PORT ANGELES — An election season row between Clallam County sheriff candidates who are also employer and employee simmered down Tuesday, but one candidate is demanding an apology.
Sheriff Joe Martin last week began disciplinary procedures against Sgt. Bill Benedict for comments Benedict made at a Sequim candidates forum.
When Benedict said that a former undersheriff had been fired, Martin reprimanded him in front of the audience and then began disciplinary proceedings against him.
Martin said Benedict was taking a side against the department on a pending lawsuit.
The forum was on Thursday.
Benedict was informed about the disciplinary procedures against him on Friday.
On Monday the administrative charges against Benedict were dropped, Martin said Tuesday.
Benedict said he was informed he had been “exonerated.”
Martin would not comment about why he stopped the disciplinary action.
Demands apology
Benedict is no longer facing sanctions up to and including termination, but he is demanding that Martin apologize.
“I still haven’t extracted a full apology out of him, but I’m not sure I will,” Benedict said.
“This is, to me, another example why we need another sheriff.”
Martin declined to say what changed his mind.
He said he would talk publicly about the decision later, but was told by county attorneys to wait.
“Soon as we get it worked out I’ll have free speech like him,” Martin said of Benedict.
“I’m the one who has to follow orders, let’s put it that way.”
Language change
Benedict will not, however, refer to former Undersheriff Steve Snover as “fired” for the rest of the campaign.
Instead, Benedict will say that Snover “resigned under threat of dismissal,” which is what Snover alleges in a lawsuit against the department filed last month.
Benedict said that his change of language was not a concession to Martin.
Martin has said when Snover left in November 2005 that it was “purely voluntary.”
Snover served about 22 years with the department, rising to the rank of second in command, only to abruptly leave six months later, days before the release of three investigative reports criticizing supervisors within the department.
Benedict files complaint
Benedict said Martin was trying to use the power of the office to stifle the free speech rights of a political opponent, who also happens to be an employee.
After beginning the disciplinary procedure, Martin issued a four-page “clarification of facts” in which he said Benedict had violated department and county policy by referring to Snover as “fired.”
Benedict said he has filed a complaint with the state Public Disclosure Commission.
But Lori Anderson, a spokeswoman for the state’s campaign finance watchdog, said the agency believes it to be an “internal personnel matter.”
Prosecuting Attorney Deborah Kelly said Tuesday lawyers from her office have met with both Martin and Benedict.
“We’re working with both of them to reach a mutually agreeable solution,” she said, but declined to say if her office advised Martin to drop the disciplinary proceedings.
Reporter Andrew Binion can be reached at 360-417-3537 or andrew.binion@peninsuladailynews.com.
