The Troubling Sheriffs Movement That Sheriff Joe Arpaio Supports

[Initech]

When President Donald Trump pardoned Sheriff Joe Arpaio, calling him a “patriot,” he didn’t just absolve him from the consequences of defying a federal judge. He didn’t merely excuse Arpaio’s racial profiling and illegal immigration sweeps. Trump’s pardon did do all of that. But it also did something more: It boosted a radical theory of law and American history that Arpaio supports, and which is gaining steam across the United States.

It’s called the “constitutional sheriff” movement, and as it grows, it’s increasing the risk of conflict between local law enforcement and federal authorities. Its animating idea is that a sheriff holds ultimate law-enforcement authority in his county—outranking even the federal government within its borders. Though the movement claims deep history in English law, its real roots lie in the more recent fringes of American right-wing thought. And its popularity helps explain why Arpaio’s defiance of federal law shouldn’t be seen as just one grandstanding sheriff crossing a line, but instead should be seen as part of a broader grassroots resistance to constitutional and cultural upheavals during the 20th century.

The strange idea that unites all members of this movement is that a sheriff is the highest law enforcement officer within a county’s borders—superior not only to local police, but also to officers and agents of the federal government. The actual influence of sheriff supremacy is hard to measure, but it has been growing in recent years, and today the official constitutional sheriffs’ association boasts 4,500 dues paying members and over 200 sheriffs. Its highest-profile members include Arpaio and David Clarke, who just resigned as sheriff of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, reportedly to help Trump in some capacity.
http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/09/01/joe-arpaio-pardon-sheriffs-movement-215566?lo=ap_a1

Now I know what they want to take our country back to - the wild west days! And that's scary.

[Thomas Hurt]

1. yet another glimpse into the far right whackjob ideology of sovereign/constitutionalist

Had a cell of these nutjobs in my home town growing up. Basically, right wing bigots, militia types.

Most of them spent their time trying to scam sane people by filing wild law suits, fake liens against anyone who crossed them. These are anti gov't terrorists in waiting.

These groups are where the McVeighs of the alt-right are radicalized and fortunately for us they often have businesses or jobs so they do not become violent in large numbers. Unlike the KKK and neo nazis.

They actually think they are something akin to feudal lords. No federal gov't or even county gov't have any jurisdiction over them. They are authority unto themselves and so they have the right to screw over and exploit anyone.

[RKP5637]

2. Six shooters and high noon draws! FFS, the clocks are running backward. n/t

[leftstreet]

3. DURec

That was interesting, and terrifying

Thanks for posting