The Ohio sheriff who called Kamala Harris a "laughing hyena" and encouraged community members to "write down all the addresses of the people who had her signs in their yards" is back in the news for allegedly using inmates for prison labor at his re-election fundraiser.
Portage County Sheriff Bruce Zuchowski was accused by Christopher McCullough, a former inmate, of using inmates to work for his campaign. According to reporting from Cleveland 19, McCullough said inmates put up fundraising signs and set up, cooked and served food to attendees at a fundraising event. Each inmate was allegedly paid $3 and offered cigarettes for their labor.
"We just set up this entire fundraiser, but it wasn't community work. It was specifically strictly just for him to get re-elected. It was his re-election fundraiser," said McCullough. He added they were never told they were working for the sheriff.
Zuchowski released the allegations in a letter obtained by Cleveland 19. In it, he claimed a deputy called the supervisor of a maintenance crew of inmates enrolled in the Trustee Work Program "to discuss a potential inmate project" at the fundraising event. He added the inmates helped move tables and chairs "for a short time then left."
The sheriff told Cleveland 19 he has made it clear to colleagues that inmates should not be involved in anything political or for-profit, and the inmates were at the fundraising event without his knowledge or permission.
"I have moved forward with discipline on both employees involved," Zuchowski wrote in his letter.
Cleveland 19 also reported the Ohio Secretary of State's Office "is reviewing information to see if an investigation is warranted."
