KANSAS CITY, MO — New video has surfaced that provides insight into Johnson County Sheriff Calvin Hayden's claims that he's investigating election fraud.
While attending a Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association conference in Las Vegas, Calvin Hayden asked the audience to raise their hands if they voted in the 2020 election.
Most, if not all, raised their hands. Sheriff Hayden then asks the audience to raise their hands if they think their votes counted.
No one raised their hand.
"See, this is exactly why I'm doing this," Hayden said.
NEW: In this clip (shot from my phone onto my computer) Sheriff Hayden asks the audience in Vegas at a CSPOA event if they voted in 2020. He then asks if they think their votes counted. No one raised their hand. “See, this is exactly why I’m doing what I’m doing.” @KSHB41 pic.twitter.com/QFvhKxOnq5
— Jessica McMaster (@JessMcMasterKC) July 21, 2022
The KSHB I-Team has requested several interviews with Sheriff Hayden after learning of the event.
Shelby Colburn, spokesperson for the sheriff's office, only confirmed Hayden is investigating more than 200 claims of election fraud from 2020.
The sheriff's office would not detail those claims, nor tell the I-Team if any of the claims are credible.
"Every criminal allegation we receive is credible until proven otherwise. That is always the case. That is literally the point of the investigation, to get to the truth of the information we are given," Colburn wrote in email.
The I-Team asked why Sheriff Hayden would speak at an event in Las Vegas about his investigation, but not here where he's elected.
Colburn issued a statement saying, "The Sheriff wants to reiterate that he did not reveal any details about our active criminal investigation while in Las Vegas, or in any public capacity."
However, in the newly obtained video, Hayden tells the audience, "We've got a lot of reasonable suspicion and we're starting to develop some probable cause."
NEW: Video from Constitutional Sheriffs & Peace Officers Assoc. of Sheriff Hayden. “We’ve got a whole lot of reasonable suspicion and we’re starting to develop some probable cause.” His office refused to tell us if any claims of election fraud were credible. @KSHB41 pic.twitter.com/bFfVLGztuK
— Jessica McMaster (@JessMcMasterKC) July 21, 2022
During the event on July 12, Hayden went spoke about the local reporting on the topic.
"The press is all over me," Hayden said. "I'm hanging out with all these right-wing nuts up here who think we're more important than anybody in the whole country."
Hayden went on to say, "I don't care which party you're in, it doesn't matter, this is non partisan."
During the CSPOA conference in Las Vegas Sheriff Hayden also said, “there’s a lot of stuff going around about what happened at this election. Quite frankly, I don’t know. But I’m lookin.” @KSHB41 pic.twitter.com/iDsofM44sX
— Jessica McMaster (@JessMcMasterKC) July 21, 2022
On July 18, Hayden's spokesperson sent the I-Team an email saying, "He was invited to participate in a non-partisan panel to answer concerns regarding potential election fraud."
CSPOA was founded by Richard Mack, the former sheriff of Arizona and a one-time board member of the Oath Keepers, a right wing militia.
Kansas Secretary of State says it reviewed concerns of fraud in Johnson County and investigated but no evidence of fraud was found.
Steve Howe, Johnson County District Attorney has not received anything from Hayden to review.
The Johnson County Election Office have defended the integrity of its elections.
"My highest priority as the Election Commissioner is to ensure every eligible ballot is counted accurately and election results reflect the voting decisions of the people I serve. I stand by the integrity and accuracy of Johnson County KS elections," Fred Sherman said.
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