Last night, Daryl Crandall prevailed in his campaign to unseat Gary Aman as Owyhee County Sheriff.
This morning, at the urging of Chief Jeff Eidemiller, Crandall's misdemeanor complaint against Tony Lopez for "defacing" a campaign sign was dismissed, and the citation was withdrawn.
Speaking to a small group (which included Mr. Lopez, his wife, and two of their sons) outside his office next door to the Magistrate Court, Eidemiller emphatically expressed his desire to be rid of the matter, which he believed should have been dealt with privately. Once Crandall had signed a complaint, however, State law dictated that the police duly serve it to Lopez, which was the only reason the Homedale PD got involved in the matter, insisted Chief Eidemiller.
The Chief, visibly relieved that the conflict came to an end without further action in the courts, said that the controversy over the "defaced" campaign sign had generated "a media tornado" and created conflicts among Homedale residents.
His face knotted in incredulity, Eidemiller recalled a threat he'd received from a local senior citizen -- a very agitated older lady -- to "kick my butt" over his role in the affair (which, once again, consisted of serving the citation to Lopez).
Lopez himself, a youthful husband and father of four who somewhat resembles southpaw bass guitar virtuoso Jimmy Haslip, was understandably relieved that the charge was dropped and the citation revoked.
However, he said that several of his friends at the Sheriff's Office are very unhappy over the change in administration and will probably be leaving the force.
Election night brought other unpleasantness, as well. According to Lopez, Crandall supporters -- in a festive mood and most likely into their cups -- drove by his home repeatedly until late at night, honking and otherwise taunting their candidate's most conspicuous critic.
Unpleasant as his experience has been, Lopez points out, the media's interest will mean that the publicity-shy and dubiously qualified Sheriff-elect "will have to tread lightly and mind his p's and q's for at least a little while."
It's in the interests of accountability that "the `No Crandall' sign will stay up for the next four years -- unless an unexpected change makes it unnecessary," Lopez said, with a defiant twinkle in his eyes and a satisfied smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
(N.B. -- Yes, I know the photo of Jimmy Haslip was gratuitous and didn't have any news value, but the guy's a world-historic musical genius who has collaborated with many of my favorite musical titans, so I thought I'd find an excuse to give him a shout-out.)
Want to know more about the police state apparatus inherited by Barack the Blessed (PBUH)? Get the book!
Dum spiro, pugno!
42 comments:
WOW, I just pray that Eidemiller (boss hog) and Buford will not let any harm come to Lopez. That they will help protect him and his family instead of harrass them like they do others that don't like them.
AAP
man!
that guy's got a 6 string left handed bass! don't see too many of them.
rick
Hey everyone this is Tony. My family and I are overwhelmed with all the support and kindness we have received. I can't begin to thank you all enough. And please stick up for the innocent and those that dare to be different.. A big thank you to Mr. Grigg and to all our troops and their families.I am Tony Lopez and I approve this message..
Where's the post-election story?
We all want to hear the -- as Bush the Less might say -- Griggification of the election results!!
We know you called it!!
i guess that no matter what the police do they are going to be wrong.
harrassment has two sides, but those who choose to wear the badge are just expected to bend over and take it up the tail pipe.
Anytime the police abuse their authority, they are wrong. Occasionally the police need to be reminded that the only authority they possess is the authority granted them by the citizens of the community in which they work. When a police officers are abusive of their authority and those tasked with governing the officers are not willing to take action, the citizens must step in and ensure that the offending officers either mend their ways, or find a new occupation.
jk
"Griggification of the election results!!"
Entertain us with the national stuff (an election that did not matter that much anyway since they both had the same policies) that we need Mr. Grigg. Stop talking so much about the important elections we should have been concerned about like that of the local Sheriff.
Focus on national!! We have heard from Hannity and Limbaugh and it was entertaining. Now we need to hear from you.
Tony Lopez, Mike Conant and the rest of the Aman people who tried to bring dirt on Crandall lost. But I am glad to see an end to something that could have been handled in civil court (where the two parties have to pay and it saves the taxpayers a little money).
Congrats to Mr. Grigg for airing this story and helping Crandall win (much like the Owyhee Avalanche did before the Primary Election)!
"Congrats to Mr. Grigg for airing this story and helping Crandall win..."
"Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not?"
A lot of the people from Owyhee County voted for McCain or Obama also.
Both presidential candidates announced many times (as people who are constitutionally minded could hear)in the open the reasons why they were both unqualified for office.
Most of the American people are pretty stupid not just the people from Owyhee County!!
jk,
how did the police abuse their authority in this case? Was there a violation of local state or federal law? did they beat Tony up, pee in his ceerios or something? the police responded to a citizens complaint and resovled the issue in accordance with the law.
"When a police officers are abusive of their authority"
JK,
I've never met anyone who was on the receiving side of the police who did not feel like they are a victim of the system. Please share your stories of how you were victimized and abused by governmental corruption.
HEY JUST A THOUGH ALL YOU LIBERAL, TREE HUGGIN TYPES........IF I WERE TO TAKE A PEICE OF PLY-WOOD AND PAINT A SIGN OH LETS SAY
YOU WIFE IS A WHORE( INSERT YOUR WIFES NAME HERE )AND A CHEAP ONE TOO.
THE SIGN WOULD BE PLACED ON PROPERTY THAT IS NOT YOURS OR RIGHT OF WAY
AM I EXCERCISING FREE SPEECH? i KNOW THAT IT IS EXTREME, BUT THE POINT MAYBE THE SAME.....MY CONDUCT, WHETHER CARLESS OR NOT WOULD CAUSE YOU GREAT HARM, AND ME PHSICAL HARM BY YOU. WOULD YOU BE JUSTIFIED IN PROTECTING YOUR WIFES HONOR BY DESTROYING MY SIGN? DID TONY ATTEMPT TO CAUSE GREAT HARM TO THE CRANDALL CAMPAIGN BY DEFACING THE SIGN? WAS CRANDALL NOT JUSTIFIED IN EXCERCISING HIS CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS BY NOT ALLOWING ANOTHER PERSON TO INTENTIONALLY SMEARING HIS REPUTATION, AND ADDING INSULT TO INJURY BY DOING IT ON CRANDALLS SIGN. COULD TONY HAVE HELP THIS SITUATION BY JUST THROWING HIS SIGN IN THE GARBAGE, OR LEFT IT IN HIS GARAGE. TONY'S INTENT WAS CLEAR IN THE FACT THAT HE WAS CAMPAINING ON THE PART OF SHERIFF AMAN AND CHOSE THE WRONG WAY TO DO IT. THERE IS FAULT TO BE FOUND ON BOTH SIDES OF THE FENCE AND DONT BE QUICK TO DEFEND ONES RIGHTS AND NEGATE THE RIGHTS OF ANOTHER.
At least Lopez didn't whine when his sign got peed on..And leave the cheerios out of this. I like cheerios..
At least Lopez didn't whine when his sign got peed on..And leave the cheerios out of this. I like cheerios..
how did the police whine? dont forget the ciation was signed as a private citizen, not a cop
However, he said that several of his friends at the Sheriff's Office are very unhappy over the change in administration and will probably be leaving the force.
and the truth comes out......freedom of speech or campaingning?
i have it under good reference that tony was overheard talking about how he fucked with crandall and the police and got away with it, and it now sounds like from this blog ( twinlke in eye ) that tony is going to casue problems for the sheriff elect, need i repeat the sheriff elect, oh the sheriff elect that won by a larger margin in november that he did in may, you know the guy who kicked all the shit out of lopez's boy. do your little victory dance tony and remember that your fifteen minutes of fame are just about up, see ya in four years
"...and the truth comes out......freedom of speech or campaingning?
The truth was never at issue here, Mr. Anonymous, since Lopez was openly campaigning for Aman during most of the campaign, remember?
And where did you get the idea that campaigning is somehow not a constitutionally protected form of free speech?
As to the earlier question:
"how did the police whine? dont forget the ciation was signed as a private citizen, not a cop"
Mr. Lopez was making the point that he didn't involve the police when something that was incontestably his property, unlike the sign Crandall had given to him.
I'd chide you for your poor reading comprehension skills if I thought your objections were offered honestly, rather than disingenuously.
Mr. Anonymous:
This blog isn't governed by the Warren Court rules of evidence or even the accustomed canons of journalism, so it's acceptable, to a point, to use the comment thread to share second-hand hearsay.
It is not all right, however, to pollute it with needless adolescent vulgarity, particularly when it is emitted from the keyboard of someone who cowers and simpers in convenient anonymity.
If you feel like kissing Daryl Crandall's ring or, more likely, his malodorous anatomy, feel free to do so. If you're compelled to traffic in innuendo and slander against a private citizen for the supposed offense of opposing your pet candidate, open your own blog.
If you're typical of the people who propelled Crandall into office, Owyhee County is decidedly in deep, serious trouble.
jk,
should a private person be allowed to spit on a cop? should a aids infected bag of crap be allowed to bite police officer. If your family is under attack by a nutjob, are you going to call a freedom of speech buddie to talk the guy out, or are you gonna call 911. if everybody knew what it took to be a cop, then you will realzie that most of you granola eating hippies could not hack the job. How many civl rights attorney have been killed while responding to a argument over who owns the families pet dog, how many of you have been called in the middle of the night to look for a lost child? how many of you have been asked or have stood in harms way to protect soembody that you do not know? i will agree that there are officers out there that should be doing something else , but the police as whole are here to protect you and your family from harm, try to catch a bad guy and yadda yadda yadda. the most important reson for police officers is because if police officers were not here, then firefighter would not have heros.
hey will, tony lied and you know it, he roped all of you into feeling sorry for him when it was nothing more that a campaign stunt. rest easy big boy all of us will have our day, where we will stand in judgement for the wrongs we have done to others, and I suspect that Lopez will have some explaining to do. by the way if you look at the vote count in the Homedale Marsing area, the voters did not buy his crap either.
1) If Daryl Crandall, given his history, is qualified to be an LEO, something useful might come from his election: It will help de-mystify that line of work by disabusing people of the notion that law enforcement officers are competent, ethical, disciplined, and physically superior.
2) Police are not required by law to protect any individual citizen, and cannot be held liable in either criminal or civil court for failing to do so. Yes, I have had reason to be grateful for help I've received from police officers in the past, but I've more frequently had cause for gratitude toward those who have aided and protected me as private citizens without the junk jewelry and state-issued costumes.
3) Why should a police officer be regarded as such a sanctified personage that merely touching him constitutes assault -- but any abuse of physical force on his part is presumed to be justified?
4) If a non-police "nutjob" stages a criminal attack on my family and I resist by force, he'll run away. If a nutjob in a police uniform does the same thing and I resist, he will call in his comrades, in sufficient numbers and with sufficient force to kill all of us. That's why private sector criminals are less dangerous than abusive cops.
5) Yes, I like granola and cherish civil liberties. I'm a frequent critic of police abuses.
I've also helped to exonerate several good police officers who were being railroaded into prison on bogus civil liberties charges.
I'm one of the few journalists who earned a certificate in counter-terrorism studies in a course I took in Chicago alongside law enforcement from around the USA.
Likewise, I'm a gun owner who bench-presses more than 400 lbs.
That tinkling noise you hear in the background, if you're listening carefully enough, is the sound of shattering stereotypes.
i feel all the dumber knowing that i will never get back the ten minutes of my life that it took for me to read your last post Will. You talk about sterotypes, but yet you are quick to use them, if you are a true journalist then act like one, report with accuracy and integrity, your kind of jounalism can be found at any spuermarket check-out stand.
"i feel all the dumber knowing that i will never get back the ten minutes of my life that it took for me to read your last post Will."
Couldn't get your lips to move any faster than that, my anonymous friend?
Look, if it took you ten minutes to read a few brief paragraphs, your life has been largely wasted already.
Anon LEO,
Personally, I will never call a police officer for any reason. I don't need them to protect me or my family. But I am forced to pay for their unneeded services at the point of a gun. Let's make a deal. I give up all claim to being able to call you and you give up all claim to the fruits of my labors. Deal?
"If your family is under attack by a nutjob, are you going to call a freedom of speech buddie to talk the guy out, or are you gonna call 911."
My house was broken into and vandalized a couple of years ago. I called the police, and they managed to send someone around to check things out 14 hours later.
I do understand it's got to be tough to break a cop free from sitting with a radar gun giving out speeding tickets for going 45 in a 30 zone, but still...
BTW- this was in Ada county. I have no idea what the response time of the police in Owyhee county is- I suppose it might depend on who's asking for for help?
WOW GUNS AND YOU CAN BENCH 400 LBS. I HOPE THAT THE. BOYS AT THE Y ARE PROUD AS FOR THE 14 HOUR RESPONSE,THAT IS APPALLING,IN FACT I HEARD THAT A GUY IN MARSING CALLED UP ABOUT FOLLOW UP ON A BURGLARY AND WAS TOLD THEY WERE BUSY AND IT WOULD TAKE TWO DAYS TO TALK TO A DEPUTYM
YOU NEEDN'T SHOUT, anonymous, especially in light of the fact that YOU HAVE NOTHING INTERESTING TO SAY!!!!!
Does anyone in owyhee county have the balls to stand up and be a man?seems to me Mr.Lopez stood up for what he believes in,he did not trash Mr.Crandall or his family,the Crandall supporters are just upset that Mr.Lopez did not support him and his B.S.nor did he back down.he also did not mind his name being metioned on this website or public,he does not hide behind "anonymous".I hope for all the people in Owyhee county that Mr.Lopez keeps his sign up for the 4 years as he said he would.I cannot believe that a sign could get somebody so riled up.So is it the sign that gets to you boys?or is it the fact that Mr.Lopez stood up for himself and his family.
Mr Grigg. Thank you for standing your ground. Hard to imagine that it gets to them so bad.. Why is it that Tony Lopez gets to them so bad? Is it the fact that he is not afraid? Or is it the fact that he used his name? I am trying to teach my young son to stand up for what is right and just. Mr. Grigg You and Mr. Lopez are a good example. Thank you!!
Crandall was just a bananna without a republic... now since being elected he has found his republic.
Residents of owyehee county enjoy - oh yea! enjoy.
Will said: who bench-presses more than 400 lbs.
Wow!
I was a firefighter. We got into situations that would not only pucker your a%* but that would make the cops run and hide like little babies. Don't sit there and tell me if it weren't for cops. Besides us firefighters are so much better looking.
Dear Mr. Grigg,
As a big fan of yours writing from Michigan, thank you for covering this story. I will have to bookmark it and send it to my Christian Libertarian friends as an example of what the citizens are up against, and how even these "public servants" go on ego trips. Keep up the good work!
Mr. Lopez, if you are reading this comment, thank you for standing your ground in the face of tyranny. Your stand on the right to freedom of speech is an inspiration.
James Niemela
i was not shouting, just did not realize that you would be offended by capitol letters, i have a real job and not aware of blogging rules, so i asked my 18 yoa daughter and she said your were right, i do notice that you take great pleasure in insulting me, and mistifying us with your big words, but how come you will not answer the questions posed of you about the rights of crandall? I am waiting for a response that is befitting a man of you obvious intelligence and education, and remeber that I have never stated that you were dumb.....I just think that you got taken for a ride by Lopez( a former cop, by the way ). I guess there really doesnt have to be a loser in the war of words, just people who dont agree on a subject. if you have managed to read all the way to the bottom of this post thatn appearently i do have something interesting to say.
anonymous, first I'd like to apologize for my needlessly dismissive reaction to your last comment. I was under the pressure of two simultaneous deadlines and permitted that fact to poison my mood. Please excuse my behavior.
I'm really at a loss to understand how Crandall's rights are implicated in this matter, since he gave the sign in question to Tony Lopez and, per Tony's uncontested account, Crandall declined an offer to take it back. That made the sign Tony's property, not Crandall's. So Crandall's rights weren't violated in any way when Tony decided to modify that sign to express his political views and display it on his own property.
That sign was a piece of discarded campaign literature akin to pamphlets or flyers left to litter the streets after a rally.
As I pointed out in the post above, I think Chief Eidemiller (about whom I know little beyond his involvement in this matter) acted appropriately in seeking to dismiss this matter without prosecution.
As for anybody being "taken for a ride" in this matter, I have to ask: Did Tony Lopez somehow secretly compel Daryl Crandall to make an ass of himself in this affair? Something of that sort must have happened if Mr. Lopez is really the dark, diabolical puppet-master behind these events.
I was aware that Lopez is a former police officer, and I'm delighted that he decided to go straight.
I'm just kidding! Sort of.
Will i understand the fact that you are taking lopez at face value, but at this point, can you say that lopez is telling you the truth? Is it appropriate to think that crandall is lyin simply beause he would not talk with the press? does is make a whole lot of sense for crandll to allow someone to keep his sign when they dont support him? there are faults to be found all around.... and not all cops are bad or even have a tendency to be that way, just as all journalist are not bad.
I was a firefighter. We got into situations that would not only pucker your a%* but that would make the cops run and hide like little babies. Don't sit there and tell me if it weren't for cops. Besides us firefighters are so much better looking.
if i looked like most firemen, i would shave my butt and learn to walk backwords on my hands, hahahaha
Are we to conclude that excessive donut consumption results in abnormally thick hair growth on the posterior?
big words will hahahaha , I only say in jest. I have a huge respect for anybody who is willing to put on a uniform and stand between danger and those not prepared to protect themsleves. they all ( cops and firemen ) run to what most people run away from.
i have been around numerous police officer and it is funny how most people feel about cops.....they dont want them around unless they need them, but the same people are first in line to help when somehting bad happens to one.
will said:
Are we to conclude that excessive donut consumption results in abnormally thick hair growth on the posterior?
huh, you lost me, do firemen like donuts?
What wing are all of you? Pry into Tony Lopez' past and see what he is capable of. Do it honestly though, instead of inflated through a blog with the owner opinions like this and you might make the real Tony Lopez stand up.
Are all of you police-hating, granola-eating, hiking-boot wearing, hippie-lettuce smoking,happy-when-trashing-the-system morons types of people who hide while puffing their chests out and protecting a village idiot like Tony Lopez? It was all a farce and he caught you hook, line and sinker!
Good luck with your new friend Tony Lopez everybody. I will be sure to find leaks for his past behaviors for all of you so you can see who you protected.
Signed,
The Tony Lopez Victim Society
Whether or not Tony Lopez is telling the truth about trying to give the sign back to Crandall matters not on whit to me. The idea that the sign left with Tony remains the property of Crandall and that Tony should know this is patently absurd.
I have run for office and it did not enter my head that the people who were gracious enough to take my signs were under any constraints to display or return those signs intact. And--if someone had done to a sign I gave them what Mr. Lopez did would have caused me to find out what caused such animus and to try to repair the relationship--not to have the person arrested.
Whether Crandall is correct on the law is irrelevant to me when judging his character. He behaved like a thug instead of a statesman and leader. I pity those under his authority.
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