Election letter to the editor contained factual errors

The Tri-City Herald published a letter to the editor in the Aug. 31 edition that contained factual errors concerning Benton County Sheriff Jerry Hatcher.

The letter violated Herald policy. It has been removed from the Herald’s website.

Hatcher is running to serve out the balance of the term of ex-Sheriff Steve Keane, who stepped down for health reasons.

The letter asserts Hatcher is being investigated by the state Public Disclosure Commission for various campaign violations. Commission records show two complaints by the same person are being reviewed under standard procedures but no formal investigation has been started.

Also, Hatcher was not fired by the sheriff’s office in 2003, when he served as undersheriff to Sheriff Larry Taylor. Hatcher was reassigned over a personnel issue.

He later left to work for Bechtel before returning to the undersheriff’s role in January 2011, when Keane, his former brother-in-law, took office.

This story was originally published September 1, 2017 at 6:03 PM with the headline "Election letter to the editor contained factual errors."