Many people have asked why I am running for Sheriff; I want you to understand why. Also, I want to help you understand why I think my background is important for this job, even though it does not directly involve law enforcement experience.

I grew up with a Baptist preacher as my grandpa, from a town of less than 2000 people. The town was/is so poor, all you had was your land and your reputation. If you lost either one, you were doomed.

A man’s word was counted on. He was responsible for the reputation of his family as well. If anyone in his family disgraced their name, they were exposed to the town and church, and taken to task in public. The women took an active part in everything.

The town took responsibility for it’s overall reputation, and they judged themselves by how the least of them was treated. When someone took ill, or lost everything in an accident, a fire or a tornado, everyone helped the neighbors as if they were helping themselves. The mindset was that none should perish or suffer while the rest looked on.

A family was regarded by how they treated the elderly, the young and their animals. A man was required to control his temper as it demands in the Bible, and anything less was considered a fatal weakness. A man would lose his credibility and reputation if he mistreated anyone weaker, even animals.

Everyone was to be productive, even if that meant sitting in a wheelchair crocheting booties for babies that weren’t even your family’s. My grandpa once said, "That man was so lazy he wouldn’t even whittle cedar toys for the young." It was called on for you to be productive, and to contribute, no matter your own hardships.

My uncle is the mayor of this small town today. He was interviewed by Katie Couric from the Today Show. My grandfather had his own interviews during his life. The family name, Riddle, is regarded well.

My mother’s family, the Neeley’s helped settle Kentucky with Daniel Boone. A great deal of land was given them by the Government for their efforts. We still have a portion of it. My family members have fought in every war, both within our country’s borders and without. All in the cause of protecting our Civil Rights and our Constitution which is to be likened to the Ten commandments of the Bible. Without either the Government or the Bible have no legs to stand on.

I do not take it lightly the price paid by those who guaranteed this Country and the rights afforded all the citizens. They are to be for all, just like our Pledge of Allegiance states. It seems Our Pledge of Allegiance means very little anymore.

The two parties, Democrats and Republicans, of our Government have been squabbling over rights and deprivation of rights for years. To the point that I think both have lost their way. However, the party’s still depend on their party association to bring them into power. They depend on the money, the reputation, and the platform. Unfortunately, both have lost their reputation.

As in the farm community, you are called to denounce those that disgrace you. Both party’s have stood loyally by candidates they knew were disgraceful. Both party’s have attempted to cover up atrocities committed by those elected, or by their candidates. It is my sincere opinion, that the disgrace should have been acknowledged by the party first, not the media representing the story told by the opposite party.

It is only when one party chooses that they will not tolerate their loyalties if it means breaching their own morals that I will join a party, be it Democrat or Republican or other. It may be high time we get a 3rd viable party recognized in the US with just as much clout and more integrity, maybe it‘s the Libertarians who seem to offer the most hope for that to happen.

My reputation is open for inspection, from the time I was born to now. I welcome talking about any period of my life with anyone. I have hidden nothing and will hide nothing. A man once told me when I was 19, you can’t erase the truth. I lived accordingly, believing him.

It is incredible to me that both parties in the Keys will continue to support the actions of their candidates and elected officials to the point of ruining their own reputations when it is obvious an infraction, violation, or crime has been committed.

The Republican party with much to gain by the association of the Goodman’s have not denounced her as their chair, even though crimes committed against our environment go against everything "green" they currently passionately stand for. Her violations have not been denounced by her own party even though they are documented by DEP and Senate investigations. The money the Republicans get from her evidently outweighs their concern for her behavior. I am gravely concerned for them that they have chosen this path, as it has damaged their credibility and their campaign themes enormously. If they have sold out for campaign money and party affiliation, they have sold out Period. The investigation should have been done by them into the actions of their chair, not by DEP or me. They have refused to acknowledge these offenses, even though they are public and documented. The Republican party offers up no explanation for the condoning of this behavior. Yet they tolerate very little from others, not even a cigarette butt. This shows the degree to which they will stray from their pledges and morals to protect their own.

I am gravely concerned. My grandfather would be also. When was it that their name meant nothing anymore? When did they feel they were above the law and could tolerate a public opinion of dishonesty? I guess when they had wrapped up enough elected positions, granted themselves enough favors, and secured enough money and positions, to ride through if they weren’t elected again.

The Democrats expression of dismay at the Republican’s actions ring like hollow bells to my ears. They led me first to believe they were worthy of trust. However in light of the information they have, that their candidate for Sheriff may have taken advantage of a young girl, may have forged the work for his diploma, and may have committed other breaches, it is hard to believe they are any different than the idle Republicans. The Democrat chair, Bill Estes, said they will stand by their man until he is found guilty in a court of law.

This flies in the face of all transparency and ethics. If you are not above reproach during the campaign, what will happen if you gain more power and less oversight? The Democrats attempts to paint the other party as the villains and themselves as the Saviors of the Keys is a lie that has exposed itself. They have no more interest in truth and justice than do the Republicans.

Only those who break from their party in defiance of what their party’s are allowing, are credible now. If they do so, maybe they can take back the reputation of the party, even if it means the party is divided, between those of loyalties to the party, and those with loyalties to the real platform for which they were founded.

With a stroke of a pen, you can become either a Republican or a Democrat. It takes no oath, or vow to uphold their platforms. So any deceitful person could claim a party as their own if they believe it will help them to win their race. A party chair should be aware that a candidate that aligns himself with them can also ruin their reputation, as Tom Foley did, as Gov. Spitzer did. It would behoove the parties to do their own investigations of their candidates, and if none is fit to run, then so be it. Having no one in the race is better than a tainted,
irrefutable person to ruin the chances of the genuine candidates.

What kind of a fallout will they experience? I hope it is sufficient to compel them to be more honest when propping their candidates up and defending them. I hope this will serve as a warning that, though risky, if they refuse to expose these discrepancies of character, I will. And I hope others will follow.

It is my sincere pledge to you that if elected, I will owe no favors, respect no persons for their wealth or power, and have all citizens’ best interest in mind and in my heart. I want all treated fairly and all granted the rights our Country promises. I want the laws upheld by all equally, that none should be subject to selective enforcement or prosecution. I want honesty and justice to be ushered back into the Keys. I want the least to be treated with consideration, the young, the elderly, the homeless. This also includes our environment and our animals. Our reputation as One Human Family is ruined and we need it back. We are judged by how we treat our poor and even, yes how we treat our chickens! Our community is no longer seen through Rainbow glasses and it is a pity, and causes me to grieve.

It all starts with law enforcement, as the laws and the enforcement of them are the balance in our society. They separate us from chaos. They separate us from 3rd world countries and civil rights abuses. Our laws were founded on fairness and principle, neither of which is applied in the Keys currently. We have 2 sets of rules and laws, for the haves and the have-nots. I want this disgrace removed. I will assure it. I am the only candidate that will.

For 3 years I have been doing the job of law enforcement with no gun, no badge, and no authority, save the law on my side. I have fought fights that go to Tallahassee and beyond, and involve some of the most influential persons in the Keys. I have succeeded because the law was on my side, though no one down here would enforce it. It is in these attempts that I realized just how far reaching the corruption is. And only if we have a just Sheriff’s Office can this strangle-hold of corruption in our County be removed.

Eighteen years as sheriff, Sheriff Roth has formed alliances and ties that are detrimental to the Keys, law enforcement, and all citizens.

Millions of dollars out of the $44,000,000.00 Sheriff Budget goes to friends and family members with no justification. A blank check has been written by the County Commissioners without question year after year.

Poor areas are deprived of law enforcement, rich areas get asset protection. Deputies are subjected to unreasonable positions due to the fact the budget is spent on top personnel, and little is left for back-up and salaries for them. They are the most vulnerable to be harmed or killed in the line of duty, yet they are given the least.

Whistle-blowers are retaliated against in the Sheriff’s Department and in our community. This must stop. We need citizens and whistle-blowers to stop abusive behavior and criminal activities.

They need protection, and protection I will give them if elected.

We have a predominantly white male force, this is not consistent with our community, and this must be addressed. We need more women, blacks and minorities in the Dept and amongst the Division Leaders.

I have lived my life, abiding by the law, and taking to task those closest to me, my family, to do it as well. I have turned family members in and had them arrested for violations. I was the first to report it, not the last. I hid no one from the law, as my reputation and my family’s was at stake. My name and my word is all I have. It is all any of us really have. And when we die, we will be assured of that. It says in the Bible, that a name is more important than riches. I believe it.

It is our obligation to challenge the laws we do not feel are fair, as was done in the past by Martin Luther King. We must change those that are wrong, but until then, we must live by them. Not just some of us, but all of us. I don’t agree with all of the laws. Some laws are over reaching, some seem to infringe on our rights, but it is our duty to abide by them all in an effort to create a fair and just society. However, in the enforcement of them, I promise you if leniency is granted to some, it will be guaranteed to all. And if the laws seem to infringe on our rights guaranteed by the Constitution, I will challenge them. It is only out of loyalty to my country that I have this determination. I am not loyal to any party, any person, any association that damages what the US stands for.

"In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is an act of rebellion," ~George Orwell.

I have attempted at all times to tell the truth. Right now, in the Keys, it is an act of rebellion. Those in power that I have challenged do not take lightly my attempts to take their power away, and will stop at nothing to prevent this. It is my duty as a citizen. It is your duty as well, otherwise we will find ourselves in a situation similar to 3rd world countries with illegal arrests, false arrests, pretentious prosecutions, and unlawful conduct by officers with a badge and a gun and no recourse to correct it.

I pray you will break free of party loyalties when you vote and consider justice for all, as the only road to success we have available. We must rise above the lies, the deceit, the corruption, and claim our little islands back for all to enjoy equally and freely without harassment, intimidation or threats. We are judged whether we like it or not, by the reputations of our elected officials. Our reputation right now is not good. We don’t need for it to further deteriorate.

I appeal to you, from the heart, to take the candidates and search their past, the present, and their future intentions. We should not be satisfied when someone floats into town with no past, and is appointed or elected to important positions with no questions asked.

This is what is being done, the newly appointed seem to have arrived out of nowhere, aliens to our planet. The applicants and candidates that are squeamish about talking about their past should be tossed aside as lacking credibility. We must choose well this election.

Our future depends on it. The pasts must be thoroughly researched, and if the party’s and the media won’t do it, we must do it ourselves. Be brave, go forward and demand accountability and transparency before they take office, not after; as then it will not come, I assure you. I want the rainbow back in the Keys, but it may take a little "rain" (of the corruption to fall down) for the rainbow to appear.