Self proclaimed "America's toughest sheriff" only tough on illegal immigrants, gives child molesters and rapists a free pass.

Courtesy of the Boston Globe:

The 13-year-old girl opened the door of her home in this small city on the edge of Phoenix to encounter a man who said that his car had broken down and he needed to use the phone. Once inside, the man pummeled the teen from behind, knocking her unconscious and sexually assaulting her. 

Seven months before, in an apartment two miles away, another 13-year-old girl was fondled in the middle of the night by her mother's live-in boyfriend. She woke up in her room at least twice a week to find him standing over her, claiming to be looking for her mother's cell phone. 

Both cases were among more than 400 sex-crimes reported to Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio's office during a three-year period ending in 2007 -- including dozens of alleged child molestations -- that were inadequately investigated and in some instances were not worked at all, according to current and former police officers familiar with the cases. 

In El Mirage alone, where Arpaio's office was providing contract police services, officials discovered at least 32 reported child molestations -- with victims as young as 2 years old -- where the sheriff's office failed to follow through, even though suspects were known in all but six cases. 

Many of the victims, said a retired El Mirage police official who reviewed the files, were children of illegal immigrants. 

The botched sex-crimes investigations have served as an embarrassment to a department whose sheriff is the self-described "America's Toughest Sheriff" and a national hero to conservatives on the immigration issue. 

Arpaio's office refused several requests over a period of months to answer questions about the investigations and declined a public records request for an internal affairs report, citing potential disciplinary actions.

This is unconscionable!  The idea that this asshole will harass and aggressively pursue people coming to this country looking for work, and their shot at the American dream, while allowing children to be victimized sexually with no protection whatsoever should forever destroy what is left of this pompous prick's credibility!

I cannot speak for the people of Arizona, but if it were me I would be MUCH more concerned with the safety of our children than I would be concerned about whether my neighbor's landscapers were in the country legally or not.

This should be all the evidence that people need to finally realize that this man is a racist who uses his position to further his xenophobic agenda while caring little for the most vulnerable among the citizens in his county.

Well it is certainly a good thing that none of the current GOP candidates were dumb enough to accept an endorsement from this weasel. What? Oh that's right.

"Sheriff Joe endorsed me! This is going to work out great for me!"