Petty Warrants in ClayCo

Pass the popcorn for the 2020 Clayton County Sheriff’s election.  Sheriff Victor Hill and his potential opponent Robert Hawes are off to a hilariously funny start.  Hill used his power as Clayton County’s top cop to arrest the wife of his opponent for …. [insert drum roll] … EMAILS.

Not Hilary Clinton email erasing but rather sending one too many emails.  Hill’s opponent recently resigned from the Clayton County Sheriff’s department due to an investigation into missing department firearms.  The suspect for the stolen firearms is Hawes’ son.  That is right, Hill has beef with the former deputy, his wife, and his son. It is a family affair.

According to Hill, another Clayton County sheriff lost his job when he tipped the Hawes family off about the pending warrant against the former deputy’s son.  Sheriff Victor Hill sent a department wide email spilling the tea* about Hawes’ departure.  This was not the email that led to Hawes’ arrest.  However, the email referring to Hawes’ departure did lead to the former deputy announcing he was running for Clayton County Sheriff in 2020.  LOL.

Former deputy Robert Hawes announces his intent to run for sheriff and Mrs. Hawes sends an email to Victor Hill that says, “Where there is love, fear cannot exist.” Hill responded, “Mrs. Hawes, unless you are contacting me to return the sheriff’s office stolen guns, please refrain from emailing me. Thank you in advance.” OHHH BOOM.  That was a good come back. Petty, yet good.

Robert Hawes reported that he thinks that his wife is a constituent and has the right to contact an elected official.  He may be right.  The law on harassing emails is O.C.G.A. 16-11-39.1 and it says “A person commits the offense of harassing phone calls if such person telephones another person repeatedly, whether or not conversation ensues, for the purpose of annoying, harassing, or molesting another person or the family of such other person…”

Was Ms. Hawes contacting to harass or as a concerned voter?  I’m sure the court responsible for Mrs. Hawes’ case will look to determine if the language used, by either party, was of a harassing nature.  If her emails are not deemed harassing does Victor Hill’s jump to get a warrant encourage citizens to use tax dollars to fight every petty dispute?  If so, please disable all my social media immediately.  I wonder how many pieces of spam do I need to get before I can get someone arrested?  According to Hill its three emails.  I’ll write that down for whomever added me to Brian Kemp’s email list without my permission.

Victor Hill, in case you forgot, was the Sheriff who shot his friend in Gwinnett County.  Hill is also the sheriff originally charged with 27 felonies including racketeering, theft by taking, making false statements and violation of his oath of office.  Hill was cleared of these charges after a 2013 trial.

Is Hill a bad luck magnet or is he the common dominator?  I don’t know.  What I do know is that in a time where we are continuously discussing EXCESSIVE FORCE, arresting a political opponent over email exchanges seems a bit …. excessive.   Three emails may be annoying but harassment? I guess Hill showed her by making her spend time in jail.  He also showed the rest of us the type of “man” he may be.  But I will withhold all judgment until such time as his second televised trial.  This time Hill won’t be the defendant he will be the star witness.

I also know this election will be interesting, petty, and entertaining! #2020

*Spilling the tea is when one tells an especially juicy bit of gossip.  https://www.urbandictionary.com/spillingthetea