2017 Republican gubernatorial nominee Ed Gillespie today released the following statement after meeting with the Virginia Sheriffs’ Association, Speaker-designee Kirk Cox and Senate Republican Caucus Chairman Ryan McDougle to receive the budget briefing the sheriffs had prepared for the Governor McAuliffe related to their priorities including compensation for sheriffs deputies and other structural concerns:
“It was infuriating that the McAuliffe-Northam administration cancelled the Virginia Sheriffs’ Association annual meeting to talk about the budget needs and in particular the crunch our sheriffs are facing with their deputies. I called on the McAuliffe-Northam Administration to reschedule this meeting and was dismayed that they refused to do so. This will be a priority for me, and I am grateful the Virginia Sheriffs’ Association took the time to sit down with Speaker Designee Cox, Senator McDougle and me today. Their budgetary concerns are legitimate, and I urge Governor McAuliffe and Lieutenant Governor Northam to rethink their petty political motives and meet with them.
“The public safety plan I put forward in July calls for law enforcement pay increases because we need to reward those who serve and protect us. As governor, I will never put politics before public safety. Whether our law enforcement officers support me or not, I will have their backs. They are fighting for us everyday, and I will fight for them as our governor.”
Background
On September 29, 2017, news reports indicated the McAuliffe-Northam administration cancelled an annual meeting with Virginia Sheriffs’ Association leadership intended to discuss budget issues, including deputy sheriff salaries, because a majority of sheriffs endorsed Republican gubernatorial nominee Ed Gillespie in the 2017 Virginia governor’s race. The Virginia Sheriffs’ Association is not a political organization, and it does not endorse.
The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported:
“The director of the Virginia Sheriffs’ Association has accused Gov. Terry McAuliffe of canceling a budget meeting in retaliation against sheriffs who have endorsed Republican Ed Gillespie for governor.
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With polls showing a close race between Gillespie and Democratic Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam, who is running largely on McAuliffe’s legacy, the dustup with the VSA is a sign McAuliffe may be growing frustrated by perceived allies throwing their support to Gillespie. On Thursday morning, the Gillespie campaign announced that Middlesex County Sheriff David Bushey had switched his endorsement from Northam to Gillespie. McAuliffe’s office did not dispute Jones’ claim that the meeting was canceled due to political feuding…”
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