Klickitat County Sheriff Bob Songer held an unmoderated town hall at the Goldenale Grange May 25, with about 80 people in attendance. While the event lasted more than three hours, the first was devoted to a video on the philosophy of constitutional sheriffs produced by and featuring anti-government activist KrisAnne Hall.
Clay Munson, local law enforcement careerist, above, was shouted down and threatened for suggesting that Klickitat County Sheriff Bob Songer should step down and be replaced with a professional at the May 25 town hall.
Loren Culp defended his boss, Sheriff Songer, at the May 25 town hall in Goldendale. The sheriff spoke little and answered only a few questions at the gathering, which lasted more than three hours.
Residents erupted after a concerned citizen suggested Songer step down. Attendees hurled obscenities and yelled at those who opposed their constitutional Sheriff.
A member of Sheriff Bob Songer's posse. The sheriff relies heavily on the “posse,” a group of volunteer informal “deputies,” to lighten the workload of the staff, and to defend his philosophy.
Klickitat County Sheriff Bob Songer held an unmoderated town hall at the Goldenale Grange May 25, with about 80 people in attendance. While the event lasted more than three hours, the first was devoted to a video on the philosophy of constitutional sheriffs produced by and featuring anti-government activist KrisAnne Hall.
Noah Noteboom photo
Loren Culp defended his boss, Sheriff Songer, at the May 25 town hall in Goldendale. The sheriff spoke little and answered only a few questions at the gathering, which lasted more than three hours.
Noah Noteboom photo
A member of Sheriff Bob Songer's posse. The sheriff relies heavily on the “posse,” a group of volunteer informal “deputies,” to lighten the workload of the staff, and to defend his philosophy.
A brief clip from Klickitat County Sheriff Bob Songer's May 25 town hall meeting.
Noah Noteboom video
GOLDENDALE — Klickitat County Sheriff Bob Songer’s “unmoderated town hall” May 25 amplified numerous voices, though his was not the loudest. The sheriff spoke little and answered only a few questions at the gathering, which lasted more than three hours.
The town hall, organized by Songer, was slated to cover “the role of a county sheriff, and the pros and cons of County Commissioners Lori Zoller and Jacob Anderson closing down the Klickitat County Jail and contracting our inmates to … NORCOR,” in his words. It opened with the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by a prayer, and two patriotic songs by Tiana Dove. The meeting’s first presentation was a 60-minute video on the philosophy of “constitutional sheriffs.” The video, produced by and featuring anti-government activist KrisAnne Hall, described a sheriff’s authority as “God-given in the U.S constitution.”
Hall has been classified as an “Extremist” by the Southern Poverty Law Center, a nonprofit that follows and documents hate crimes and groups in the U.S.
The video, according to Songer, lays out his philosophy, which is that his constituents are the only people he must answer to; no government entity can direct him to do that which he feels is unconstitutional. Songer’s job, the video explained and he affirmed, is to defend the “rights endowed by the Creator” in the constitution.
Residents erupted after a concerned citizen suggested Songer step down. Attendees hurled obscenities and yelled at those who opposed their constitutional Sheriff.
Noah Noteboom photo
A few people attending the meeting questioned the use of “God-given” in relation to the constitution, and suggested that the video was propaganda, but were quickly shouted down. Local radio personality Luke Throop told the crowd of about 80 to set aside the question of God, and “get past the debate today.” When journalist Rodger Nichols pointed out that the constitution does not, in fact, mention the role of a sheriff, he was initially heckled, and Songer jumped to defend his right to speak. And when an attendee asked Songer for the source of his authority, he smiled and replied, “Magna Carta,” a 13th century list of English rights and liberties outlined by King John in 1215 that was mentioned in the video.
The crowd of about 80 - mostly residents - showered Sheriff Songer with support and some questioned his leadership.
Noah Noteboom photo
Faced with a barrage of questions about his department’s budget, Songer was defended by his numerous followers, one of whom said, “Why don’t you guys leave him alone!”
Songer added, “We have outstanding employees who are very professional.” No budget questions were answered.
Another attendee asked about the controversies that have plagued Songer’s administration, including the death of Ivan Howtopat, whose mother was in attendance. Howtopat died by suicide in the jail after asking for medical care while withdrawing from fentanyl. Pauletta George was another concerning incident; after being housed in the jail for a month, she was taken to the ER in dire condition, due to her own refusal of care, according to Songer. The department’s investigation of the drowning death of 31-year-old Hannah Walker, found naked and deceased in a creek near Trout Lake, has raised ire among critics as well. Songer and Jail Deputy Loren Culp blame Klickitat County Prosecutor David Quesnel for refusing to sign furloughs allowing mental health care for inmates. Howtopat’s death resulted in an ongoing lawsuit against Songer and the county.
Dan Christopher, Klickitat County Board of Commissioners, was in attendance at the May 25 town hall in support of Sheriff Bob Songer.
Noah Noteboom photo
Calls for the family to drop the lawsuit brought an assurance from Commissioner Dan Christopher, who was in attendance, that if successful and fully awarded, the lawsuit would cost the county $100,000 at most, the amount of their insurance deductible, not the $20 million requested by the plaintiffs.
Perhaps the most controversial speaker of the day was local law enforcement careerist Clay Munson. Munson assured the group that he saw Songer as a, “good, good man,” but called him out for spending too much time nurturing his own reputation and power while ignoring the crime that occurs in Klickitat County, particularly drug crime. When Munson suggested that Songer, “step down and be replaced by a true professional,” he was shouted down, cursed at, and threatened. Again, Songer attempted to rein in the crowd.
Clay Munson, local law enforcement careerist, above, was shouted down and threatened for suggesting that Klickitat County Sheriff Bob Songer should step down and be replaced with a professional at the May 25 town hall.
Noah Noteboom photo
Munson‘s commentary was punctuated by another attendees’ assertion that the department had only made two narcotics arrests last year, despite the crowd’s agreement that drugs, especially fentanyl, are a serious problem in the county. Songer’s office was asked to verify that data but did not reply by press time. Songer is well known for his ubiquitous road signs threatening drug dealers in Klickitat County with jail time.
No pros of closing down the jail were discussed, and the crowd strongly favored keeping it open. Though much of the discussion devolved into shouting, name calling, and cursing, themes emerged. One was that Commissioners Zoller and Anderson are “incompetent liars,” according to Songer, who “get their woke, far-left friends to back them up.” A second is that the jail staff are respected and supported by Songer and his followers. Finally, that Songer, a diminutive, soft-spoken man, relies heavily on the “posse,” a group of volunteer informal “deputies,” to lighten the workload of the staff, and to defend his philosophy.
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