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Bradley debate: Watson denounces ‘fake Christian’ PAC; group says sheriff has ‘tarnished political image’

Bradley County Sheriff Eric Watson speaks during the opening of the Brian K. Smith Inmate Workhouse on Thursday, July 27, in Cleveland, Tenn. The new inmate workhouse allows low-security inmates the opportunity to work in the community while still serving their time.
Bradley County Sheriff Eric Watson speaks during the opening of the Brian K. Smith Inmate Workhouse on Thursday, July 27, in Cleveland, Tenn. The new inmate workhouse allows low-security inmates the opportunity to work in the community while still serving their time. Bradley County Sheriff Eric Watson speaks during the opening of the Brian K. Smith Inmate Workhouse on Thursday, July 27, in Cleveland, Tenn. The new inmate workhouse allows low-security inmates the opportunity to work in the community while still serving their time.

By Judy Walton 6 min read

CLEVELAND, Tenn. – A spokesman for a political action committee working against Bradley County Sheriff Eric Watson’s re-election fired back Sunday after Watson called it a “fake Christian special interest group” that used “doctored-up photos” in a critical ad.

“That’s just not true,” Joshua Standifer, spokesman for Christians for Accountable Leadership, said Sunday. He also accused Watson of “manipulating the public for political gain.”

photo Steve Lawson

Watson made the accusation Saturday night while debating opponent Steve Lawson at an event sponsored by the Bradley County Republican Party and moderated by party chairman Richard Burnette.

Each candidate was allowed to ask the other a question, and this was Watson’s:

“In the past week, a fake Christian special interest group that is represented by a boy from Nashville has attacked our inmate faith reform program and also tried to put a bad light on our local churches by involving them in his article. Even doctored-up photos by putting an inmate’s mug shot over the face of current and former inmates while they was [sic] giving their testimony behind the altar of a church. These same supporters and contributors to your campaign just recently submitted open records requests to the Bradley County Attorney’s Office seeking emails and conversations for certain local pastors in our community, ministries and churches here in Bradley County. Would you be willing to show your phone records to the Cleveland Daily Banner for the last 90 days to prove to the citizens of Bradley County that you had no association or have spoken to any member of this group?”