Upstart sheriff rides Ariz. law to national fame

[SargeUNN]

Source: East Valley Tribute

FLORENCE — Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu has been on the job less than two years, but he's already emerging as a leading border security hawk and a rising star in the Republican Party.

Arizona's controversial crackdown on illegal immigration has created an insatiable appetite for pundits to banter over illegal immigration, and Babeu has helped fill the void. The shiny-headed, 41-year-old sheriff has appeared on cable news shows at least nine times since Gov. Jan Brewer signed the measure April 23.

Babeu's an unlikely authority on illegal immigration — a "border sheriff" whose territory lies dozens of miles from the border; a lawman with a decades-old political career that began as an 18-year-old city councilman in New England.

But he's carved a niche as a prolific critic of the federal government.

"Literally the president has shirked his responsibility," he said. "I'm letting everybody who will care to listen know what is going on here."

With a penchant for publicity and a dogged focus on combating illegal immigration, it's easy to compare Babeu to Joe Arpaio, the Maricopa County sheriff known nationally for his tough immigration enforcement and locally for his battles with political rivals.

Babeu says he respects Arpaio but rejects suggestions that he's the next "Sheriff Joe." Their styles are very different, he says.

"Sheriff Paul" — as he's known on his campaign materials — had just a few years of experience in law enforcement when he ousted an incumbent sheriff in 2008 and took over as chief of the 700-person department responsible for law enforcement and the county jail. Two decades earlier he was the youngest councilman ever elected in North Adams, Mass., and he went on to fail in two bids for mayor there.


Read more: http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/local/queen_creek/article_fff31868-bebe-11df-867d-001cc4c002e0.html

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I call him Baboon and he is a politician turned Sheriff. He is one of the main reasons why we should get serious about sensible immigration reform or we will allow more filth like him to gain national attention.

[phantom power]

1. Every election I cross my fingers to see Arpaio kicked out on his ass

[SargeUNN]

3. Arpaio is a hero here in Maricopa County

and this jerk Baboon is a rising star just much younger. I have met and talked to Baboon and he is just looking to move up in politics, and since we on the left don't really offer much resistance on the issue because we see there is a need but refuse to promote real answers, while we rip Obama on such things as he said something nice about Bush and ignore the fact Obama is doing some things we want, but we gripe so much we are feeding idiots like Arpaio, Brewer, and Baboon. They hear us talking our "we aren't going to vote because Obama said something nice about Bush, Obama didn't get single payer so he sucks". I see the Democrats here in Arizona too busy fighting each other over minor things and meanwhile the thugs are laughing all the way to the bank. We MUST start realizing we can disagree but we MUST take progress so we have something to build on.

[Tansy_Gold]

2. Babeu is a would-be storm trooper, and with his baby brother

running for Justice of the Peace, we in here in Pinal County will be at the mercy of two very evil individuals.

Babeu cares ONLY about illegal immigration. Nothing else.



TG, NTY

[AlbertCat]

11. Babeu cares ONLY about illegal immigration. Nothing else.

From news reports coming out of AZ, I thought there WAS nothing else. (Well, private prisons, but they're related)

[Bombero1956]

4. It's another reason why you shouldn't elect people into law enforcement

Only in America can you have people elected sheriff with hardly any law enforcement experience. Same with judges. :wtf::banghead:

[SargeUNN]

5. Yeah

:thumbsup:

[maddogesq]

12. I call it the Red Walker syndrome!

Ole Red was Shelby County (AL) Sheriff for some 20 years. Legend has it that Red would have his underlings drive around in squad cars and give free beer to the locals during an election cycle. I also heard about his famous trips to Vegas, etc. when I lived in Shelby County from '77 to '79.

[Historic NY]

6. Obviously being 80 miles from the border makes his county a hot bed of activity....

He has a 700 man dept and still can't seem to manage security. How many other agencies are near him?

[EFerrari]

10. Not to mention, this "crackdown" happened two years into flat immigration.

lol

[COLGATE4]

7. Just a nasty younger Arpaio wannabe. n/t

[pinboy3niner]

8. He's a regular "Little Joe." nt

[krabigirl]

9. Wow, all you have to do to be a star in the GOP is to be a police state goon.