Almost six weeks after his indictment on a charge of tax fraud, Sussex County Commissioner William Hayden showed up for his arraignment at the county courthouse on Monday and said he hadn't been able to hire a lawyer yet.

Superior Court Judge Janine Allen then adjourned the case until Sept. 8. Hayden, a Republican in his first term in office, said he would have a lawyer by then, according to a summary of the hearing provided by the state Attorney General's Office.

The 58-year-old has faced criticism for allegedly pretending to be veteran of the Navy Seals during his 2022 election campaign. The accusation of filing a false tax return came July 15 In a news release by the Attorney General's Office.

According to the AG, Hayden improperly claimed a veteran's benefit on a state tax ret

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