Although being a sheriff of a county the size of Bradley County appears to be a full-time job, we wouldn't begrudge Sheriff Eric Watson for having a business on the side if that's what's best for him and his family.
However, that second job - re-selling used vehicles - requires proper paperwork, what with registering the vehicles with the state and paying taxes on them and such.
Watson, at least according to the charges made by a county grand jury, apparently hasn't handled that paperwork correctly. On Friday, the sheriff was booked into the Bradley County jail on six counts of forged vehicle titles and released on bond.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) began looking into the sheriff's activities 13 months ago at the request of Bradley County Commissioner Dan Rawls. He alleged the sheriff had pulled strings to get the bonds for a woman with whom he'd had a personal relationship reduced, that he was misusing credit cards, that his wife was getting favorable treatment as a bail bondsman, and that the mortgage and deed on their house weren't proper.
Late last year, it was revealed Watson was selling used cars, apparently without a required dealer's license. And it couldn't be determined whether he had registered the cars or whether he paid Bradley County sales tax on them. He was issued a warning by the Tennessee Motor Vehicle Commission in April over his actions.
It also was alleged that he asked some of his employees to assist him in his side work on county time.
We said at the time of the revelations about the car sales that if the sheriff had the proper paperwork - a dealer's license, the car registrations, the tax receipts - he simply needed to produce it and prove to his constituents that he still deserves their trust.
On Friday, Watson said in a statement he has cooperated with the TBI investigation of his activities but that they were brought on by "some who desire to have more control over county government and the operations of the Sheriff's Office."
Nevertheless, he added, he would "respond appropriately to the allegations" and would "waive arraignment, speedy trial and advise the court that I plea Not Guilty to the accusations."
The truth is always the best counter to "some who desire to have more control." We hope sooner rather than later truth will either prove Watson right or show that his accusers simply didn't have a vendetta against him.