Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio Continues To Suck

Sheriff Joe Arpaio was recently found by the US Justice Department to have violated the rights of Latinos and has fired back in typically "it's all about me" fashion by claiming that it's his civil liberties that are being violated by being called accurate descriptors like racist and incompetent.

As I've covered before--incompetent is probably a kind way of describing his performance as a lawman.  

Anyway, even presidential politics are playing a part in Sheriff Joe's drama. He's accused the Obama Administration of concentrating on him because an attack on him is somehow going to win Latino votes. (Which of course is what the rancher stepped in, as TPM, who've been all over this, remind, the Justice investigation began during the Bush Administration.)   But at least one GOP presidential hopeful loves Sheriff Joe enough to climb into the muck:

Rick Perry:

“I don’t know what all the details are, but I do know this: nothing surprises me out of this administration. This administration oversaw ‘Fast and Furious,’” Perry said during an interview with Fox News on Thursday. ”I would suggest to you that these people are out after Sheriff Joe. He is tough.”


(Snip.)

“When I’m the president of the United States, you’re not going to see me going after states like Arizona or Alabama; suing sovereign states for making decisions, particularly because the federal government has been an abject failure at securing the border,” he said.

Sovereign states, eh? Such neo-Confederate Tenther tripe. As for the "abject failure" nonsense, the Obama Administration has overseen an increase in deportations, while illegal immigration to the US is slowing. 

Wow, it's just like Rick Perry has no idea what he's talking about, and is supporting a right-wing racist jerk-machine just because it sounds all tough and law-and-order-y! Imagine that!