Little Hatch Act Forces Johnson County Sheriff Candidate To Resign Job

While the Little Hatch Act is repeatedly ignored in Indianapolis' City-County government, it has viability elsewhere. In neighboring Johnson County, Chief Deputy Sheriff Doug Cox has been forced to resign his chief deputy's job while he is running for sheriff. Democrats complained Cox supervised personnel who administered federal grant money while running for sheriff. Cox will continue employment in the department as a lieutenant where he will have no supervisory role with respect to federal grant money according to Fox59 News. Marion County Republicans have not filed a Little Hatch Act complaint against Chief Deputy Sheriff John Layton with the Office of Special Counsel in Washington to determine if his campaign for sheriff violates the Act, but filed a complaint against Republican Dennis Fishburn's Republican primary opponent, Bart McAtee, with the elections board. Several current City-County Councilors were elected to their offices in violation of the Little Hatch Act. A couple of candidates in Deaborn County came under scrutiny for violating the Act earlier this year.