Sheriff Joe goes on trial

[bobabode]

"High noon is approaching for Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio. A civil trial against the Arizona law enforcement official -- known for his tough stance on illegal immigration -- begins in Phoenix today, with foes accusing him of racial profiling and of illegally discriminating against Latinos.

Groups led by the American Civil Liberties Union are suing Arpaio and the state's most populous county, charging that they targeted Latinos as part of the sheriff’s get-tough policy on illegal immigration. Arpaio, who used frequent television appearances to build a reputation as a tough-talking lawman hard on criminals, is expected to take the stand at some point during the several weeks of the civil trial in federal court.
The suit is important in helping define the policies of the local sheriff’s office, but it's just one legal skirmish that Arpaio is facing.

The U.S. Department of Justice is also suing the sheriff, his office and Maricopa County, charging civil-rights violations. In addition, a federal grand jury has been investigating Arpaio's office for allegedly abusing its law enforcement powers and for other possible instances of public corruption."

From the L.A. times today

Too bad they won't be drop kicking old Joe into the general population anytime soon.

[piece-itpete]

I'm not defending this guy, I don't know him from Adam, but I'm curious - if you are going to try to clamp down on illegal immigration, what do you do: look for Pollacks?

Pete

[bobabode]

Originally Posted by piece-itpete

I'm not defending this guy, I don't know him from Adam, but I'm curious - if you are going to try to clamp down on illegal immigration, what do you do: look for Pollacks?

Pete

Clamping down usually doesn't entail trashing the Constitution.
The problem of Arizona's approach is that they seem to think the U.S. Constitution is a pick and choose guideline or trampling on their states rights when anyone insists that they follow the law. A state has to accept the U.S. Constitution as their governing document before admittance in to the United States, too bad a fair number spend far too much effort trying to back out of their agreements.

I'm sick of these deputy dawg types who consider the whole county as their fiefdom to do with as they will. I wish this latest case Arpaio is facing carried jail time as punishment. Az. could make up their deficit selling postcards of his fat bellicose ass in pink underwear sitting in a tent out in the desert. Even scorpions would leave him alone out of professional courtesy I'm sure.

[piece-itpete]

Robbing a bank is a federal offense - how dare they go after bank robbers! Darn cops ignoring the Constitution!

Not that I'm a friend of pigheaded cops....

Pete

[merrylander]

In case y'all haven't noticed, not all Latinos are illegal. There have been a bunch of them helping us planting trees and I assure you they are all legal.

[Boreas]

Originally Posted by merrylander

In case y'all haven't noticed, not all Latinos are illegal.

Well, they oughta be, dammit! This is America!

John

[beej]

My only problem with Arpaio is that he's a screwball; everything else stems from that including his unrelenting efforts to crap on the Constituion. Case in point: he has 'opened a case' on the Obama 'falsified' birth certificate claiming to have developed 'new evidence.'

[HatchetJack]

I think he's one of the few in this country with balls enough to take action
and not play the victim. We need more people like him that will stand up
for what we should be. If we had a few more Buford Pusser types in charge
of what kind of shit gets imported into this country and from whom we
might not be in this everlasting deccession.

[BlueStreak]

They should make him wear pink........

[BlueStreak]

Originally Posted by beej

My only problem with Arpaio is that he's a screwball; everything else stems from that including his unrelenting efforts to crap on the Constituion. Case in point: he has 'opened a case' on the Obama 'falsified' birth certificate claiming to have developed 'new evidence.'

Exactly.