"It’s not clear if the qualification panel would have been put in place in time to keep the sheriff off the ballot. Laurens County Republican Party Chairman Bobby Smith didn’t return messages seeking comment Tuesday. He did issue a statement Monday saying the county party would not keep anyone from the GOP ballot in the June primary, but retained the right to vet candidates on its own.

Smith got into a public fight with one of the county’s chief Republicans last summer, when Sheriff Ricky Chastain admitted to having a two-and-a-half year affair with a subordinate at the sheriff’s office. The woman sued him for sexual harassment, accusing the sheriff of driving her to get an abortion in a county-owned car. That lawsuit is still pending.

Smith called for Chastain to resign. He refused, and the issue appeared to have died down until the pledge was passed Feb. 28.

Chastain, who plans to run for a fourth term, was worried the pledge was intended to keep him off the ballot. Chastain said it should be up to the voters in Laurens County to decide whether he returns to office.

“A small group shouldn’t decide who is best to represent Republicans in this county. It should be all Republicans,” Chastain said.

Retired state trooper Don Reynolds announced his bid to get the Republican nomination for sheriff last fall. He said he wasn’t consulted about the pledge. He supports its ideas, but has no plans to make Chastain’s indiscretions a part of his campaign because everyone in the county already knows about them.

“I don’t know how you can lack ethics in yourself and expect to be able to lead people,” Reynolds said."

By Associated Press, Updated: Tuesday, March 6, 8:33 PM

>>>> Seems like the proposal had nothing to do with ethics, just who's to be the next sheriff.