Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott donned a bullet- proof vest, some of his own medals, and a blonde wig at Monday's Columbia Rotary Club meeting to demonstrate the obsurdity of his recent brush with the worldwide spotlight accompanying his decision to investigate Michael Phelps and the infamous bong photo. Photo by Mike Maddock Larry King couldn't get him. He didn't take Diane Sawyer's calls. Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott could have easily turned his 15 minutes of fame into 35 hours, but instead, he chose to give 30 minutes to Columbia Rotary Club members at their weekly Monday meeting, February 23.

Despite waiting briefly on the standing ovation he received from Rotary club members, Lott wasted little time addressing the worldwide media frenzy that has descended upon him and Richland County since the infamous picture of Michael Phelps and a bong surfaced in a British newspaper.

With tongue firmly in cheek, Lott put on a bullet- proof vest for protection and then put on three of his very own medals to show that Phelps was not the only medal winner in this saga. Finally, because a

Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott accepts a gift from Columbia Rotary Club President John Durst after his speech. recent article in Newsweek

referred to Lott as a blonde, he donned a blonde wig to cover his brown hair.

Lott may take some ribbing from the photos that follow, but it does not compare to the negative attention he has received since deciding to investigate Phelps.

In a statement released February 16, Lott said, "I had nothing to do with Michael Phelps coming to Columbia and making a bad decision. He did that. His bad decision and the highly published photo placed me and the Richland County Sheriff 's Department in a no- win situation. Ignore it and be criticized or address it and be criticized. I chose to do what was right.

While to some it may not have been the most popular decision, it was and is the right decision because of the law and the negative impact it could have on our children in Richland County."

Lott produced a top ten list regarding statements made since the investigation into Phelps:

10. It's only Marijuana. Lott said it was "only marijuana" that killed his best friend.

9. Marijuana should be legal. Lott said he doesn't make the law, he only enforces it.

8. The investigation was a waste of taxpayer money. After a little accounting, Lott said the investigation cost the taxpayers a little under $323.

7. Lott was out to make a name for himself or as one media outlet put it, "The most dangerous place in Richland County is between Lott and a camera man." Lott said he answered one question from a reporter at the start of the investigation and held a press conference at the end of the investigation. He turned down multiple offers from multiple media outlets.

6. Lott is running for re- election. Lott was re- elected last November, before all this began.

5. Lott has nothing better to do. He just smiled and joked, "Yeah, I'm bored to death."

4. The Sheriff 's Department should have more important things to do. Lott said the narcotics division's sole responsibility is drug related investigations. This was a simple, easy case that resulted in the arrest of eight people who were "stupid enough" to have drugs in their possession when the investigators paid them a visit.

3. It was just a college dope party. Lott said the surrounding neighbors had complained before and did not think it was such a simple matter. "You live beside that and see if you don't care."

2. Phelps is an American hero. Lott said in the February 16 statement, "I had to remove his medals, his hero status, and look at him as any other person."

1. Why proceed with the investigation? Lott said, "How could I not?"

In the February 16 statement, he elaborated, "By ignoring the November incident, I would have been sending a message of tolerance and condoning the use of illegal drugs. I could not do that, nor have I ever done that. I would be a hypocrite in view of our extensive Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program that I have been active in for many years. How can we teach kids through DARE not to do drugs, and then look the other way if it is an important person? Our message has to be loud, clear, and consistent, don't do drugs."

Lott concluded his prepared talk with the Rotary Club members to a second standing ovation and said, "I can go to bed knowing I've done my duty."