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OPINION: Time to Send Sheriff Ric Bradshaw Packing!

Posted by , March 6, 2012 Print

I don’t believe that Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw is a bad guy.

I don’t believe he’s a thief, as banners flying high above Palm Beach County these days claim.

ric bradshaw palm beach county sheriff election

Bradshaw, talking to the troops

And I believe he’s running a tight ship in trying times of terrorism, budget cuts and anti-government sentiments.

But last week, Bradshaw proved beyond a reasonable doubt that he’s been corrupted.

By power. And eight years as the county’s top law enforcement official.

I reached that conclusion, and the conclusion he doesn’t deserve a third term, after the theatrical arrest of PBSO Internal Affairs Lt. Dean Johnson. Johnson allegedly leaked to Gossip Extra information about investigations into out-of-control deputies whose actions made the sheriff look like an inept manager.

What’s more, the paperwork on Johnson’s arrest put out by outgoing State Attorney Michael McAuliffe, Bradshaw’s lap dog, also shows that McAuliffe and Bradshaw could bring criminal charges against Mark Dougan, a former deputy.

Along with unhappy current deputies, Dougan airs out his political hatred of Bradshaw and his inner circle on his pbsotalk.com website. He also flies the anti-Bradshaw banners that appeared above the Honda Classic over the weekend.

That makes Dougan an opponent to the Bradshaw regime.

PBSO officials have been obsessing about Dougan and his pbsotalk.com for months — despite the fact that, while it presents truths culled from public records, pbsotalk often lowers itself to unwarranted name-calling of Bradshaw and his aide-de-camp Mike Gauger.

This alone discredits pbsotalk.com‘s good work and should have Bradshaw’s posse dismiss it.

Oh but no, that would make too much sense.

So, in another lean budget year, PBSO and McAuliffe have been wasting untold taxpayers’ money to catch low-level gossiper Johnson and the owner of a boutique website. Now, that’s something that’ll make the public sleep better at night.

For the cloak-and-dagger probe, disgraced PBSO Sgt. Ann Burke went “undercover” and taped her conservations with Dean.

I am privy to some of the material that Johnson supposedly put out, and I’ll be shocked if a jury convicts him. There were no secrets in there. Just information that the public had the right to know.

I suspect that McAuliffe and Bradshaw and Gauger have just enough sense to know that their case is as thin as their collective skin.

But make no mistake: There is purpose to their madness.

The Johnson/Dougan investigation represents nothing more than an expensive internal memo to PBSO staff. It reads: “If you make the sheriff look bad by releasing inside information during this campaign, the sheriff will make your life miserable.”

And there’s another message, just as clear and adressed to the voters.

It goes something like this: ”Don’t doubt that Bradshaw is the best candidate for sheriff, or we’ll shut down your freedom of information!”

If you want proof that Palm Beach County is a banana republic ruled by Manuel Noriega-esque characters, look no further. This investigation is the most blatant example of abuse of power and public funds I’ve seen in my 25 years in the news business.

For more:

– To catch a snitch: Inside PBSO’s cloak-and-dagger operation to plug leaks

– Probe that led to arrest of Internal Affairs lieutenant targets Sheriff Ric Bradshaw critics

– Integrity gone to hell: The marriage of convenience between State Attorney Michael McAuliffe and The Palm Beach Post

– Former PBSO SWAT boss loses command

– PBSO drug scandal: Ex-SWAT commander stole drugs from deputy dying of cancer

– Ex SWAT commander arrested in drug scandal

– State Attorney accused of hacking into website

Check Out Our Related Gossip:

  1. Sheriff Ric Bradshaw Critic Targeted in Arrest of Internal Affairs Lieutenant
  2. To Catch a Snitch: Inside The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Hunt For Deep Throat
  3. Sheriff Ric Bradshaw to Dave Aronberg: Don’t Run For State Attorney!
  4. Did State Attorney Attempt to Break Into Website?
  5. Palm Beach County Sheriff’s “Rat Squad” Boss Retires
  6. Ex-Palm Beach County Sheriff’s SWAT Boss Arrested in Pill, Gun Thefts From Dying Friend!

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4 Comments

  1. roger sherman dorn, 1 year ago Reply

    FYI dont believe everything dougan says..I worked with him and he violated more rights on a daily basis then most of the guys arrested in the past few months. He fabricated more PC affidavits and racially profiled citizens in this county It was only a matter of time before he was gone…He is not all he seems to be…he is not a saint being persecuted he by no means is serpico..Im not saying things are seemed messed up at here but one thing i do know is that to a guy who flys straight Dougan is a dirtbag…theres a lot of good cops at the SO and he was not one of them, unfortunatly there are more currently employed that need to go.

  2. Justice, 1 year ago Reply

    Pbsotalk is a racist and anti-semetic forum. It is deplorable that it’s given any consideration by anyone. It supposedly is moderated so these horrible comments are obviously approved of and encouraged by the owner, and anyone else associated with him. That’s the REAL was story.

  3. Worthy News?, 1 year ago Reply

    I’ve personally tried posting on Mark Dougan’s website. Only certain things get accepted by him because he is incredibly biased toward the PBSO. He is nothing but a compulsive liar and so is his inner circle running that circus on that so-called website. Bradshaw has helped the community and has lowered homicides in the area whereas Dougan falsified PC reports, and was downright prejudice. The fella arrested earlier was an Internal Affairs Investigator! He had ZERO right to leak information to this website. He is responsible for dirty cops, and here he is, leaking information. That’s egregious.

  4. About time, 1 year ago Reply

    Eight years is enough. Timed for a change


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