Sonora, CA — After his picture has appeared in some advertisements and campaign materials this election season, Tuolumne County Sheriff David Vasquez says he has received several inquiries from community members regarding his stance on endorsements.
Vasquez released a short video yesterday and also spoke about the issue at the Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors meeting.
He told the supervisors, “My position has not changed. I do not issue personal endorsements to any candidates. What I do is create opportunities to educate and engage with any political candidate, whether it be an incumbent or someone that is hopeful for office, to capitalize and educate themselves on the services that we provide.”
Sometimes it results in photos being taken, which is something Vasquez says he offers to all candidates. Some of those photos have ended up on campaign advertisements and websites. He indicated that it should not be misconstrued as an endorsement.
He added, “As a general principle, from the scope of conversations that I’ve had last week, I’ve reached out to all of the candidates associated with those concerns that have been brought forward and asked them to reflect on their campaigns to ensure that they concur with the government code. And, I am also referring members of the community who don’t believe that there is a concurrence with the government code to forward their complaints to the Fair Political Practices Commission.”
Vasquez also clarified that the Deputy Sheriff’s Association, which is a labor group comprised of deputies, does make endorsements, but he is not connected to those decisions.
