Taxpayer dollars are being used to intimidate Lee County Sheriff's deputies from supporting former Deputy Cam Hunt's challenge of Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones in 2026, according to Hunt.
Jones recently fired Hunt after Hunt notified Jones he would be challenging Jones in 2026. Hunt responded on Wednesday to recent comments by Jones about his termination.
Hunt said in a statement, "Sheriff Jones says it was 'clear' I had been planning a campaign. That is true, but planning a campaign is not misconduct, it is a constitutional right. He claims I 'could have chosen to resign.' My campaign was not public until nearly eight hours after our meeting. Sheriff Jones did not offer me a leave of absence or the chance to resign. He terminated me on the spot. Termination is far different than resignation, and it carries lasting implications. He cites "public safety" and "dissension" as reasons for firing me. In reality, his decision to fire me has created far more dissension within the Sheriff's Office than if he had handled the situation professionally."
"What is most troubling is not my own termination, but what deputies have shared with me since. At their own risk, numerous deputies have told me they have been threatened with termination if they are found to be supporting my campaign. Senior leadership has even been tasked with monitoring deputies' social media accounts to see who interacts with my posts. Let me be clear: political activity on duty or in uniform is prohibited, but every deputy has the constitutional right to support a candidate while off duty. Using staff time to monitor deputies' personal political activity is not just intimidation. It is a misuse of taxpayer resources," Hunt said. "Leadership means respecting those who serve beside you, not controlling their voices. Public service should never come with political strings attached. Every deputy, and every citizen deserves the freedom to think, speak, and vote without intimidation. The Sheriff's Office should stand as a safeguard of liberty, not an obstacle to it. If Sheriff Jones truly respects the constitutional rights of his deputies, I challenge him to say so publicly. I will end with this: I have no intention of running a smear campaign against Sheriff Jones. But I will not withhold the truth from the citizens of Lee County. Accountability and transparency are the foundation of my campaign, and I intend to honor those values every step of the way."
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