkers screaming “fear” so they can “stay safe”.
My message to Sheriff Wright’s employees is this:
You most likely work for a corrupt Sheriff in a job that is not very noble to start. Instead of cowering in your cubicle worried about how he might perceive you, go get a job in the private sector and work harder for less money but be happy and not afraid.
So what is the rumor to which you are alluding but refusing to disclose???
Maybe he should drive to Butner and get some advice from Jimmy.
Jimmy would tell him to make sure employees know you are tight with people in the elections office and can find out how they voted, whether you can or not. He’d also pressure them in meetings to attend all fundraising events and to, “be sure to bring your checkbook”.
Ahhhh…Camp Butner…(just down from the Fed Pen)
How I loved those days at the firing ranges (not to mention the competitions!!!!!!)
Fits, let’s clean up Richland County first.
I’ve been posting about “Chuckie” Wright for years on this site from his “operation Rolling Thunder” to his showing up during the Holly Springs FD fiasco not as a private citizen but in his capacity as the Sheriff of Spartanburg County. I’m not surprised at this memo one bit.
His ego is only somewhat smaller than Trump’s and he can’t take criticism one fucking bit.
Nobody can tell “Chuckie Wright” how to run Spartanburg County law and he’s never seen a camera he didn’t love.
Been trying to tell “Fitsters” that for years…(just like Trey Gowdy) but when most on this site eat the peanuts out of the elephant shit (the symbol of the Republican Party) all I can say is: “I TOLD YOU SO”
Are the rumors and dirt coming from the same source that claimed dirt on Rubio’s mistresses? Whatever happened with that story?
the email
The sheriff is savvy about the internets, for sure. TBG wonders if he could find “the Iraq” on a map.
As a Greenville County resident and a business owner who owns property in and conducts business in Spartanburg County, I feel qualified to address this.
I don’t know what Sheriff Wright has supposedly done but I can assure you that criminals in that county fear him and for good reason. He encourages citizens to arm and protect themselves and has gone to bat for them when the circumstances required just that. On more than one occasion citizens have shot robbers in situations that would have probably resulted in charges in other jurisdictions. Those other jurisdictions know that the outcome will usually end up in acquittal but bring charges to protect their political asses. Sure, Solicitors bring charges but they do so with strong input from LE.
Until there is something concrete then I will support him without question. This state needs more bad ass Sheriffs who have a low tolerance for politics and street thugs.
Spartanburg County is literally hell on earth. Perhaps you should join a deputy for a ride along one night and find out what is facing those who are fighting the fight. As for dirt that is what it will take to get him out of office. The people of the upstate admire Wright.