CLAY COUNTY, Fla. — The arrest of Clay County's top cop has sparked strong reactions among Clay County voters, ranging from furious criticism to ardent support.
Sheriff Darryl Daniels was arrested Thursday following a yearlong investigation sparked by a sex scandal. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement concluded he acted inappropriately when he told his officers to arrest his mistress Cierra Smith, and broke the law when he lied to investigators to cover it up.
The arrest, which occurred just five days before Tuesday's primary election, has become a fierce topic of debate in the community. Some say the sheriff is corrupt, and celebrated his suspension Friday by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
“I was disgusted," said a resident who asked to remain anonymous because she frequently works with law enforcement. "If he is going to do this to a citizen he could do it to any citizen, and it is in abuse of power.”
Others, like Middleburg resident and business owner Robin Sirois, are standing behind him.
“My vote is for Sheriff Darryl Daniels, his personal life has nothing to do with his business life and he has done a fabulous job for Clay County,” Sirois said.
Sirois says the timing of Daniels’ arrest is dubious, given the upcoming election.
“I think they’re taking this and using this against him, like I said his personal life shouldn’t have to do with his professional life. We all have skeletons [in our closet],” Sirois said.
In a video produced by the Clay County Sheriff's Office and released Thursday night via the agency's Facebook page, Daniels derided his arrest as "dirty politics" and Special Prosecutor Brad Daniels of attempting to "bully" him into resigning.
"One thing that's very suspicious to me, is the fact that within days of a primary election, the powers that be specifically the State Attorney's Office has decided that today is the day that they will execute their plan and interfere with what's going on with the sheriff. With me. Today is the day that they chose to essentially charge me with things that are such it's baffling to me because it takes a stretching of the imagination."
King responded, saying he never gave the sheriff an ultimatum.
"That is not true," he said. "I do not know Sheriff Daniels, his politics, his opponents, nor for that matter any citizen in Clay County. When I am asked to prosecute a case, I do it based on the facts and the law and nothing else.
Following criticism over the legality and appropriateness of the video, it was removed by the Sheriff's Office Saturday.
Daniels will be arraigned on Aug. 25.
According to the Clay County Supervisor of Elections website, Daniels is still an active candidate. If he wins, UNF Political Science professor Mike Binder says the ball would be in Gov. Ron DeSantis' court. "Would he re-suspend the sheriff or would he let him take office? Or, this is certainly an opportunity. The sheriff has the opportunity to challenge his suspension which would essentially result in a hearing in the state Senate."
