Right Wing Extremist Sheriff David Clarke to Become Assistant at Homeland Security

Ties to Russia

‘Called for Suspending Habeas Corpus’

Earlier this month criminal charges were recommended for several employees of Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke’s jail, following the death of an inmate who reportedly had water withheld for nearly a week. 

“Terrill Thomas, 38, died in April 2016 in the jail run by controversial Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke after staffers shut off the water in his cell for a week as punishment for misbehavior,” Mother Jones reported. “Jurors recommended that two Milwaukee County Jail supervisors and five corrections officers be charged with abuse of a resident of a penal facility. Smith was one of four people who died last in year in the jail run by Clarke.”

One of those four people who died in Sheriff Clarke’s jail was a baby, as Buzzfeed’s Mike Hayes reminds us today:

Describing Terrill Thomas as “mentally ill,” the Washington Post last month reported “jail staff had shut off the flow to the pipes in his cell.”

Sheriff Clarke has just announced he will become an Assistant Secretary at the Department of Homeland Security, according to U.S. News justice, law enforcement and immigration reporter Alan Neuhauser. Clarke shared the news with talk show host Vicki McKenna (audio above.)

Who is Sheriff Clarke?

He virulently opposed Black Lives Matter, whom he calls “subhuman creeps.” He intensely supports Donald Trump, and – surprise – has ties to Russia.

“On December 11, 2015, in the depths of a biting Moscow winter, The Right to Bear Arms hosted a delegation from its American counterpart, the NRA,” ThinkProgress reported. “David Keene, an NRA board member and former national president of the organization, flew to Russia to attend the event.”

“Perhaps the most famous guest at the gathering, trading his customary uniform for a black leather vest over a button-down shirt, was Milwaukee County Sheriff and Fox News regular David A. Clarke.”

His expenses were paid in part by the NRA and the Russian pro-gun group.

Just one week ago Fox News was promoting Clarke, a frequent guest on their network as the replacement for fired FBI Director Jim Comey. 

UPDATE: 
CNN’s Andrew Kaczynski just posted this reminder:

There’s so much more, but here’s how some on Twitter are responding:

Conservative editor:

Daily Beast reporter:

Mother Jones reporter:

Toronto Star reporter: