Strange bedfellows in Moore sheriff’s race
Moore County sheriff Neil Godfrey has — to most reasonable observers — done a pretty good job running the department. A career lawman who rose through the ranks of the SBI, Godfrey was recruited to the sheriff’s office to serve as then-sheriff Lane Carter’s second-in-command.
It’s well known that Godfrey was pretty well responsible for captaining the ship and doing the heavy-lifting at the sheriff’s office during the latter years of Carter’s tenure — while Carter spent much of his time kissing babies, slapping backs and politicking.
Well, Godfrey’s rising star in Carthage hit a speed bump late last year and early this year. Godfrey had worked to get his son — who had a history of 
substance abuse problems — onto the payroll at the sheriff’s office. The hope had been that gainful employment under the watchful eye of family and loved ones would be just the thing to help the younger Godfrey stay on the road to continued cleanliness and sobriety.
In January 2017, the younger Godfrey got charged with driving a department patrol car after consuming alcohol. Sheriff Godfrey’s political opponents went into overdrive to get the story into the driveby media.
During all of that turmoil — which included an inquiry by the DA — Godfrey announced his retirement. He then retracted that decision.
In the meantime, the 2018 sheriff’s race has drawn some interest. Republicans Ronnie Fields and Steve Adams, and Democrat Mike Connor have all filed to challenge Godfrey’s reelection.
One of the more interesting aspects of those candidate filings is that Lane 
Carter — the man who brought Godfrey to the Moore County sheriff’s office — is backing the campaign of challenger Ronnie Fields. Campaign reports on file in Carthage show Carter donated $1000 to Fields in April.
Again, Godfrey was Carter’s long time #2 and helped guide the department so Carter could go out on a high note. (Carter even retired early so Godfrey could take full command and face the voters for the first time as an incumbent.)
“…went into overdrive to get the story into the driveby media”?? What should they have done, Brandt? Covered it up like Neil did? What did you write about it? This reads like an NBC story: “John Doe was a great CEO (except for that series of of incidents resulting in company money moving into the bank account of his wayward brother).”
Perhaps Carter isn’t backing his replacement for a REASON. Godfrey intentionally hid his son’s alcoholism from (i.e., LIED to) the Board of Commissioners when he recommended they approve his hire. Godfrey COVERED UP the fact that his son was drunk as Ted Kennedy while ON DUTY; he wasn’t just “driving a department patrol car” down the street to Daddy’s house.
We all know that Godfrey is not a man of integrity. You do not have integrity when you swear to uphold the law and protect the citizens of Moore County, then cover up you son’s drunken driving. Only a fool or a liar would claim that was Brent’s only incident of drunk on duty, which means Neil Godfrey covered for a man who was occasionally drunk while wearing a deputy’s badge, carrying a gun and driving a heavy vehicle.
What would you be writing if he’d swerved into an oncoming lane and murdered someone? Godfrey has got to go. His resignation was the right thing to do. Presumably, he pulled it after consulting with a lawyer (or PR man). Running again is insulting to you, me and every other voter. It is proof of Neil Godfrey’s lack of integrity. The man has no honor.
I whole heartly agree with Matt Horsley. Neil Godfrey lied to the Commissioners and to the people of Moore County.
The only drive by media is the ones that didnt report the incident….hadnt it not of came to light Brent Godfrey woyld still be in law enforcement today.
And i would also have to question an investigation that the SBI has done. Neil Godfrey was the Supervisor of the now Assistant Director of the SBI. Ask yourself does she own Neil Godfrey anything.
Check the records, since Neil has taken office there have been close to 100 people that has left the Sheriff’s Office. Does that not raise questions as to what is going on within the Sheriff’s Office.
Just recently a Major was fired by Neil Godfrey and Frank Rodiguez for following policy by not allowing a person to visit a inmate without a photo ID. A policy that Neil Godfrey put into place.
As for Retired Sheriff Lane Carter, kissing babies might have been on his agenda but he was out there everytime we had a Major crime and working just like everybody else.
So Brant Clinton maybe you and the drive by media show get your facts right and check out the whole situation before becoming a supporter of someone that needs to be removed from Office for not preforming his duties.
Reading comprehension is apparently a lost skill.