Nepotism At its Best Or Ignorance At its Best

Mark LaJoye Owes Sherriff Greg Countryman and his Son An Apology

By Wane A. Hailes

In a recent post on his Mark LaJoye for Sheriff Facebook page, Mark LaJoye wrote a post titled “Nepotism at its Best”.

The post stated: “Update: This just in, confidential sources provide information that states that two additional sheriff’s vehicles were also following Greg Countryman, Jr.’s vehicle and that they too were cited for speeding. This past weekend, we were told that Muscogee County Deputy Sheriff Greg Countryman, Jr. was pulled over by the Georgia State Patrol for doing 120 mph in Americus, Georgia in his taxpayer-issued vehicle.”

“We have been covering issues reported to us by citizens of how easy it has been for the current sheriff to break the law while he is supposed to be upholding it,” the post continued.

“If using the vehicle purchased for sheriff’s deputy’s duties, for personal business isn’t bad enough, or the 120 mph he was going in Sumter County, as someone sworn to uphold the law, it is further a travesty and point of public interest that Greg Countryman, Jr. may in fact be illegally employed in the sheriff’s department by the appointment of his father, Greg Countryman, Sr.”

Simply put, this is a lie, a prevarication, a canard; a piece of information that is false. One that is spread deliberately to harm someone or their work.

Here is an “update” from “The Street Committee. The Tri-Cities First Choice For Urban News”. Our information is not from a “confidential source” but from “the source”. According to a witness, there were two sheriff’s vehicles that were cited for speeding in Americus, Ga. However, Greg Countryman, Jr. was not one of the drivers nor was he a passenger in either of the vehicles. Greg Countryman, Jr. and his partner were in Columbus, Ga. at the time working on a local case.

So the question is, why did LaJoye not make a simple phone call to verify the story? There is one reason and one reason only: this was a blatant attempt to discredit his opponent, the current Sheriff, Greg Countryman.

Mark LaJoye owes Greg Countryman, Jr. an apology. We’ll wait to see if he does.

Why this is important to the Black and Hispanic community: This news article is important to the Black and Hispanic communities because it highlights the impact of misinformation and smear tactics in local politics, which can disproportionately affect minority candidates and communities. The false allegations made by Mark LaJoye against Muscogee County Deputy Sheriff Greg Countryman, Jr. not only damage his reputation but also raise broader concerns about the integrity of the electoral process and the fairness of campaigns. Such deceptive practices can undermine trust in law enforcement institutions and perpetuate harmful stereotypes, emphasizing the need for transparency, accountability, and ethical conduct in political discourse.