In the letters section of the South Jersey Times yesterday former Salem County Sheriff John Cooksey endorsed incumbent Sheriff Chuck Miller.

This is interesting, not only because as Cooksey wrote, that he “had the opportunity to work with and evaluate and observe their actions and dedication,” but Cooksey is also the man who re-hired Gant. Regular readers of The Bob & Steve Show blog should recall that after an incident with an inmate Gant lost his job, sued to get his job back, appealed after losing that lawsuit and agreed, according to court documents, “that he will not seek re-employment with the County of Salem at any time in the future.”

Gant obviously went back on his word and somehow Gant managed to convince Cooksey to re-hire him as a Sheriff's Officer providing courthouse security and serving warrants, writs and court process, as opposed to being a Corrections Officer. Given that Cooksey has chosen to publicly endorse the man who replaced him over the man he re-hired, it is entirely possible the reason Cooksey rehired Gant is the rumors he felt sorry for Gant are true.

No matter what the reason for the re-hire was the fact that the one man who was the boss of both candidates in the sheriff election chose one over the other speaks volumes.

The choice is clear, a candidate who obviously can’t be trusted to keep his word and allegedly once beat a defenseless man unconscious or a guy who has been endorsed by the man who was once the boss of both candidates. It’s an easy choice, now it’s up to the Salem County voters to make the right choice.

The race for Salem County Sheriff is becoming a heated contest. Incumbent Sheriff Chuck Miller is being challenged for the first time ever and that challenge is coming from a lieutenant in the Sheriff’s Department, Bob Gant. There’s a reason Miller hasn’t faced a challenge - he does an excellent job. I have never met a person who has said a negative word about Sheriff Miller and that includes my neighbor who spent a little time in the Salem County Jail.

The thing is, sources watching this race have confirmed Gant has been “on leave” since some time in August. Sources say Gant has been collecting personal and/or vacation pay since going on leave. This is funny coming from a guy who is campaigning on reducing the “size of county government.” One would think that a lieutenant in the Sheriff’s Department who wants to be sheriff might actually go to work. Nope! Not Gant.

If Gant isn’t showing up for work doesn’t that mean someone else has to do his job while he isn’t there? And, if someone has to do his job it is likely there is some overtime pay involved, meaning Gant is costing county taxpayers money to run his campaign. So much for reducing the size of county government.

Let’s not forget that as President of the Salem County Superior Officers Association Gant negotiated the contract that allows him to get paid vacation and/or personal time for not going to work while he campaigns.

If Sheriff Miller can go to work every day, why can’t Gant? It’s a fair question and Gant needs to explain to voters why he chooses not to go to work, possibly costing taxpayers money. He certainly doesn’t appear to be worried about shrinking “the size of county government for the sake of the taxpayers,” which he claims he intends to do.

Frankly, Gant sounds like he’s practicing politics as usual.