St. Joseph County Sheriff Mike Grzegorek reacted to a South Bend Tribune editorial at a press conference Thursday night.
Grzegorek called the press conference to state he hadn’t asked Chuck Hurley to run. He said he has supported Democratic candidate Bill Redman over the years and went on to say that since being promoted to lieutenant, Redman has become ‘obstinate and uncooperative.’
Grzegorek has said he will endorse Independent Chuck Hurley as his replacement, following a tight primary race and recount that named Redman as the Democratic candidate for county sheriff. Hurley still needs to gather signatures and file a petition before being eligible for the ballot in November.
The column in the Tribune called the endorsement a ‘self-indulgent political stunt,’ a ‘effort to hand pick the next sheriff’ and that it ‘smacks of old-fashioned back-room politics.’
Grzegorek called article ‘a conspiracy theory.’
The Tribune said in statement is stands firmly behind the editorial, and that it is entirely factually accurate.
In a statement through his campaign chairman, Redman said the press conference was the first time he has heard the criticisms on his performance and that he will continue to take the race to the voters.
The editorial is still available on the South Bend Tribune website.
