A mine-resistant vehicle, nine trucks, GPS units, riot shields: the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office has received more than $3.2 million in surplus military equipment over the years, according to the Department of Defense. But now it’s been suspended from the program and faces a review of how the department has used the equipment.
The Columbus County Sheriff’s Office has been embroiled in scandal since the sheriff resigned over a recording of racist comments and then won reelection.
Sheriff Jody Greene resigned in October just as a court hearing was getting underway that could have permanently removed him from office.
The district attorney asked a judge to remove Greene from office after a recording came out of racist comments, along with other accusations of the sheriff abusing his power and intimidating political foes.
“In my capacity as the State Coordinator for the Law Enforcement Support Services Office (“LESS”), I have been made aware of public reports regarding racist and incendiary comments made by then-Columbus County Sheriff Jody Greene,” Gregory Weavil, with the Department of Public Safety, said in a letter to the sheriff’s office.
“Participants in the DoD Law Enforcement Support Program are required to abide by all terms and conditions of the State Plan of Operations (“SPO”) in order to maintain active participation in the program. One of those conditions is to comply with anti-discrimination laws and regulations,” the letter states.
DPS suspended the sheriff’s office from the program for at least 60 days, when the department will decide whether to extend it.
The department also has a review of the sheriff’s office use of the military equipment scheduled for Jan. 25.
“I will be conducting a thorough review of all assigned equipment obtained by the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office since 2018 in order to determine full compliance with all other requirements of the SPO,” Weavil writes.
Greene took office in December 2018 and the department received almost all of the military equipment since then, according to data from the Defense Logistics Agency, which runs the program.
The Columbus County Sheriff’s Office has not responded to requests for comment on the suspension. Greene has not responded to requests for comment about the legal action made earlier through his attorney.
Greene won reelection on Nov. 8, but has not yet been sworn in because of petitions filed with the State Board of Elections. Those petitions were recently dismissed, clearing the way for Greene. He was the first Republican elected to be sheriff in Columbus County.
District Attorney Jon David has said that he plans to file again to have Greene removed from office. The State Bureau of Investigation has been looking into the allegations against Greene.
“Defendant has engaged in long term and widespread conduct that evinces a pattern of racial discrimination, vindictiveness towards perceived political opponents, and maladministration in office,” the district attorney said in his court filings to remove Greene from office.
“Our constitution establishes a government of checks and balances. It is incumbent upon the judiciary to permanently remove Defendant as he is wholly unfit to hold the high office of sheriff,” the district attorney wrote.
He originally filed a motion in Columbus County Superior Court to suspend and permanently remove Greene from office after a recording leaked of a 2019 phone call.
Jason Soles, who was then the interim sheriff, recorded the call with Greene, according to legal filings. Soles ran as a Democrat for sheriff against Greene this fall and released the recording during the campaign.
“I’m sick of it. I’m sick of these Black bastards. I’m gonna clean house and be done with it,” Greene said in the recording, referring to his own employees, according to court records.
“Tomorrow’s gonna be a new F***ing day. I’m still the mother f***ing sheriff, and I will go up and fire every goddamn (inaudible). F*** them Black bastards,” he said in the recording, much of which is transcribed and included in the court files. “They think I’m scared? Time to clean them out. There’s a snitch in there somewhere.”
A judge suspended Greene from office in early October and set an Oct. 24 date for a hearing on potentially removing the sheriff from office. Greene resigned just as the second hearing was just getting started.
Greene apologized on social media after he resigned. But he also said he planned to continue his reelection campaign.
“This has been a humbling experience. I am sincerely sorry for the disrespectful and insensitive words that have offended my friends, colleagues, and fellow citizens. I ask for forgiveness,” Greene said in the Oct. 24 Facebook post.
“The allegations in the State's Petition and Amended Petition are not true. They were politically motivated,” he said. “Weaponizing the courts to attack, smear, or ruin those whom we disagree with politically is wrong. Political disagreements should be settled by the voters.”
Greene won the election, but a date has yet to be set for his swearing-in for a second term. As soon as he is officially back as sheriff of Columbus County, David has said he will file again with the court to kick Green out of office.