Reynolds shares his belief that a sheriff ‘has no duties to governmental agencies or political influence, but solely to the people’
Rey Reynolds
Clark County Sheriff candidate
Last weekend, in a published report, writer Ann Donnelly claimed that I, Rey Reynolds, Clark County Sheriff candidate, am leaning toward a “Constitutional sheriff movement.” It’s disturbing that Miss Donnelly would unashamedly say these things to smear my name and defile my stance.
Let me be VERY clear: EVERY sheriff is (or at least should be) a “constitutional sheriff.”
Elected sheriffs are accountable directly to the Constitution (United States and Washington state, in this case) and to the people. She/he is elected to safeguard the rights of the people and exercise the powers that the public has entrusted to him or her. That’s not a “movement” as Ms. Donnelly suggests – that’s a fact of the position.
I could rebut just about every sentence in her editorial, but instead, I will leave it to this: I, like Martin Luther King, Jr., believe that any law that strips a person of basic human dignity is unjust. Like King said, “Any unjust law is no law at all.”
That said, there are some laws with which I do not agree, and yet I must uphold as a current officer (and I would have to uphold as sheriff).
There are still more laws – such as I-1639 – that are being legally challenged as unconstitutional. With multiple pending lawsuits, it would not only be irresponsible to enforce such a law but would also violate the sacred trust between the community and its sheriff, much like what happened in Plessy vs. Ferguson. It was 122 years after his Constitutional rights were blatantly violated due to an unjust and racist law that Homer Plessy was finally pardoned.
The sheriff IS the ultimate law enforcement authority in a county – whether Miss Donnelly likes it or not – because the electorate places him or her there. She/he has no duties to governmental agencies or political influence, but solely to the people. If their sheriff will not stand up and protect the community from unjust laws, to whom can they turn when in need of protection?
Rey Reynolds is running against John Horch in the race for Clark County Sheriff in the Nov. 8 general election.
Also read:
- Opinion: Not guilty verdict appropriate resolution in case of VPD officerClark County Today Editor Ken Vance offers his praise to the jury in the trial of Vancouver Police Officer Andrea Mendoza.
- Opinion: Union greed closed schools in Port AngelesLiv Finne of the Washington Policy Center offers a recent example to remind others that strikes by public school employees are illegal under state law.
- Opinion: Earth Day 2024 – Time to admit that government-run environmentalism is failingTodd Myers of the Washington Policy Center says that much of what we hear on Earth Day and throughout the year regarding the environment will continue to be mere puffery.
- Opinion: Where do we go from here at Ridgefield School District?When it comes to the Ridgefield School District bond proposal, Heidi Pozzo believes the message should be clear: people are unhappy their perspective is not being heard and considered.
- Letter: Officer Mendoza stood up for public safetyClark County Public Safety Alliance Co-Founder Ann Donnelly provides context of support for Officer Andrea Mendoza.