I have the information on the complaint to the Missouri Ethics Commission about Newton County Sheriff Ron Doerge much quicker than I had anticipated. After I finished my last post to The Turner Report, I checked my e-mail and there was a message from the administrator at Neoshoforums.com ,directing me to a link on that site which featured the details of the complaint. The name of the person who filed the complaint was redacted, most likely because that person would have lost his or her job if Sheriff Doerge found out he or she had the guts to step forward.
This is the complaint:
"I as employee of Newton County under the direction of my superiors set up a make believe group called 'County Citizens.' This group was to ask questions of other candidates running for sheriff. My superior Sheriff Ron Doerge endorsed one candidate Ken Copeland. No questions were to be asked to that candidate. This work was to be done on duty so that answers could be given to Sheriff Doerge immediately. Information was to be used to see that the candidate Ken Copeland was elected because Sheriff Doerge could stay on in the Department as a advisor. I followed instructions of the Sheriff."
Neoshoforums.com has done a great public service with its work in uncovering this information. We have heard much on the national level on how bloggers and independent websites are often setting the agenda for the major media. The same thing is happening in the local area with sites like neoshoforums.com and The Turner Report.
Neoshoforums.com has reported over the last few days how Doerge loaded these questions to the candidates so he would have ammunition against them in the election. It was reported first in neoshoforums.com, then in The Turner Report, and finally in The Joplin Globe and The Neosho Daily News how Doerge supplied questions to KBTN radio host John McCormack for a sheriff candidate forum before the August primary even though that was obviously an ethical lapse by both the sheriff and McCormack.
It appears that Doerge's health may prohibit him from serving a fifth four-year term as sheriff, but he intends to remain the power behind the throne. If we had waited for the traditional media to tackle this issue, it never would have happened. The Newton County public owes a great debt to Neoshoforums.com
I have a strong feeling that more revelations are to come.