Town votes to re-hire lesbian sheriff, strikes down bigoted mayor, complications follow

The mayor of Latta, South Carolina has been in some hot water recently after dismissing the town’s sheriff due to what could be homophobic beliefs. Mayor Earl Bullard stated sheriff Crystal Moore had challenged authority, failed to maintain order, and gave her five other reprimands before firing her, all of which Moore denied stating that she had never received a reprimand in her 20 years of service.

Later, a phone conversation between Bullard and a city council member revealed a homophobic rant by Bullard stating he’d rather leave his children in the care of a raging alcoholic than a homosexual. While this did not count as evidence, his sentiments towards the LGBT community were all too telling.

Residents of the community of 1,400 people began fundraising for sheriff Moore to help pay for living expenses as well as any legal expenses she might incur if she chose to fight her dismissal in court.

Later, in a city vote, Moore was reinstated as sheriff, and the mayor was stripped of much of his power, turning the town’s majority of power to the city council rather than the mayor.

In a turn of events, just before the switch of powers was made city law, the mayor hired a new sheriff, Freddie Davis. The city council had already agreed to rehire Moore after the voting had taken place, but now it seems like the legal battle is not yet over. For the time being, the mayor has more power than the city council.