A Bradley County constable says five sheriff’s deputies kept him away from a public rally because a friend’s bumper sticker displayed a different candidate’s name than the featured speaker at the rally.
On Saturday, a campaign event was held in support of Jim Ruth, a captain in the Bradley County Sheriff’s Office running for the Republican nomination for the sheriff’s seat currently occupied by Tim Gobble, who is campaigning for the Republican nomination for Zach Wamp’s 3rd Congressional District seat.
Dewayne Hicks, constable for the 6th District of Bradley County, alleges that Mr. Ruth’s campaign manager asked him and his friends to leave the event because his friend had a bumper sticker supporting Steve Larson — a Democratic candidate for sheriff — plastered to his truck.
The truck was hauling a separate trailer with political signs supporting different candidates, including Mr. Hicks, who is running for re-election.
Mr. Hicks said the truck was immediately approached by Mr. Ruth’s campaign manager, who ordered them off the property.
“He came out of that gym and said, ‘You all can’t be here,'” Mr. Hicks said.
Five sheriff’s deputies were called to the scene. According to Bradley County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Bob Gault, the men agreed to stay outside the school and “not interfere” with anyone entering or leaving the rally.
The afternoon event happened at Valley View Elementary School, which Mr. Hicks identified as “public property within my district.”
“I’m not going to let this die,” said Mr. Hicks, who says he has enlisted Chattanooga attorney Michael Raulston. “If this is the kind of people that (Mr. Ruth) surrounds himself with … we sure don’t need him as the sheriff.”
Mr. Hicks claims he was called “stupid” and “ignorant” by the deputies assigned to the call.
Mr. Gault said the dispute centered on whether the trailer was blocking access to a handicapped parking space.
“They were told they could stay there and display their political signs on the parking lot or in the street,” Mr. Gault said. “(The patrol supervisor) asked the gentlemen if they had tickets, and they said no.”
But a listing at a Cleveland events Web site says that “tickets may be purchased at the door the day of the event.”
Attempts to reach Mr. Ruth were unsuccessful.