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TITUSVILLE – A third candidate for public office has come forward to say a Florida Space Coast sheriff offered help getting a job in exchange for dropping out of a race and supporting his preferred candidate.<\/p>\n
Kimberly Musselman, Assistant Brevard County State’s Attorney, he said<\/a> Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey asked Florida Today to withdraw from his race for county judge and endorse a candidate he supports. In return, the sheriff said he could use his influence to help her become the district’s top prosecutor, she said.<\/p>\n After he refused, Ivey urged some of his top donors to drop their support, Musselman told Florida Today.<\/p>\n “My donors dried up very quickly,” Musselman said.<\/p>\n In response to an inquiry Wednesday, Brevard County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Tod Goodyear said in an email, “We have no comment at this time.”<\/p>\n Two other candidates for public office have done so made similar allegations<\/a> in Florida today.<\/p>\n Cocoa Beach Police Officer Chris Hattaway said the Republican sheriff asked him to step down because of former state Rep. Tom Goodson, another candidate in a county commission race. Shawn Overdorf, a former school resource officer, told a similar story about his school board run. In return, both candidates were offered jobs in Goodson’s office if he won, Florida Today reported.<\/p>\n When contacted by Florida Today, Goodson denied involvement in any effort to pressure candidates out of the election and said he had not spoken to Ivey about hiring anyone.<\/p>\n Ivey has gained national attention in recent years for his weekly ” Fugitive Wheel<\/a> ” videos showing the sheriff spinning a wheel with photos of 10 of the county’s most wanted.<\/p>\n “Everybody watches it. Even the fugitives watch it” to see who becomes “fugitive of the week,” said Ivey, who was elected sheriff in 2012.<\/p>\n