The Jeffco Sheriff, in office for five months after winning the Republican primary and the general election last fall, has apparently had a severe drinking problem well before the primary. That's not a surprise, of course; alcoholism isn't a sudden condition.

He's on leave now, and considering therapy. Turns out the Republican bigwigs who put him in office, including State Senator Norma Anderson, forced the issue-- after he missed 30 of his first 100 or so days of work while he underwent 'outpatient treatment for alcohol for 28 days in April. During which period his Deputy, issued an order in April to staff to arrest Cook if he was pulled over for driving under the influence. He said the decision was made while Cook was in the rehabilitation program.

And after a sexual harrassment claim was made, which is being investigated. Which, it transpires, was after a harrassment complaint from his last job.

And, as it happens, Senator Anderson had her suspicions last Autumn:

Anderson said she became suspicious that Cook was drinking heavily when she saw him at several functions shortly after he was elected to the office in November 2002.

"It was just the little things: the behavior changes, the glassy eyes,"

While this is on the one hand a small, sad, personal story, it is also a perfect example of the danger of single party politics at any level in this country. Clearly many people at many levels knew the new Sheriff of the largest county in Colorado had problems. Yet no one -- not the Republican party who put him into the job, not his family, no friends, and certainly not the media -- bothered to report on his problems until he'd already wreaked havoc in office. How many county Sheriff's have an active arrest order out for them yet stay quietly in office?

Couple this with the March antics of;

Jefferson County Treasurer Mark Paschall (who won as a ‘spending hawk’ in the last election): 1.demands $175,000 to remodel his office with a wellness suite, 2. adds three long-time cronies for non-jobs to the county payroll, $138,000 per annum, and 3. demands a Honda Pilot SUV, then downshifts to a Cadillac Escalade, before settling under pressure for a $30,000 Chevy Trailblazer.

Did I mention that this is a part-time job??

and it's quite the indictment of Jefferson County Republicans here in Colorado...