Steve LawsonThe former chief deputy of the Bradley County (Tenn.) Sheriff's Office, Brian Smith, has thrown his support to the man challenging his former boss in the sheriff's race.
Steve Lawson is seeking to upset incumbent Eric Watson in the May 1 Republican primary. Lawson was captain of the Criminal Investigations Division at the Bradley sheriff's office before he resigned Jan. 3 and announced his candidacy.
Smith was the chief deputy until he resigned later Jan. 21 along with Arnold Botts, the department's director of human resources.
In a statement Thursday, Smith said: "I have known Steve Lawson for 40 years. I have firsthand knowledge of his honesty and trustworthiness, both in his professional and personal life. Steve is the only man in this race that can truly restore trust and integrity to the office of sheriff. This is why I am proud to endorse Steve Lawson for Sheriff of Bradley County."
In his own resignation letter, Lawson said he was leaving because he could "no longer respect or believe the person I work for."
At that point, Watson had been under criminal investigation on multiple allegations for 17 months by agencies including the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Tennessee Department of Revenue and the Tennessee Comptroller's Office. He was facing trial on 12 felony counts of using forged titles in his side business of selling used cars.
Those charges were dropped Jan. 11, with a special prosecutor acknowledging that Watson broke the law but saying he had decided not to try the case. The comptroller's office found no wrongdoing in a forensic audit of the sheriff's budget.
Lawson also has been endorsed by four previous sheriffs, including Jim Ruth, Tim Gobble, Dan Gilley and Robert Lawson, who is Steve Lawson's uncle.
No Democrat is running for the post.