Hughes drops Republican link

I spoke at the Okaloosa County Democrats meeting Monday night. More about that in my column this Sunday, May 20.

However, I did pick up an interesting news tidbit that's worth sharing.

Like all county officials, Republican Okaloosa County Tax Collector Chris Hughes has a taxpayer-financed Web site. The Web site is part informational, and part promotion of Chris Hughes. For example, on the main page of the site, in large type, is a link to Hughes' biography.

Until Monday, if viewers clicked to Hughes' biography, they also were offered a link to the Republican National Committee.

Toni Craig, executive director of the Okaloosa County Democrats, found that link to be odd, given that all taxpayers are picking up the tab for Hughes' office and Web site. She mentioned her concern to an attorney who does work for Hughes' office, and the attorney mentioned it to Hughes. On Monday, Hughes removed the Republican link from his biography.

"To be honest with you, I didn't even know it was there," Hughes told me this morning. Asked who put it up, Hughes said he didn't know, but conceded, "It probably was put up by someone in here (the tax collector's office). As soon as I found out I removed it."

And there you have it.