Should the PBA endorse any candidate for sheriff?

Trying to stay away from mentioning any particular candidate, debate the ethics of the PBAs endorsement of a candidate for the office of sheriff. If the PBA touts itself as being an organization that represents its members by promoting various advantages for members, who has a voice in which candidate is selected for endorsement - the PBA directorate, or members? Is it prudent to invest members' money on political campaigns when there is no guarantee that a candidate will interact favorably with the PBA once elected?

Trying to stay away from mentioning any particular candidate, debate the ethics of the PBAs endorsement of a candidate for the office of sheriff. If the PBA touts itself as being an organization that represents its members by promoting various advantages for members, who has a voice in which candidate is selected for endorsement - the PBA directorate, or members? Is it prudent to invest members' money on political campaigns when there is no guarantee that a candidate will interact favorably with the PBA once elected?
As a member of the PBA, I recieved a newsletter stating PBA was endorsing Ron Grimming for Highlands County Sheriff.

Trying to stay away from mentioning any particular candidate, debate the ethics of the PBAs endorsement of a candidate for the office of sheriff. If the PBA touts itself as being an organization that represents its members by promoting various advantages for members, who has a voice in which candidate is selected for endorsement - the PBA directorate, or members? Is it prudent to invest members' money on political campaigns when there is no guarantee that a candidate will interact favorably with the PBA once elected?
As a member of the PBA, I recieved a newsletter stating PBA was endorsing Ron Grimming for Highlands County Sheriff.

As a PBA member, I received one too... and when the hell did "we" make that decision.. oh yeah, I forgot, "we" didn't. The only decision I get to make is to stop sending money to the PBA.

Sheriff Benton was sent a letter from the PBA Canvassing Board asking her questions which were the same questions asked of Mr. Ron Grimming. Sheriff Benton did not submit her answers to the canvassing board therefore Mr. Grimming was endorsed. With the problems we are currently facing with Sheriff Benton, Who do you think they would endorse. If you contact the PBA they will provide you with the same answers I got as far as Sheriff Benton’s answers. The Sheriff did not respond to the Canvassing Boards questions.

Sheriff Benton was sent a letter from the PBA Canvassing Board asking her questions which were the same questions asked of Mr. Ron Grimming. Sheriff Benton did not submit her answers to the canvassing board therefore Mr. Grimming was endorsed. With the problems we are currently facing with Sheriff Benton, Who do you think they would endorse. If you contact the PBA they will provide you with the same answers I got as far as Sheriff Benton’s answers. The Sheriff did not respond to the Canvassing Boards questions.

Either way, the PBA has stuck their nose where it doesn't belong and really struck below the belt. They may have helped Grimming, but they have lost several members and any respect they had from their members.

Sheriff Benton did not submit her answers to the canvassing board therefore Mr. Grimming was endorsed.

So you're suggesting that had Sheriff Benton submitted answers the PBA would have endorsed her? Additionally, is it your position that because Mr. Grimming provided answers as requested and received the endorsement he will acquiesce to the PBA demands that will surely follow if he is elected? Were the questions posed by the PBA canvassing board of such a nature that the candidates would be held to some action if elected, such as campaign promises? While the questions sent to each candidate may have been identical, were they slanted in favor of, or against, either? Have the questions been published for public viewing?

Recalling the original theme of this thread: Should the members have been permitted to provide input regarding who, if anyone, the PBA should endorse? Should expenditures from our dues include money earmarked for political activity?

PBA should be the voice and protection of its members. I would be willing to bet that the reason Benton did not reply is because of the history between the two. It is no big secret that they have not got along for awhile so why bother when they will obviously go for Grmmng anyways. The big catalys of course was when the S.O. PBA reps. (sorry for ya Ouverson) made demands for the bargaining agreement that the Sheriff wasn't willing to accept. We won't get into the fact that many of those demands were self serving and NOT the will of the PBA members.
Anyways this is a person vendeta for the PBA, that much is obvious. Shouldn't they have called for a vote of the membes before doing news adds and flyers attacking Benton? If I was her I would not have responded back to them eitehr. They probably would have taken her answers and just created another bashing flyer anyways.