CLEVELAND, Tenn. -- The Republican candidate for Bradley County sheriff is calling a campaign advertisement by his Democrat opponent untrue and deceptive.
Republican Jim Ruth issued a statement Thursday morning responding to a Wednesday newspaper advertisement by Democrat Steve Lawson.
Mr. Lawson's advertisement said he has "invited Jim Ruth to meet with him at nine locations in Bradley County to discuss the issues of this election with the people." The headline on the advertisement reads "Invitation, Public Invited."
The Wednesday advertisement said "the first of these debates is tomorrow evening at 6 p.m. at Michigan Avenue School."
Mr. Ruth issued a statement Thursday morning saying that is all wrong.
"This advertisement is untrue and is an attempt to deceive and confuse the voting public," Mr. Ruth said in his press statement. The Ruth campaign said Mr. Ruth has not agreed to any of the advertised debates by the Lawson campaign. The Ruth campaign said he and the Bradley County Republican Party will be glad to work with the Bradley County Democrat Party to schedule "structured debates in neutral settings."
The Ruth campaign statement notes Mr. Lawson did not participate in debates during the primary campaign with the four Republican candidates running then.
"Mr. Lawson's campaign is using typical liberal tactics of misdirection and political spin to create an illusion of fairness; however, these phony debates being advertised are by no means fair," according to Mr. Ruth. "The people of Bradley County deserve honest and open debates, void of political twist."
Responding Thursday morning, Mr. Lawson said "it's important that the public sees us side by side and hears our views on the future of law enforcement."
Mr. Lawson said he made the invitation some time ago and that Mr. Ruth waited until the last minute to issue a press statement and get free advertising.
"The only liberal thing I see is that he waited until the last minute and issued a press release," Mr. Lawson said.
"I think it's important that both of us hear the concerns of the people and they hear from us side by side," Mr. Lawson said.
Mr. Lawson said he did not take part in the debates sponsored during the primary by local civic groups because he was unopposed then.
As for the community dates in the advertisement, Mr. Lawson said he will be there on those days and times: Black Fox on June 17, Oak Grove on June 22, Waterville on June 24 and Prospect on June 29. He said the public is invited to those events to ask questions and voice concerns.