Is Sheriff Swanson Above the Law?
August 15th, 2007 by Jared MorrisThere’s a cadre of evil operating in Sussex County… Cronyism… Good Ole Fellas… Liars, Hypocrites, Backstabbers…. People who are making, under the seams, life a very ugly thing in Sussex County. If you look deep enough below the surface, these people will present themselves…. They’re the ones that have little secret meetings, gossips, whiners…and are just generally unpleasant…. Could the current sheriff and his minions be amongst this select group? According to former sheriff deputy and candidate for State Representative, Kirk Pope, Yes.
The Neuberger Firm sent a letter out today claiming that Kirk Pope was fired from his post as sheriff for running for office against Pete Schwartzkopf, for being a republican, and for supporting former Sheriff Reed.
They claim Schwartzkopf blackballed and “put the word out” against Pope. They claim Sheriff Swanson belittled Pope’s military service and told him that there were going to be some changes because “I know you were loyal” to Sheriff Reed. They claim Sheriff Swanson told other Sheriff’s Office employees that they should vote “better,” meaning vote democrat.
Attorney Thomas Neuberger says that Swanson “believes he is above the law.” Attorney Stephan Neuberger calls Swanson a “renegade public official.”
So why does this apply, you thought Delaware was a hire-at-will state… Apparently, that doesn’t apply to elected officials… According to the Neuberger Firm:
Thirty-one years ago, the Supreme Court held that the First Amendment barred the newly elected Democratic Sheriff of Cook County, Illinois from firing his Deputy sheriff’s because of their political affiliations and activities.
Stephan Neuberger says that if it applied to Cook County, it applies to Sussex County.
I talked to Stephen Neuberger today to explain the details around this potential lawsuit… For everyone interested in the future of Sussex County, I urge you to listen to the below interview.
ATTORNEY S. NEUBERGER DISCUSSES POPE AND SWANSON (08-15-07 10:35am)
READ the Press Release and Complaint HERE.
August 15th, 2007 at 11:27 am
there was an error with the interview link (when i tried it anyway).
August 15th, 2007 at 8:45 pm
The county should setlle now, $1,000,000 is gonna seem like a bargain if this thing goes to trial..Neuberger doesn’t take losing cases.
August 16th, 2007 at 7:42 am
Swanson was always known for a short fuse and irrational decisions. Obviously Sussex Countians didn’t do their homework when voting once again. If you knew him on a personal level you would know he had a temper and I think it was brought out before election. This is why it doesn’t suprise me that this is more than likely true. We are going to have to pay out of our pockets for this. Seems like we are paying for a lot of things due to our county GOV’T. Maybe it’s time for a change?
August 16th, 2007 at 10:20 am
I voted for Robert Reed and was sorry that he did not win the election. If he had done just that, we would not be having to listen to all this crap. We will probably just make Mr. Neuberger”s pockets fatter with our tax dollars, for sure……
August 16th, 2007 at 11:17 am
Sussex County has enough problems without having to deal with self-serving elected officials with their own agenda. Sussex is traditionally a conservative county, so I would imagine that the Dems would try their best to portray themselves in a more positive manner to win over the vote of the majority. How is crap this productive for the Democratic party as well as the interests of Sussex Countians?
Just remember Mr. Swanson and Mr. Schwartzkopf: Sussex Countians are not stupid. Your actions will not be soon forgotten and our evaluation of such will certainly be reflected in the polls.
August 16th, 2007 at 10:11 pm
Mr. Swanson did NOTHING wrong. Maybe you all should read the whole story and not just listen to what people want you to hear on the radio.
1) “I know you were loyal to Reed” everyone knew this so that is why he should have been fired. Reed was VOTED out by the people of Sussex County so that means we did not want Reed or his second hand man. Mr. Swanson did what the smart people of this County wanted A CHANGE for the better I must say.
2) ” You regularly tell employees in your office that they would be better off in there jobs if they voted Democratic” Well anybody with atleast half a brain knows that as FACT, because when you vote Democratic you vate for better jobs, better pay, better working conditions ect. When you vote for the gop you vote for corprate greed, not the working man. So Mr. Swanson was right and in his right again.
3) He was blackballed because he opposed Rep. Schwartzkopf, he didn’t oppose Rep. Schwartzkopf ,he got smoked by Rep. Schwartzkopf. To oppose someone you have to put up a little fight not just talking trash which is all he did.
So I don’t know what Mr. Neuberger is talking about ” this is easy” I guess he doesn’t either, by what I’m hearing about Mr. Neuberger and this easy case i don’t know how he ever won any cases.
Mr. Swanson is just doing what he was voted in to do. Keeo up the good work.
August 20th, 2007 at 8:51 am
Hey Daddy,
Or should I call you PAPA. Anyway from your post I assume you support Pres. Bush’s firing of the attornies that has so fired up the democrats????????