Candidates for political office often have role models. It is one way in which they can communicate what can be expected of their administration if elected. According to his own statements, Bill Hunt, candidate for Orange County Sheriff, wants to model himself after Maricopa County Sheriff, Joe Arpaio.
Hunt affirms that Orange County isn’t identical to Maricopa County, Arizona, and he knows that Arpaio’s controversial actions can’t be replicated in California. However, Hunt admires his approach and hopes that Arapio "will be his mentor when elected."
This admiration is contradictory to Hunt’s past efforts to be elected to the Sheriff’s Office. In the last election, he ran against then-Sheriff Mike Carona, arguing that being under federal investigation discredited the incumbent. Yet, the fact that there are numerous FBI investigations underway against Arpaio for alleged harassment of political enemies to civil rights abuses, doesn’t seem to bother the candidate. Ironically, the central message of Hunt’s campaign is protection of individual liberties, specifically referring to the right to bear arms. Other rights don’t seem to be of import; if they were, then Arpaio could not possibly be Hunt’s role model.
Hunt insists that he will follow Arpaio’s steps in controlling costs and providing security. He is unfortunately ignoring the fact that Arpaio’s abuses have cost Maricopa taxpayers a fortune in settlements and that his obsessive fixation with immigrants comes at the expense of fighting real crime.
We believe that Orange County voters should have no problem distinguishing incumbent Sheriff Sandra Hutchens from her Arpaio-admiring opponent.
It is shameful that a candidate for this office would link himself to the most investigated sheriff in the country as a way to show that he is tough on crime. And, it is outrageous to turn the tide against the undocumented and use them as scapegoats to make political points in his Orange County campaign.
Candidates for political office often have role models. It is one way in which they can communicate what can be expected of their administration if elected. According to his own statements, Bill Hunt, candidate for Orange County Sheriff, wants to model himself after Maricopa County Sheriff, Joe Arpaio.
Hunt affirms that Orange County isn’t identical to Maricopa County, Arizona, and he knows that Arpaio’s controversial actions can’t be replicated in California. However, Hunt admires his approach and hopes that Arapio "will be his mentor when elected."
This admiration is contradictory to Hunt’s past efforts to be elected to the Sheriff’s Office. In the last election, he ran against then-Sheriff Mike Carona, arguing that being under federal investigation discredited the incumbent. Yet, the fact that there are numerous FBI investigations underway against Arpaio for alleged harassment of political enemies to civil rights abuses, doesn’t seem to bother the candidate. Ironically, the central message of Hunt’s campaign is protection of individual liberties, specifically referring to the right to bear arms. Other rights don’t seem to be of import; if they were, then Arpaio could not possibly be Hunt’s role model.
Hunt insists that he will follow Arpaio’s steps in controlling costs and providing security. He is unfortunately ignoring the fact that Arpaio’s abuses have cost Maricopa taxpayers a fortune in settlements and that his obsessive fixation with immigrants comes at the expense of fighting real crime.
We believe that Orange County voters should have no problem distinguishing incumbent Sheriff Sandra Hutchens from her Arpaio-admiring opponent.
