As I'm sipping my Sunday morning coffee and opening up the Arizona Republic (once was "Republican"; they dropped the "an" some years ago) newspaper, I see they have their endorsement for Maricopa County Sheriff. I'm sure you're all saying WTF? Who cares about an obscure election in Arizona? Well, you have to remember, our incumbent sheriff is the notorious Joe Arpaio, of pink inmate underwear, chain gangs, green baloney sandwiches, and "tent city" fame. Not to mention self-described as "America's toughest sheriff."
Lately, the sheriff has been in really hot water with his obsession with rounding up brown people and arresting them if they can't immediately show proof of citizenship or legal visa. Forget all the outstanding felony warrants that have been put aside so the sheriff can put his resources into going after brown people - citizen or non-citizen alike.
So I just roll my eyes and wonder what dumb excuse the editors of the Republic have come up with to once again throw their support to Sheriff "Joke" Arpaio. But when I turn to the editorial page, I'm greeted with the headline:
Dan Saban for sheriff
and there's more:
declaring any campaign the "worst ever" is dicey territory. ...That said, the effort to destroy - not simply beat, mind you, but utterly destroy - the Democratic candidate for Maricopa County sheriff this election will stand among the most demeaning political efforts we have witnessed.
For their salacious attacks on Dan Saban, Sheriff Joe Arpaio and the character assassins dwelling at Arizona Republican headquarters should be ashamed of themselves, if it were possible.
Wow! And the sheriff's underlings don't escape the wrath either with these descriptions:
...self-serving, Grand Guignol circus surrounding "America's Toughest Sheriff," ...parade of pratfalling sycophants...retinue of double-dipping lieutenants whose sole justification for their bloated salaries appears to be their ability to dig up dirt on their boss' political foes...venal, petty "media spokesmen," who take exquisite delight in denying press releases to small newspapers that dare to displease them.
I love it! They go on to detail the unending lawsuits against the county for the Sheriff's grandstanding racist antics, maladministration, and outright abuse of power. But it's not only that. The Sheriff has teamed up with the County Attorney to go after political opponents - so both of them must go and it just so happens we have great replacements for each Dan Saban for Sheriff and Tim Nelson for county attorney (also endorsed by the Republic.) Both are great Dems. Let's get them elected next month!