Whitley Co, KY Journalists Endure Death Threats To Take Down Corrupt Sheriff

[Roland99]

Source: The Inquisitor

Whitley County, Kentucky is a better place thanks to two young journalists at the Times-Tribune. Adam Sulfridge and Samantha Swindler dove deep into the shady dealings of county sheriff Lawrence Hodge and exposed a massive drug trade running through the small Kentucky town.

But it wasn’t easy.

Sulfridge, who was just 20-years-old and still in school when he took on the assignment, received multiple death threats for poking around in the Sheriff’s business.

Sulfridge writes:

“You know you’re 20 years old, and you’re taking a shower one day and getting ready for class and you get a call from a federal agent because there’s a credible threat against your life. Everything about it is just so surreal. You know. You don’t– you don’t think a whole lot about it. Then later that night you start thinking, you’re like, “Geez, somebody wants to kill me. That’s a little odd.” And it’s the sheriff. The sheriff wants to kill you.”

Swindler, his boss and managing editor of the local paper, said that they both bought guns after the initial death threats were made.

Read more: http://www.inquisitr.com/231450/whitley-county-kentucky-journalists-endure-death-threats-to-take-down-corrupt-sheriff/

[Baitball Blogger]

1. May they be the beginning of a new generation of journalist.

[W T F]

2. That's just a drop in the bucket of corrupt law enforcement officials

[Smilo]

3. Sulfridge and Swindler should be

highly commended on their perseverance and courage on outing this story.

[pscot]

13. They deserve a Pulitzer

for guts alone.

[Roland99]

16. And Congressional Medals of Honor!

[Blue_Tires]

4. kick for truth..

[RitchieRich]

5. ...

Darn that pesky right to bear arms!

[gratuitous]

7. I suppose if the sheriff's coming after you for exposing his corruption

There's a case to be made for arming oneself. The problem seems to arise when resort to firearms becomes the preferred solution for things like a dispute over a SIM card:

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2012/05/man_charged_in_double_homicide.html

[RitchieRich]

10. i reserve the right

to consider myself a moderate while voting straight D.

sneakers, sim card, drinking contest... people are frighteningly unintelligent. I think the right was put in place so that when all the other rights were taken away, they could be taken back. I couldn't muster a better example than this story. (though its not exactly big govt, its close to the bone)

[newspeak]

8. one of my classmates years back

exposed major money laundering corruption, I believe, in the governor's office in Kentucky. The threats are very real. One wonders just how much obscene corruption is within our government. The "fish rots from the head down" and if you have too many in high offices, especially the presidency, who have certain business friend connections (talking about the BFEE) no wonder we have such wealth disparity today and little accountability.

Bravo to these courageous souls and a moment to remember all those courageous journalists who lost their lives attempting to expose the truth to the people.

[Uncle Joe]

6. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, Roland.

[Archae]

9. This was on "60 Minutes" last night.

The sheriff was a big-time dope addict (like Rush, on Oxy,) and was doing lots of good business making deals with dope dealers.

He tried, and failed, to blame a "break-in" to his office to try and cover up the thefts of guns drugs and money.

But he really screwed up, the door to the office showed no evidence of being forced open.

[Kolesar]

11. That was an excellent segment

Replays!
http://www.60minutes.com

[Roland99]

12. what a dope

[Rhiannon12866]

14. I saw that, too! Terrific segment!

[alfredo]

15. They play for real in that part of Ky. Hard people down ther.