Johnson County Sheriff embraces conspiracy theories at right-wing conference: 'We're in a war'

Johnson County Sheriff Calvin Hayden, who is set to be up for re-election next year, appeared at the Determined Patriotism Conference to deliver remarks about China, apartment buildings, and the county commission — all while continuing to question the security of elections without providing any evidence.
Johnson County Sheriff Calvin Hayden delivered remarks heavily laced with conspiracy theories about a wide variety of topics at a recent conference of conservatives held in the Kansas City area.

“We’re in a war,” he opened his address given at the Determined Patriotism Conference at a church in Kansas City, Kansas, over Veterans Day weekend.

That war is not partisan, he said, but is “good against evil.”

During his half-hour speech and a question-and-answer period that followed, Hayden, who is set to be up for re-election next year, inveighed against China, the boom in apartment development and the Johnson County commission, all while continuing to question the security of the county’s election system without providing evidence to back up his suspicions.