America's racist sheriff

The big news is the release of a report, three years coming, about the racial profiling in the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office. You can download the entire report at AzCentral, Talking Points Memo and many other sites. It confirms what we already know: "America's toughest sheriff" is also America's most racist sheriff. The department has engaged in systemic racial profiling against Hispanics and "brown skinned people." This should be another nail in Joe Arpaio's coffin, but I suspect many of his constituents will merely go "Yaaaay!!"

This is only the tip of a very big iceberg. There's the hundreds of botched sex-crimes investigations, along with the many instances of abuse in the jail system. Honest police officers talk about fumbled investigations by the MCSO, including probable homicides that were tossed off as suicides. Much of the command staff has already been forced out in scandals. Does anyone doubt that the tone for this behavior was set from the top, in other words Arpaio himself? This is a department that runs by a cult of personality. As I asked in a previous post, Why isn't Joe Arpaio in jail? Yet he survives.

To be sure, departments nationwide face such probes. The Seattle Police are the target of a Justice Department investigation into excessive-force complaints. But the MCSO is different, with a longstanding pattern of bad behavior.

Arpaio has long been hidden away in the attic by the local booster class. "Oh, that's just Joe." As if the continuing Mississippi sheriff antics here don't reflect fecially upon metropolitan Phoenix.

But this is no sideshow. It's the heart of one of the biggest problems facing Phoenix if it is to ever reinvent itself as something more than an agglomeration of house-building and migrants from colder climes, falling ever further behind in a competitive new world. It is hardly cheery news for the tourism industry, either. The New York Times, read worldwide by people who make, say, decisions about capital investment, offered a typical assessment of Arpaio here. And here's the Los Angeles Times. Can't buy (bad) publicity like this. Once upon a time, a Gene Pulliam or even the bunch that ran Ev Mecham out of office would have done in the Badged Ego simply because he was so bad for business.

As I warned years ago, places whose international reputation is primarily that of intolerance, narrow-mindedness and extreme politics do not attract much talent or quality capital investment. Sure, there's a big Amazon "fulfillment center," paying little or no taxes and keeping the labor market one of low-wage jobs. That's what you get when the fright mask of Arizona is not just Jan Brewer, but also Joe Arpaio. And make no mistake: Arpaio is what Arizona has become. Not for nothing did he circulate racist letters from his constituents as an approving endorsement of the SO's thuggish policies. How many bright young college graduates want to live in such an environment?

Arpaio is no sideshow. He is a political power. St. Janet sought his endorsement. As governor, she could have moderated him or, preferably, brought him down. But no. And this was the candidate of the "sensible center." With his "intelligence" squad gathering information on people a la J. Edgar Hoover, Arpaio is feared by the state's elites. And he is consistently re-elected, especially by the white-right apartheid crowd in Sun City and the East Valley. A good candidate such as Dan Sabin doesn't stand a chance. Who wants a sheriff's office that actually does its job, when the fearful Anglos can have the costly sideshows of "sweeps," chain gangs and the gulag tent jail.

More shoes will drop, including a federal criminal probe. But justice delayed is justice denied, and the Obama administration will hardly act swiftly in this matter when it allows the banksters to remain free. Arpaio's victims are the last and the least. Or so it seems. In fact, he holds back Phoenix every bit as much as the denial class of boosters and real-estate hucksters. Why isn't Joe Arpaio in jail?

Comments

[morecleanair]

Too big to fall? Teflon Joe at age 79 has defied the odds, hasn't he? DOJ's "scathing" report may be little more than a whipping with the kind of limp linguine Eric Holder seems to have in his arsenal. Hope I'm wrong, but cousin Earl from Midwest podunk will likely still support him for as long as they think the brown skinned people are "the problem".

[Joe]

Taltonriguez, you beaner-loving dummass yellow journalist. Stay out of Sun City.

[Jacob Hughes]

Way to buck stereotype, Joe.

[azrebel]

That's too funny Joe. As if anyone in Sun City used a computer. Nice try.

People in Sun City still write checks at grocery stores. They wouldn't be able to remember a 4 digit ATM code.

[JJ]

Hmmmm...

Did you see any elected officials standing behind Arpaio at his presser? Tom Horne? Governor Brewer? County Attorney Montgomery? His good pal John Kyl? Rick Perry? Michele Bachmann?

Me either. They have all cut his ass loose.

Joe blew the racist GOP dog whistle for all it is worth. He invoked the death of BORTAC Agent Brian Terry, Pearl Harbor, witch hunts, and 287g. I think he missed the dead rancher down in Cochise County... likely an oversight.

DOJ is coming for you, Arpaio. They are coming in black SUVs with flex cuffs and unsympathetic FBI agents. They are coming to take you to jail, and you deserve it.

[Dawgzy]

As I understand it, the civil rights report is only a part of what DOJ is looking at (abuse of power, misfeasance, malfeasance, aggravated hendershotting) to follow?? Don't hold'er breath.
I grew up in Phoenix, had relatives who fought the good fight, but have developed a sense of futility about our system's supposed self-correcting mechanisms. I started following at arpaio and then Az politics because he seemed like the 21stcentury strange beast slouching toward fountain hills waiting to be born on jackboots and brown (or Larry black) shirt. Arizona is the Petrie dish for really scary strain of political virulence. If Joe like the gipper before him dodders off into the sunset because of age instead of frogmarching into a cell, it will be only another instance of our excusing tyrannical behavior. The only thing that keeps political thugs at bay is an awareness of consequences which probably won't be forthcoming. Our compassionate conservative admin will probably drop their project in exchange for a resignation.
When Joe leaves who in he'll would take the job? A corrupt, at best demoralized department with a toxic sense of mission. Pretty interesting.
Good luck from Portland.

[cal Lash]

Tyrants come and go
And the wind does blow
Alas the desert wind of the great Sonoran has been silenced
By the developers plowshare driven by an ass
And on occasion more than one dumb ass
For solong
Hark do I hear a rumbling in the East
To bring a storm to cleanse the southern desert
There are many that look to the East for peace
Unfortunate that we must look to others to solve what we should solve ourselves
Many a tyrant has come and gone
All were sure there were right and everyone that opposed them was wrong
Thus multitudes of humans continue to be trampled by these non compassionate Huns.

[phxSUNSfan]

What an inopportune time for the Justice Department to be pointing fingers: during an internal nightmare of their own making concerning "Fast and Furious". Of course Arpaio and his supporters are going to cling on for dear life to that Federal cluster-fuck.

Arpaio should be forced out by the voters to remove another stigma from Arizona and Phoenix (although this is a county issue, it is forced upon the state and the its largest city). Ousting Pearce was just one step in the right direction. After he is removed, he should be sued civilly and the investigation into his actions, inaction, and illegal tactics should continue.

[Roger Ramjet]

Joe Arpaio as the MCSO Sheriff is a case of the law of unintended consequences. Two factors saddled Maricopa Counnty with the"Jokester".
The heinous murder at Wat Prankurom and the incompetence of his predecessor. He is just another, albeit, the worst of long line of sorry individuals in that office.

[eclecticdog]

Hoping that the sheriff will be held accountable is laughable. He is now a member of the untouchable class, above the "LAW" us minions are subjected to. In fact, I say he's a canary in a coal mine -- other politicians look to him to see just how much sleaze they can get away with -- and you don't kill such a bird by your own hand.

[phxSUNSfan]

Not to be a constant contradiction eclecticdog, but that is the same exact sentiment shared on this blog during the Pearce recall effort and subsequent election. It was also the same sentiment of posts during the Phoenix Mayoral Election when many believed that a republican would beat Stanton. We've heard it before and circumstances change. One thing that helped Stanton win big, and to an extent helped undue Pearce in Mesa, was a surge of Latinos who finally voted. This Arpaio debacle is sure to get that same attention throughout Maricopa County. Sticking to your metaphor, a canary has many natural predators; it is a delicate bird.

[Aaron Solorzano]

"How many bright young college graduates want to live in such an environment?"

Well shoot, that's me! And guess what? After spending 25 years there I got tired of it and moved away to a place where this kind of thing at least wouldn't be celebrated. With any luck, my soon-to-graduate sister will be right on my heels.

I also once aspired to work in law enforcement. Seeing these kinds of police cultures persist and thrive has helped kill that desire.

[Emil Pulsifer]

phxSUNSfan wrote:

"What an inopportune time for the Justice Department to be pointing fingers..."

Considering the way that Associated Press revived the sex-crimes issue recently, and the resulting bad press from the local newspaper of record, and the consequent blowback in public opinion and among some of Arpaio's supporters, I'd say that it was a perfectly opportune time.

I do agree with pSf that Arpaio has every chance of being held accountable. Slowly his allies and support network are being peeled away: Hendershott and two of the latter's minions; the former county attorney and his minions; and Russell Pearce.

The scandals just keep mounting and returning, and his recent "I don't recall" testimony was also a disgrace which hasn't gone unnoticed.

[eclecticdog]

I'm standing firm and will await the last laugh (really, I'd rather it not be me).

[cal Lash]

Per tonites new news, La Mordida is in!

[morecleanair]

Dancing in my head, I have visions of Joe in pink underwear playing cards with Humpty Dumpty! These kinds of pictures nurture my simple mind during these complicated times.

[Rogue Columnist]

OT but important, from Soleri. "Chris Hedges on empire of illusion":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=dHle_turjes&noredirect=1

[Warren Peace formerly azrebel]

The illusion has been going on for 150+ years. When does it stop being an illusion and become REALITY??

[Petro]

Thanks for the Hedges link (Jon & soleri)!

Illusion and reality coexist, as they always have, "Warren." :) (Indeed, illusion is an aspect of reality) It's just where you choose to focus your lens that matters.

(Throw away your televisions!) :)

On topic - Cold Joe is the P.T. Barnum, ringmaster, and first-ring act rolled into one in the political circus of AZ. Hell, he'd sound credible on the national stage, if the Republican debates are any measure...

(I don't hate on anybody, but if I found it bubbling up within me towards Dick Cheney or Joe Arpaio, I'm pretty certain that I would not bother to talk myself out of it.)

[Allen]

Shurf Joke.

He was supposed to stay for one term to fix Agnos' mess.

Well, now the failure is hanging over him like a stench.

He has $6 mil to blow paying Jason Rose for hogslop to blow over his opponents.

The only thing that will save us is a stroke, as the DOJ has shown they are entirely toothless.

Montgomery sucking up is a travesty.

He should remember how Joe left Candy Andy twisting along with Hendersnot.

Age will get him, he sounded almost subdued and exhausted.

No real allies, and almost 80- finito.

Just imagine what a crater the revelations that will flow from that sewer will make when he goes.

I weep for my property taxes.

At least New Times never quit taking him on. They showed far more than the Republic, which Joe stapled neuticals on the editorial board's forehead.

Should have stopped endorsing him years ago, if they were responsible.

As for Ego Janet, she was always playing along rather than pushing him over the side, because she didn't like the odds of taking him on.

[cal lash]

Good post Allen. i suggest you do a historical look at the vowels, OIOO.
Tom Agnos was a NICE guy!
I like Frank Milstead or David Gonzales

[morecleanair]

Cal: Great suggestion!
US Marshall David Gonzales would be an excellent choice! Latino, Repubican, moderate and widely respected. And young. And handsome! Have known him for years but never thought of him as a political candidate.

[jmav]

Twenty years of Sheriff Joe,
Is that justice, definitely no.

Twenty years of Sheriff Joe,
Is that possible, definitely so.

Twenty years of Sheriff Joe,
Will that be enough, probably no.

Twenty years of Sheriff Joe,
Please just go.

[cal Lash]

Gonzales gets the endorsements of Prior DEA Agents in Charge in Phoenix, Dick Johnson and Phil Jordon. Jordon was at Phoenix DEA (or then BNDD as was I )before Arpaio and Johnson afterward. Hopefully I am having lunch with both of them next week along with a bunch of ole time cops turned PI.
( an interesting read is Down by the River by Charles Bowden where Jordons very young brother is gunned down in an El Paso Shirt store parking lot where he worked by a young shooter from Juarez and I now am in possession of the book and Italian made documentary of El Sicario, confessions of a Mexican hit man.

Currently at my side is Edward Abbey's 1969 Piece from the Natural History Magazine, City of Prophecies-A Hoboken Perspective. Why Hoboken is not one of the five boroughs.

[Warren Peace]

I move that we disband the Non-existent Rogue Fan Club. The subject of our admiration came to town and snubbed us.

Does anyone second the motion?

I also, hereby, move that we take the club charter, sell it on eBay and use the funds for a farewell meeting.

Does anyone second?

[Rogue Columnist]

Warren: I posted a comment that I would be there and available to meet.

[morecleanair]

Opinion: the Rogue Fan Club is, to me, a virtual one isn't it? Maybe Jon can figure out a way to Skype with us now and again? It certainly works for my family.

[Warren Peace]

The plan was to hear from club President Cal on the when and where of the meeting. We all cleared our calendars and waited. The call or e-mail never came.

I move that we hang the club President. Do I hear a second?

mcr, yes, you could say it is virtually a club.

[cal Lash]

Every man for himself. John Galt.

Warrenpeace you sound like Ned Warren not AZrebel. And I thought you were Prez and I was Sgt at arms?

Morecleanair. I am virtually opposed to Skype and all other such mediums. When the nonexistent fan club does meet, I want it to be in a real coffee shop or wineburger (Jo-Ann Pope died) with the real you and not some Duncan Idaho Ghola. I wouldn’t have Droid phone or a puter if it didn’t make me a buck to by real books you can touch. I don’t do anything financial on line. Just E-mail, Google and this blog. Nor watch commercial TV. Maybe 2 Hours of PBS a week. Well I am off to Bards books for a read.

Catching up. The latest issue of the New Times has Steve Lemons endorsing David Gonzales for MCSO.

[Mick]

OK, let’s concede that Arpaio sucks. But consider these points.

1) Americans can’t get jobs. Illegal immigrants are stealing jobs from Americans. Legal immigrants are stealing jobs from Americans. (I was told that my programming skills were spot-on but that the young Indians at Microsoft would not accept me. )

Therefore, Arpaio is popular because he crusades against the illegals. Not pretty, but Americans need jobs!!! Want to cut into Arpaio’s popularity? Get Americans hired!!! We need jobs!!! The answer, once again, is jobs for Americans. As long as Americans can’t get jobs, and are forced to LOSE THEIR JOBS to immigrants, then Arpaio is going to be popular. As long as Arpaio is hell-bent against illegal immigrants, I would vote for him – because of the horrible job market. and the way that employers hire illegals instead of Americans who apply for the same jobs.

The need for a job trumps all that other stuff. It’s that simple. I despise immigrants because they are stealing our jobs.

2) Phoenix is not really hurt in the job market because of Arpaio – there are no jobs anywhere else, either. College graduates can’t find good jobs in any other city, so why is Phoenix any different? I have never heard of anyone who would reject a job in Phoenix because of Arpaio. Most people would beg and grovel for a decent job in Phoenix, even if they had to kiss Apraio’s butt to get it.

The job market in Cincinnati is GARBAGE. I’ve interviewed up there. I have relatives and friends in Cincinnati. IT SUCKS IN CINCINNATI. It sucks in Charlotte, Atlanta, Dallas, St. Louis, Delaware, Baltimore, and the entire state of California. It sucks in Iowa. It sucks in Kentucky. Our economy SUCKS. Arpaio is irrelevant. Texas is a total joke and a ***hole on the doorstep of Hell, but I would move to Texas if it got me a better job. We are in a Depression. People are starving. There are no jobs. Concessions must be made.

Hunger is a powerful motivator.

3) The central principle of every issue in the United States is this: The United States does not have enough jobs, and about 30 million people (and growing without end) are screwed/must live in poverty/are guaranteed to starve to death, and it will only get worse.

Everything in the US flows from that central principle. EVERYTHING. Nothing else has any meaning or relevance or importance. We are screwed and we are going to starve. Therefore Apraio wins.

It sucks. The United States sucks. The United States is a huge pile of sh*t. There are no jobs and the Republicans want to kill us. People are eating out of garbage cans. The Republicans want to take away our Food Stamps. Bastards!!!! Why would I be worried about Arpaio beating up a few Mexicans? The Mexicans are stealing our jobs, so why would I care?

Conversely, get everyone a job, and suddenly the tide will turn against Arpaio.

Arpaio is just a symptom of a terminal disease. THERE ARE NO JOBS.

[Mick]

I want to join the Rogue Fan Club. Jon Talton is awesome. He is one of the few telling anyone the truth.

This country is a pile of dung. Millions of Americans are doing to starve to death, and Newt Gingrich will do an end-zone dance when they die.

There is nothing more bloodthirsty, cruel, and innately evil than a Republican. THERE ARE NO JOBS.

[Mick]

Oops, I meant to type "going" instead of "doing."

Thinking about President Gingrich scares the hell out of me. I am not looking forward to starving to death.

[Mick]

Back to the point though -- Arpaio only survives because he gets to demagogue issues, and desperate, unhappy, bitter Americans buy the swill.

We need jobs for Americans. NOTHING in this country is going to be right, or make any sense, as long as most working people are scared to death and miserable.

I'm terrified. It's time to stockpile AK-47's and all the ammo that you can get. Then when the starving comes, at least you will have something. Newt/Mitt is going to kill us. They won't be happy until millions have starved.

Think this is far out? Where are the jobs? Where is the driver for jobs in the United States? What are these b*stards doing to promote job creation? How are people going to buy food? What happens when Newt abolishes Food Stamps and tells everyone to "start a business or starve?" What happens when Newt abolishes the Postal Service and you can't send mail to places? What happens when Newt abolishes Medicare and if you get sick, you just die in a gutter? What happens when Newt cuts taxes on the rich and pumps up spending on wars in Afghanistan, Iran, North Korea, Poland, New Zealand, Zambia, Tunisia, and Antarctica, and then the currency and stock market crash?

Why hasn't Newt already been disqualified from running, along with Romney, Perry, Huntsman, and all the rest??

[Mick]

Can someone tell the the address of the best homeless shelter in Seattle? I need to know where to go.

[Mick]

I sure hope that Newt/Mitt don't close the homeless shelters.

Newt/Mitt will probably turn all the homeless shelters into concentration camps and make us work for nothing while we starve to death. This of those pictures of Auschwitz - happening all over again in the United States, because that is the kind of slave labor that Republicans want. That is the Republican dream -- starve them to death and pay them nothing. After they die, there are no pensions to bother with, and the bodies can be dumped into a mass grave. The Republican dream!!!!!

[phxSUNSfan]

Mick, please take your lies and tirades somewhere else. First you're a pharmacist, then you are a programmer. Seattle? I thought you lived in Florida? As for stockpiling AK's...I think you need to stockpile anti-psychotics.

[Warren Peace]

congrats Mick, you're in the club. In fact you're the new president. We had a vacancy. We just hung the last president, virtually, of course. We meet every two months at the Urban Bean. If you can't make it, send us your credit card number and that will suffice.

If you want to have a healthy administation, keep a close eye on the sargent at arms.

[Mick]

Used to be a programmer. Now a pharmacist. Live in Florida, but homeless shelters here are to be avoided.

No lies. There are no jobs. If you disagree I would be glad to hear about where the jobs are.

[Mick]

In Florida, we have lots of educated people with no jobs. Nurses, engineers, salespeople. Formerly middle-class people are selling drugs. No one can get a job. People are surviving by moving in with parents, Food Stamps, and Medicaid. Have you seen ABC News lately? Huge numbers of children in central Florida don't get enough food. Check it out.

The Republicans want to take away Food Stamps, etc. The result will be real starvation. I cannot speak for conditions in AZ or WA, but there are many Floridians in real trouble. What happens when the Republicans win?

Speaking seriously, it could be real chaos.

We need jobs. That's the key. Nobody can get a job down here.

[Mick]

Where is the Urban Bean? I'll bring cash.

[phxSUNSfan]

Your no-jobs rants and untruths about immigrants, that sound weirdly Faux News-ish, have been disproved by Emil in previous threads. Please do more homework and think harder about solutions to our problems.

[Mick]

I'll have to disagree totally. There are no jobs here. Check it out. Unemployment is very high. It's pretty high all across the country.

Immigrants do take jobs from Americans. There is a cement operation down the road that fired its American workers and replace them with Mexicans. The manager said that "Mexicans don't expect overtime pay."

Try finding a construction site in Florida with American workers. You aren't going to find one.

That's the truth, unfortunately. Employers want to hire cheap labor, which is usually immigrants.

If you disagree --- where are the jobs? Who is hiring? In which state are there really significant numbers of jobs? My pharmacist buddies across the USA say that the job market sucks everywhere. Disagree? Point out jobs.

I never watch Fox News. I think Fox News is crap. It's laughable.

The solution to our problems? It's easy. JOBS. JOBS. JOBS.

[Mick]

I hear from friends in AZ that jobs are scarce in Arizona as well. I hear that there are few jobs, and most of them are low-paying dead-end jobs.

In fact, Jon Talton keeps pointing this out. I'm sure that he's right.

Getting AK-47's is totally over-the-top, but we do need jobs. In truth, Floridians are buying guns like crazy. They think that they can hoard their gold and hide in a bunker.

The economy is only going to get worse. There is no driver for jobs in the American economy. There will likely be cuts in defense spending and at NASA. There is nothing - no policy, trend, or idea that would create jobs in the US. We're in big trouble and it is scary.

[cal Lash]

Mick, I suggest you check out the Soylent Green homeless shelter.

[phxSUNSfan]

On one local job search engine here in Phoenix, 73 pharmacists position within 30 miles available. Some posted weeks ago, some yesterday. Including a few with pay starting near $110,000...

http://www.careerbuilder.com/JobSeeker/Jobs/JobResults.aspx?ch=AL&strcrit=QID%3dA6658284465787%3bst%3da%3buse%3dALL%3brawWords%3dpharmacist%3bTID%3d0%3bCTY%3dPhoenix%3bSID%3dAZ%3bCID%3dUS%3bENR%3dYES%3bDTP%3dALL%3bYDI%3dYES%3bIND%3dALL%3bPDQ%3dAll%3bPDQ%3dAll%3bPAYL%3d0%3bPAYH%3dgt120%3bPOY%3dNO%3bETD%3dJTFT%3bETD%3dJTPT%3bETD%3dJTCT%3bETD%3dJTIN%3bRE%3dALL%3bMGT%3dDC%3bSUP%3dDC%3bFRE%3d30%3bCHL%3dAL%3bQS%3dsid_gatap003%3bSS%3dNO%3bTITL%3d0%3bOB%3d-modifiedint%3bJQT%3dRAD%3bJDV%3dFalse%3bExpHigh%3dgt50%3bExpLow%3d0%3bMaxLowExp%3d-1%3bRecsPerPage%3d25&lr=cbga_tap&IPath=PI

[Warren Peace]

J. Edgar Hoover stayed in office until he died.

Joe will stay in office until he dies.

When a "public servant" stays until he dies, the situation usually ends up giving the position of "public servant" a bad name.

As a rule "public servants" worry me because they don't normally intend to "serve the public".

We have so many terms in the English language which don't mean what they mean. If you know what I mean. "Public servant" is one of them.