Sheriff Cole attends State of the Union

Sheriff Cole, left, with Congressman Moolenaar.

Sheriff Cole attends State of the Union

By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Mason County Sheriff Kim Cole was the guest of Rep. John Moolenaar (Michigan’s Second Congressional District) during the State of the Union Address Tuesday evening, Feb. 7. 

“Regardless of political views, it is one of our national traditions and I’m glad I had the chance to experience it,” Cole said. “There’s no doubt in my mind that there are more people deserving of that honor than me. But, it was an honor to be considered and I am beyond words to have been able to be there.”

Cole said one of the highlights of the evening was when he was standing in a security line and met a former Ukrainian parliament member who was excited to meet a U.S. sheriff.

“I was standing in line and was wearing my nameplate. He turned to me and said, ‘Are you a real American sheriff?’ I said, ‘Yes, sir, I am.’ He was so excited and started taking selfies with me,” Cole said. 

Cole said he had a great seat in the House of Representatives. 

“I was happy to hear the President say that police officers have the right to go home at the end of their shift. However, he followed that by saying so do all Americans, referencing police shootings. I’m sorry, but if you point a gun at, or try to kill a police officer, you forfeit that right. He also failed to mention self responsibility or the negative results of criminal justice reform and cashless bail. He never mentioned the victims of these poor policies.” 

Cole said the President touched on the fentanyl crisis but didn’t mention anything about cutting off the main source of the crisis, the unsecured southern border of the United States. 

“At the minimum, I would like to have seen him acknowledge the health care workers, firefighters and first responders who are seeing first hand the effects of fentanyl.” 

Cole said he was grateful to Congressman Moolenaar for the invitation. 

“It is good to know that our congressman supports law enforcement and will listen to our concerns,” Cole said.

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