Documents surfaced showing the Democratic candidate for Franklin County treasurer may not have excelled at dealing with money in her past.
“I will say it caught me by surprise,” Franklin County Democratic Party Chairperson William Anthony said.
Anthony referred to the three bankruptcies and cocaine charge in the background of treasurer candidate Cheryl Sullivan.
The Franklin County treasurer is responsible for collecting $2 billion in real estate taxes and holds an investment portfolio of more than $900 million.
It’s a lot of public dollars for one person to oversee. If that person has charges and financial woes in her past, it could even mean trouble holding that office. Anthony admitted it is unclear whether or not Sullivan could be insured if she were to take office.
Sullivan won the candidacy after securing more votes than incumbent Treasurer Ed Leonard in the March primary. She is currently set to go up against Republican candidate for treasurer, Ted Berry.
“Her record is not my focus,” Berry said. “That's irrelevant to what I'm trying to do."
Berry said his plan is to convey is platform to voters, without paying attention to the candidate he’s vying against.
“I'm not here to judge how someone else has lived their life,” Berry said. “I'm not here to judge how someone else would do in office. That's up to the votes of Franklin County."
Berry questioned the process within the opposing party that left Sullivan’s past unknown during the primary election.
“In the Republican Party everybody is interviewed. It doesn't matter if there's an incumbent in the seat; our party does an extensive background interviewing process,” he said. “ I'm pretty sure the Democratic Party does as well, so I'm kind of astonished that the other party is acting like they didn't know this."
Anthony said Sullivan was not the Frank County Democratic Party’s endorsed candidate. He said he met with Sullivan last Friday.
"I kind of asked her if she had anything, she told me she didn't believe she did so I said well at some point we'll have to sit you down before the party and screen you and endorse you,” he said. "She told me failed marriages, she's been clean for all these years, so she has a compelling story to tell, but I don't think for the office of treasurer- I think it poses some challenges for her."
If Sullivan would decide to withdrawal from the race, her party could choose a new candidate, however statutes specify that person could not be current treasurer Ed Leonard.
Sullivan has not responded to 10TV’s requests for comment.