Former sheriff should end comeback bid

At the Tavares light-up parade on Saturday evening, a half dozen impressive vehicles from the Lake County Sheriff's Office lumbered by, followed by Sheriff Gary Borders in a boat with a passel of kids, throwing ...

[Michael]

Thank you Laruen for stating the obvious. Hopefully our fellow citizens see right through his tactics also! Good job!

[Blah Blah Blah]

Well here we go again Lauren!

Just who are you to say who needs to run for Sheriff of Lake County?(Yes, I know it is your opinion column).

You kill your own arguement, when you state that Knupp cleaned up the department over his sixteen year term(s). Brought them into the modern age. Put an end to the good ole' boy system. Dealt a serious blow to the decades of alleged racism within the department! I believe you stated that he made "notable accomplishments".

You then seem to argue that he should have gone to trial, on two misdemeanors, why? If he did wrong (and I think he did) he took his medicine and paided the "public" price! He then completed his punishment and paid the fines! In accordence with the courts sentence. I for one like the fact that he stepped up and was a man about it. Lauren, did you want a public lashing or what!

I have been in law enforcement for nearly twenty five years, he got what everybody else gets on misdemeanor charges, if not a dash more! "Us cops" scream from the top of the mountains that we don't want to be treated differently than anyone else, and in this case it looks like the courts handled it about right!

Now the part about the law enforcement ticket (certification) it is not relavent, he does not need one to be Sheriff in the State of Florida! You indicate this was to avoid airing the details, seems to me the details are pretty much everywhere!!! Your writing about them are you not Lauren?

Then you indicate he got his money, a no brainer Lauren, he would have gotten it anyway! The FRS ( Florida Retirement System) would be hard pressed to go after the ticket of a thirty year deputy sheriff, much less a Sheriff!

If you think I am defending him you are WRONG, I am not even sure I will vote for the guy, but I will at least be open minded enough to look and listen!

The favorite part of your "rant" Lauren is the Sheriff should be "without blemish" are you for real?

I have known more Sheriff's and Chiefs than you could shake a stick at, "ain't" one been without a blemish for goodness sake, you need to live in the real world and back away from that computer screen girlfriend.

One of my close friends over the years, may God rest his soul,(I am leaving his name out on purspose) was far, I mean far from from not having a "blemish" on his past! The stories I could tell.

Wake up Lauren, this is a tough world and we are not living in some "Poly Anna" land where human being don't screw up from time to time!

It must be very hard to keep looking down that nose of yours at the rest of the world girlfriend!

Go get a strong cup of coffee and WAKE THE HECK UP!

[Lake County Native]

Blah Blah Blah wrote:

I have been in law enforcement for nearly twenty five years......

OK, that explains your inane rants. So typical.

[DTO]

Lauren, I would argue that he actually helped mitigate the damage to Lake County by avoiding a trial and handling the situation the way that he did. To say that he should go without a pension over these mistakes after working an entire career for the public benefit is to erase all of the benefits listed earlier in your column. Finally, part of what makes this country great is that we allow people to have second chances. If the man wants to run again, let the voters decide if he is the right person for the job. I may not vote for him, and his past conduct may play a role in that decision. But I see no reason for him to be exiled from Lake County.

[GOD]

KNUPP IS KNUPP

[GOD]

DONT LEAVE MAD, "JUST LEAVE"

[GOD]

HE'S JUST TRYING TO SPLIT VOTES. HE HANS'T GOT A CHANCE.

[GOD]

I CAN GUARANTEE YOU IF A DEPUTY WAS CAUGHT IN A LIE HE WOULD BE FIRED. NOT QUESTIONS ASKED. WHAT MAKES HIM SO SPECIAL?

[GOD]

I TOO WOULD LIKE A JOB WHERE YOU CAN SIT ON YOUR BUT MAKEING A HUGH SALARY, LIE ABOUT IT AND DO WHATEVER YOU WANT. SO WHY NOT RUN AGIAN?

[RUkidding]

To Blah blah blah,
Gregory, the judicial system operates on the premise that absent any physical evidence to prove or disprove a case in court, the courts will weigh on the LEO's testimony based on the oath we swear to when we take office. How in the world can the Sheriff's Office have any credibility when the Top LEO of the County lied to the grand jury. You say you are not sure if you will vote for him, after the novel you typed in corrupts defense, you should.

[Aloof]

I think Knupp deserved to go to jail and lose his pension. Government corruption should not be tolerated. Where is the deterence? He's just another asshole who took advantage of his office. Prick. What an insult that he is going to get $74,000 a year. For those who would play this down, i bet it would be different if it wasn't one of your own...you know, white and baptist.

[Roadgrader1]

If you are having trouble remembering what Knupp looks like, go to www.lcso.org and type in his last name in the inmate search field. His mugshot is in the jail system that he wants to lead again. Incredible!!!

[Jim Runnels]

I disagree with Lauren.

I think Knupp should stay in the race until the votes are counted.

Then, after he tallies all four votes, I want to watch his face when he realizes that if everybody in his family voted for him, he should have gotten five votes.

Jim Runnels
Leesburg.

[mosco]

Ahh, the privledged ones always get paid. As our taxes rise, the corrupted law and police system with the blessings of our lawgivers will get their own medicine back when enough people are suffering. Institutionalizing civilians into criminals to keep employment levels higher is suicide for a culture. Living in a tax environment increasing rapidly with a conservative low to no tolerance law system is death to the middle class. And it all goes back to privledge. As in the former sheriff. Without a family, I'd be out of here. Second tier areas exist in this state and nation where your not extorted your income. At some point, authors of books will find these gems, as these areas we live in were found a couple of decades ago.

[garym1a2]

Jim Runnels wrote:

I disagree with Lauren.
I think Knupp should stay in the race until the votes are counted.
Then, after he tallies all four votes, I want to watch his face when he realizes that if everybody in his family voted for him, he should have gotten five votes.
Jim Runnels
Leesburg.

I will vote for him to make it at least 5.

[Blah Blah Blah]

Lake County Native wrote:

<quoted text>
OK, that explains your inane rants. So typical.

Sorry "it was just the facts maam".

It is the best Joe Friday I can do this early in the morning!

[Blah Blah Blah]

DTO wrote:

Lauren, I would argue that he actually helped mitigate the damage to Lake County by avoiding a trial and handling the situation the way that he did. To say that he should go without a pension over these mistakes after working an entire career for the public benefit is to erase all of the benefits listed earlier in your column. Finally, part of what makes this country great is that we allow people to have second chances. If the man wants to run again, let the voters decide if he is the right person for the job. I may not vote for him, and his past conduct may play a role in that decision. But I see no reason for him to be exiled from Lake County.

Your response was right on the money!

If you read to days article you will see the consistent pattern of "personel" attack by Lauren! Some of the readers don't seem to grasp that fact.

Her hypocracy knows no bounds!

[Bandit]

Since I'm the same age as Knupp I remember the scandals in the 70s that he was involved in in Orange county and was asked to resign.If any information on that, check the Orlando Sentinel back issues and read it for yourself. Also after he left Orange County, he went to Seminole County and there was a scandal over the airwing over parts and accounting problems that he was in charge of and again resigned. Sounds like a pattern to me, how about you.

[Andre Obregon]

I am a former candidate for sheriff in Lake County. As a matter of fact the only republican candidate to run against Sheriff Knupp in his last election 2000. The man is awesome at playing the political game. The same things that I talked about then are the ones that brought him down, no one cared then and very few will care now. Being elected has nothing to do with qualifications it's all about who's pocket is paving your way. I failed because I refuse to be a do boy for anyone. The citizens need to listen to the candidates and vote based on who they feel will be the right man for the job. Not who your so called leaders want. I am serving my country the best way I know how. I am currently in Iraq as an instructor of anti-terrisom. And plan on making another run for sheriff god willing in 2012. The press needs to be fair and give everyone running the same respect. You guys always pick one person and pump them up. Just remember you always made Sheriff Kunpp seem to be able to walk on water. And I am sure that you will pick another and do the same. I just hope that your readers are smart enough to look a the persons running and vote for the right one.

[Don T Care]

Look, my memory isn't that bad. Given the pool of wannabe Sheriffs running against Gary Borders, I'm sure, that at a minimum, I'll vote for one that hasn't been arrested, and is currently in office. A bad penny that keeps turning up, comes to mind. Oh, and initially, during the aforementioned parade, I assumed the former Sheriff was a Shriner in a go-cart, until I noticed the lack of Fez.