Georgia congressional candidate says opponent is 'parading around' as law enforcement officer

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A Georgia congressional candidate leveled a heavy charge during a debate this week accusing her opponent of campaigning as a member of law enforcement "when in fact he's not."

Marjorie Greene, the Republican frontrunner for the open 14th Congressional District seat, said GOP rival John Cowan has deceived the voters by running ads claiming to be a "reserve deputy" of the Floyd County Sherrif's department in Georgia when she says public records reveal that he is not a certified deputy at all.

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"You're not a police officer and you need to stop parading yourself around like one," Greene said Wednesday during a head-to-head debate with Cowan in Georgia.

Cowan, a neurosurgeon, has been running social media ads touting support from nine sheriffs in northwest Georgia with a picture of himself with a gun holstered at his hip standing next to Floyd County Sherrif Tim Burkhalter, who has endorsed his bid for Congress. One ad declares Cowan is a "reserve deputy of the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office" and a trusted conservative "who will stand strong for law enforcement."

One of John Cowan's Facebook ads claiming he's a "reserve deputy."

During the debate, Cowan pointed to a letter Burkhalter put out this weekend amid "many questions" about Cowan's status with the department. The letter says Cowan was sworn in as a "special" reserve deputy for assignment as a SWAT team medic prior to launching his congressional bid. Medics "serve a vital role" in the event a SWAT team member or suspect sustains injuries, the letter said.

"Tim Burkhalter has written a letter extensively talking about my volunteer service with the reserve -- as a reserve deputy in Floyd County," Cowan said at the debate. "And I'm endorsed by nine sheriffs in this district. So I would trust them over Atlanta Marjorie Greene any day of the week and I think the voters will, too."

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Burkhalter did not return a phone message for comment. Tommy McGuire, chief deputy in the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office, said he thought Cowan was a medic with the SWAT team, and suggested talking to Assistant Chief of Police Tom Ewing at the Floyd County Police Department who would be familiar with the medical unit. Ewing did not immediately return a phone call for comment.

For Greene, Cowan's claim that he is a "reserve deputy" should be taken seriously because that title signifies someone has arrest powers and meets the professional training standards through the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council (POST). Greene's campaign, through open records requests, says they found no one named John A. Cowan meeting POST certification or listed in the Floyd County reserve deputy records.

Marjorie Greene (R) and John Cowan (R) debate Wednesday for the 14th Congressional district seat in Georgia. (FACEBOOK)

They charge the term "special" reserve deputy was a made-up term for political gain and carries no powers or responsibilities of a legitimate reserve deputy. Ronald Kilgo, who was a captain and deputy commander in the Floyd County Sherriff's Office Reserves for a decade until leaving in June, said in a sworn statement provided by the Greene campaign that Cowan was not a reserve deputy, which would require POST certification and 408 hours of training. Kilgo said in the statement that he believes Cowan is violating Georgia law that prohibits the impersonation of a police officer.

Kilgo confirmed the statement to Fox News and reiterated that the work of a volunteer medic is very different than the work of a police officer.

Greene presented her case during a wide-ranging debate Wednesday.

"I think one of the worst things that I've discovered lately about Dr. Cowan is he is parading around and telling people he's a reserve deputy when in fact he's not," Greene said.

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"He was only sworn in on January 10 -- only four days before he declared he was running for Congress. Politicizing the police right now is a very ugly thing. Police are under attack like never before in our nation and stolen valor is something that I find absolutely disgusting."

Cowan's campaign said in a follow-up statement to Fox News that Cowan has "volunteered for the force for some time" and strongly supports law enforcement. The campaign says Cowan stands by his campaign statements that he is a "reserve deputy."

"The [sheriff's] letter says he’s a special reserve deputy. Period. Of course, we stand by the ad. It’s true," the Cowan campaign said Friday.

Cowan's campaign pointed out his endorsements from nine local sheriffs and the Fraternal Order of Police, whereas Greene touted her backing from the Gun Owners of America.

"Nothing proves that John crushed Marjorie in the debate like the fact she’s pushing this weak soup," Cowan's campaign said.

The accusation of a law enforcement officer impersonator could carry weight in the deep red Georgia district where both candidates are running as pro-gun and pro-law enforcement Republicans. Since George Floyd's death in police custody and nationwide protests demanding defunding the police, Greene and Cowan both have positioned themselves as defenders of law enforcement in the face of unprecedented attacks, much like President Trump.

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Northwest Georgia's 14th congressional district seat is open after GOP Rep. Tom Graves announced he won't seek re-election. In the June 9 primary, Greene came in first among the nine candidates vying for the Republican nomination, with 40 percent of the vote. Cowan was a distant second at 21 percent.

The 14th district is solidly red. Whoever wins the Greene-Cowan runoff Aug. 11 is all but certain to head to Congress next year.