Chester sheriff could see surge for re-election after lawsuit win
Wiping away tears, Chester County Sheriff Alex Underwood said Thursday what his campaign signs say – that he is “somebody you can trust.”
Now, he can point to a jury verdict that could have ended his career as more evidence of his trustworthiness as he seeks to keep the top law enforcement – and most visible – political job in Chester County.
Elected in 2012 as Chester’s first black sheriff and running for re-election this year, Underwood rode into office by making sweeping changes and gaining almost immediate local and even national publicity – most of it positive. But the sexual allegations by a white female former deputy, which a jury said were unproven, were a potential threat to his reputation, career and in his own words: “Everything that I stand for.”
The jury’s decision late Thursday vindicated him, yet in June, Underwood faces two primary challengers in the Democratic primary: Former friend and former Chester police chief Andre Williams, and retired Chester police officer Al Rainey.
The winner of the primary will face former sheriff Richard Smith in November. Smith, now a Republican, was a Democrat in 2012 when Underwood beat Smith.
Although none of the candidates has brought up race, race is always a factor in elections. Chester County has a large black population. Underwood and Williams are black. Underwood faced racial threats after he was elected and even had to deal with his dog being poisoned.
“Chester has a large number of African-Americans, and if those voters in Chester County believe that Underwood was unfairly targeted, and that someone was trying to torpedo him, they certainly might rally around him,” said Adolphus Belk, a political science professor at Winthrop University.
Yet Underwood’s support in 2012, and while as sheriff and even in court this week, was black and white, young and old, blue collar and white collar. Belk, the professor, said, Underwood’s support from all walks of life is crucial.
“People could see in the verdict that their belief in him (Underwood), and what he has done, is legitimized,” Belk said.
Williams, now the head of Chester schools security after resigning from the police department last year, even was called as a witness by the deputy accusing Underwood after the woman alleged Williams’ former home was a tryst spot. Underwood denied the incidents ever took place, and Williams denied any knowledge of any of it or that politics was even at play.
But during the trial this week it came up that Underwood and Williams were very close when Williams came to Chester in 2011. At that time Underwood was a retired state law enforcement division agent contemplating a run for sheriff while running a private security business. Williams stayed at Underwood’s home for a week before finding a place to live. Underwood loaned Williams furniture, allowed Williams access to his home – the two even exchanged house keys.
When Williams later moved, it was Underwood’s deputies who volunteered to moved him.
But after the 2014 allegations made by former deputy Mary Anne Tolbert, and for what are clearly other reasons neither Underwood nor Williams have specified other than that no longer are close or even friends, they two are now political rivals.
Williams in court this week put it this way: “He (Underwood) sees things different from me.”
Because of the public nature of the civil trial where Underwood had his reputation cleared, he could see even more support. A Chester County jury’s vindication of Underwood this week not only cleared his name from sexual allegations, it could give his re-election campaign a huge push forward.
“Quite possibly this could have a galvanizing effect,” said Belk, the political scientist, about the public vindication of Underwood after such tawdry allegations.
Yet in Chester elections, there are no rule books. Not concerning party, incumbency, or even reputation. The current county supervisor, Shane Stuart, as a petition candidate, defeated legendary three-decade incumbent Carlisle Roddey last year in a special election.
Underwood himself was a petition candidate when he won in 2012. And he still faces a lawsuit by two volunteer firefighters and legendary volunteers who allege Underwood and his deputies falsely arrested them after a dispute at a wreck scene.
Williams, who has never held elected office, works in a newly created schools security job that didn’t exist before the former schools superintendent – who allegedly made threats against many people including Underwood – got rid of Underwood’s deputies as school resource officers.
Then last summer, Chester police abruptly moved out of the county building that housed both that department and the sheriff’s office, citing conflict with Underwood.
Williams has campaigned saying that the sheriff’s office race and running the office needs to be about the office and not the man who is sheriff. It is a direct political finger pointed at Underwood.
Underwood has without question created a huge name following. His helping of a Pennsylvania boy on hunting trip first chronicled in The Herald made national news. His youth programs have been on national television.
He was selected S.C. sheriff of the year and to sit on a national sheriff’s board. He is visible in Chester, South Carolina and America.
He challenged politicians for money for officers and equipment, and the community – outraged that cops would be denied safety equipment – donated almost $20,000 when politicians refused to cough up the money. His deputies arrested five alleged gang members after a Chester city councilman was killed.
Underwood was again threatened by gangs, but vowed to fight for public safety.
In almost all of those circumstances, Underwood was the perceived hero fighting for the little guy.
The civil trial last week could have demolished Underwood’s political chances. But after 18 months of denying the allegations, 12 jurors ruled Underwood was trustworthy.
Thousands of voters come next.
Andrew Dys: 803-329-4065, @AndrewDysHerald
This story was originally published April 23, 2016 at 8:43 PM with the headline "Chester sheriff could see surge for re-election after lawsuit win."