Imfeld Withdraws from Race after Sheriff Questions Hatch Act violation

Very interesting. What is Bill Imfeld's role with the local political party? It makes sense to me that you wouldn't want a Sheriff trying to intimidate people to vote for one particular party. If Mr Imfeld has some sort of role in a campaign other than his own, he may be screwed on this one. Live and learn.

I grew up in a small county where politics were very dirty, going back before I was born, and they still continue today, though not as bad in the last 20 years. There were many occasions where the people in the cemetery were voting, and not only once, but some voted twice. We actually had a local, Boss Hog if you will, who ran the County, even before he was ever elected to the office of state congressman. My grandpa went to vote one day, and there at the only voting box, was one the guys making sure everyone voted correctly. There have been some books written about much of it, but some things have still not changed, with the local Sheriff and Deputy persuading voters, by tipping them off to things such as undercover sting operations by DEA. I grew up in a town where lives were constantly threatened over politics. Much of it came to a halt when the FBI and others were called in to investigate a Senate election of a local. Later, my Granddad help rewrite some election laws for the state when he was in office. Times have changed a bit, but poliTRICKS is a still a very dirty, and sometimes deadly, business.

Without knowing all the facts, it is too early to tell what is going on here. The Hatch Act of 1939 places certain restrictions on the political activity of federal, state and local officials and employees. If the race for Sheriff in Walton Co. is a non partisan race, I don't understand why Bill Imfeld cannot run.

WaltonGOP, I'm curious to know with which section of the Hatch Act, are they charging Bill. Is it section 6?

Without knowing all the facts, it is too early to tell what is going on here. The Hatch Act of 1939 places certain restrictions on the political activity of federal, state and local officials and employees. If the race for Sheriff in Walton Co. is a non partisan race, I don't understand why Bill Imfeld cannot run.

The race isn't non-partisan. For some reason, all these offices run on a partisan ballot. I never understood why a tax commissioner or a clerk of courts had to be a dem or rep.

This is the first I've heard of Bill withdrawing, and I'm curious to hear the accusations. He is currently the Financial Officer for WalCo

Bill was running as a Republican. If he is being thrown out of the race, his website may soon disappear, but it is billimfeld.com
and this is the top of the home page:

BILL IMFELD

Republican Candidate for Sheriff of Walton County

Anyone else want to clean up the office of Sheriff in WalCo? I'm guessing now, Ralph Johnson is running unopposed, and the job pays over $100,000 per year.

Very interesting. What is Bill Imfeld's role with the local political party? It makes sense to me that you wouldn't want a Sheriff trying to intimidate people to vote for one particular party. If Mr Imfeld has some sort of role in a campaign other than his own, he may be screwed on this one. Live and learn.

Bill is not active other than a member of a couple of the clubs. The only race he works on is his own. It appears the law does apply here. But it is such an antiquated law written to correct a problem in the thirties and forties. Now the unintended consequences are showing up.

Anyone else want to clean up the office of Sheriff in WalCo? I'm guessing now, Ralph Johnson is running unopposed, and the job pays over $100,000 per year.

The only other declared candidate is Jimmie Macon. He is the school truant officer. You hear rumours of others, the City Marshal of DeFuniak Springs is exploring the option of running, and some former employees, but that is all I ever hear.

My simple understanding of the situation is that if you oversee federal grant dollars, or manage or supervise employees who oversee federal grants or appropriations than you are ineligible to run for elected office. I know that isn't the exact verbiage but pretty close. Considering he is the County's Financial Officer he would definitely be in that position. Unfortunately, it looks like a good candidate is having to withdraw from the race for doing what we hope he would do for the County, bring in federal dollars

He didn't have to withdraw; he could have resigned his present position. The key, as I understand it, is that one can not do both--at the same time--run for an office and manage federal monies.

...and, I believe( if my info is correct) he is a former federal employee, so he was most likely very familiar with the Hatch Act. Most of us knew exactly what we could and could not do as far as political activies are concerned.

...and, I believe( if my info is correct) he is a former federal employee, so he was most likely very familiar with the Hatch Act. Most of us knew exactly what we could and could not do as far as political activies are concerned.

I'm sorry, but I respectfully disagree. I worked 16 years for the state of Oklahoma and it appeared the only employees who knew anything about the Hatch Act were those that were politically active. It is an antiquated piece of legislation and needs to be repealed or at least strigently revised, IMO.

well being a state employee you might not know; but, when I was a federal employee, we were all required to acknowledge receipt of a document that informed us of what we were able to do. I was only pointing out if Mr. Imfeld was in fact a former federal employee, he probably had to sign the same kind of document.

I'm sorry, but I respectfully disagree. I worked 16 years for the state of Oklahoma and it appeared the only employees who knew anything about the Hatch Act were those that were politically active. It is an antiquated piece of legislation and needs to be repealed or at least strigently revised, IMO.

Wow! then we could go back to corrupt elections. perfect. The Hatch Act of 1939 may have been created a long time ago, but much of it is still very pertinent to us today, if you believe in a fair and honest system of voting. There might be a few things to tweak, but for the most part, I believe it to be a good thing which protects the public and individual voters, as well as the candidates running.

Wow! then we could go back to corrupt elections. perfect. The Hatch Act of 1939 may have been created a long time ago, but much of it is still very pertinent to us today, if you believe in a fair and honest system of voting. There might be a few things to tweak, but for the most part, I believe it to be a good thing which protects the public and individual voters, as well as the candidates running.

And even you will have to agree, takes away many of the rights of political participation by those who happen to work for a government.

And even you will have to agree, takes away many of the rights of political participation by those who happen to work for a government.

You have to work in a specific part of government and wish to run in a partisan election. Plus you always can resign and do what you wish. Resign-to-run laws are pretty common for government employees, in addition to local policies that also have this requirement.

And even you will have to agree, takes away many of the rights of political participation by those who happen to work for a government.

No, I don't agree. The Hatch Act does not take aways one's right to run for office. It, in some cases, restricts the rights of one to do so, but it doesn't remove one's right to run for political office. I will add that it does so in order to protect the public.

Is there a real reason why the Sheriff's race is partisan? I've never followed the Sheriff's race closely, but the partisan issue crossed my mind last time. What part of the Sheriff's job dictates a need to be affiliated with a party?

It seems to me that the Sheriff is charged with enforcing laws, not making them and enforcement of the law should obviously be non-partisan.

I don't disagree with the Hatch Act really, just the fact that an elected law enforcement position requires partisanship.

Is there a real reason why the Sheriff's race is partisan? I've never followed the Sheriff's race closely, but the partisan issue crossed my mind last time. What part of the Sheriff's job dictates a need to be affiliated with a party?

It seems to me that the Sheriff is charged with enforcing laws, not making them and enforcement of the law should obviously be non-partisan.

I don't disagree with the Hatch Act really, just the fact that an elected law enforcement position requires partisanship.

I imagine this is all covered in the Florida Constitution. Chater counties are allowed to declare races as non-partisan, but with the exception of judges races, which Florida Statute prohibits party participation, it really does not matter. If you end up with a Registered D vs a Registered R, you are going to see a huge amount of money flowing into a race from the parties, who are not restricted by the same fundraising limits.

Does a lawyer have to give up his practice to run for office? Does a small business owner have to sell his business to run for office? Does a farmer have to quit farming to run for office? Why should a non elected government worker have to give up his livlihood to run for office when if he loses he's out of a job? He should be entitiled to a level playing field just like everybody else. And he isn't. In some places, I am told, he cannot even run for city council.

Does a lawyer have to give up his practice to run for office? Does a small business owner have to sell his business to run for office? Does a farmer have to quit farming to run for office? Why should a non elected government worker have to give up his livlihood to run for office when if he loses he's out of a job? He should be entitiled to a level playing field just like everybody else. And he isn't. In some places, I am told, he cannot even run for city council.

But that is a condition of the job. You know that going in or should find out if that is your plan for the future. It is done to prevent public service people from doing favors with OPM (other people's money) to get votes. Of course the farmer gives you veggies, but they are his to give, not ours.

But that is a condition of the job. You know that going in or should find out if that is your plan for the future. It is done to prevent public service people from doing favors with OPM (other people's money) to get votes. Of course the farmer gives you veggies, but they are his to give, not ours.

Actually, a farmer giving veggies in return for votes is illegal, according to the Hatch Act of 1939. ;-)

I understand the reasons against it, but in some ways it seems short-sighted that someone who actually understands how government finances actually works, not be allowed to run for an office where government finances have been an issue unless they become unemployed. I have always thought it would be helpful for elected politicians to have at one time or another actually work in government and it would be better if they were working in the same level that they were trying to get elected in; i.e. local government running for local sheriff.

I guess its like any system though abuses can be made for personal gain but since the only way that Imfeld would have been able to oversee a grant would have been for the County Commission to pursue it. Then in actuality, the Grant Coordinator would really be overseeing most if not all of them. It just seems like in this one situation, Imfeld is third down on the Chain of Command below the BCC and Administrator Ronnie Bell so I don't see how he could have been selecting grants to help selected individuals without their support. So, is there anyone in Walton County Government that can run for elected office without resigning?

So, is there anyone in Walton County Government that can run for elected office without resigning?

The Hatch Act isn't a failsafe way to keep corruption out of gov't, but it is a start at trying to limit corruption. There are many people who can run for public office without resigning. Some of our elected officials continue to have other jobs. Now you couldn't run, but I could.

The Hatch Act isn't a failsafe way to keep corruption out of gov't, but it is a start at trying to limit corruption. There are many people who can run for public office without resigning. Some of our elected officials continue to have other jobs. Now you couldn't run, but I could.

I am not sure why you could and I couldn't since I don't work for government either, but MORE IMPORTANTLY I can tell you one thing for sure I WOULDN'T. So, don't worry about explaining it to me ;-). Unless you were going to be my running mate of course.

This is a very unfortunate turn of events. Bill Imfeld was and will remain, the most qualified candidate for Sheriff this County has seen in a very long time. It is a sad state of affairs when the current elected sheriff has to seek legal counsel to find a loop hole from 1939 to try to eliminate the man who was going to be the next Sheriff in Walton County. Why can't the current sheriff run a campaign and get the votes of the people? The reason is that he senses defeat and is running scared. Like any coward, instead of taking a head on approach, he goes the back door. The current sheriff knows he can't measure up to Bill Imfeld, not many, if any candidates can.

What is really sad is that when you break it all down, all the sheriff has done is prevented the citizens of Walton County, the voters, the voice of the community, from having the opportunity to CHOOSE its elected Sheriff for the next four years. Great Job with that one. It measures up with the firing of two pregnant females, loosing taxpayers money, failing to withhold tax money for his employees, promoting unqualified employees to positions of high authority (only to recently put them back where they belong), the list goes on and on and on.

People of Walton County need to wake up and realize that in a world of global terrorism, violent criminals, illegal immigration and numerous other serious issues, a true leader needs to be in office in the Walton County Sheriff's Office. That leader is and will remain to be, Bill Imfeld.

What ever does not kill you, makes you stronger.

Thank you.