# DoJ sues Sheriff Arpaio for civil-rights abuses **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 11, 2012, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doj-sues-sheriff-arpaio-for-civil-rights-abuses/621586 "2012-05-11T04:14:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2012, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doj-sues-sheriff-arpaio-for-civil-rights-abuses/621586/41 "2012-05-13T01:04:19Z")
> [@Shayna](#): > > I, for one, would like to see Arizona secede and get the fuck out of my country already. From your mouth to G-d’s ear, my friend. > > If we could just get rid of all the backwards racist bigoted states, the U.S. would be swimming in water _and_ cash (no more Welfare for the Red states)! Fucking losers. What, like [this?](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesusland) ---
**Author:** ![Crazyhorse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazyhorse/32/31_2.png) [@Crazyhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazyhorse)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2012, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doj-sues-sheriff-arpaio-for-civil-rights-abuses/621586/42 "2012-05-13T11:21:12Z")
> [@Shayna](#): > > I, for one, would like to see Arizona secede and get the fuck out of my country already. From your mouth to G-d’s ear, my friend. > > If we could just get rid of all the backwards racist bigoted states, the U.S. would be swimming in water _and_ cash (no more Welfare for the Red states)! Fucking losers. It takes Arizonians to vote for him but according to [this](http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57433264/will-arpaios-popularity-continue-amid-lawsuit/?tag=cbsnewsTwoColLowerPromoArea;fd.morenews)he receives more donations from California than from Arizona. There are plenty of backwards racist bigoted asshats right next door in the red-blue-golden state too. > [@](#): > > Arpaio has had no problem with fundraising, garnering more than $1.1 million in the past year. The majority of those contributions came from people living outside the state, with 2,700 donations alone coming from California, compared to 2,500 from Arizona. ---
**Author:** ![gamerunknown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6bbea6/32.png) [@gamerunknown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gamerunknown)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2012, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doj-sues-sheriff-arpaio-for-civil-rights-abuses/621586/43 "2012-05-13T13:34:19Z")
I was being sardonic with that “summary justice” comment. I believe in porous borders. My own father was working illegally in the US when he met my mother. Unfortunately, I think a few people would believe in executing immigrants. ---
**Author:** ![florez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b9e5f3/32.png) [@florez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/florez)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2012, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doj-sues-sheriff-arpaio-for-civil-rights-abuses/621586/44 "2012-05-13T17:28:33Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > So Pink Floyd were really singing about Joe in Echoes when they sang “and everything is green and summary”. Do you mean “green and submarine” from Echos? ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2012, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doj-sues-sheriff-arpaio-for-civil-rights-abuses/621586/45 "2012-05-13T18:04:45Z")
> [@florez](#): > > Do you mean “green and submarine” from Echos? The lyrics are printed that “submarine” in the Shine On booklet, but for a long time before this there was a controversy as to whether it was that or “summery”, almost as intense as the “Mary” vs “Back” debate from SSoSFAGTiaCaGWaP. ---
**Author:** ![dngnb8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@dngnb8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dngnb8)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doj-sues-sheriff-arpaio-for-civil-rights-abuses/621586/46 "2012-05-14T14:34:16Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > What help do you want that the Customs & Border Protection isn’t giving you now? Serious question. They are understaffed and under funded to secure the border. We have little border security here in AZ at best. ---
**Author:** ![dngnb8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@dngnb8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dngnb8)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doj-sues-sheriff-arpaio-for-civil-rights-abuses/621586/47 "2012-05-14T14:35:45Z")
> [@The\_Man\_With\_The\_Golden\_Gun](#): > > I think you got my point perfectly well, and didn’t misinterpret anything I said, since I was indeed claiming that Jared Loughner is representative of all Arizonans and not simply saying that Arizona’s laws are so lax and so poorly enforced that while what Jared did was inarguably wrong, he didn’t do anything against what few laws they have that they don’t enforce. > > Oh, sorry, my sarcasm was on too. Let me turn it off. > > YOU HAVE THE READING COMPREHENSION SKILLS OF A BABY. THAT HAS BEEN DROPPED ON ITS HEAD. REPEATEDLY. Oh you mean like the knee jerk generalizations made about political parties on this board? Golly gee wilikers, that surely wouldnt spill over in other areas! Oh My! Im laughing at you, not with you ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doj-sues-sheriff-arpaio-for-civil-rights-abuses/621586/48 "2012-05-14T15:51:14Z")
> [@dngnb8](#): > > Oh you mean like the knee jerk generalizations made about political parties on this board? Golly gee wilikers, that surely wouldnt spill over in other areas! Oh My! > > Im laughing at you, not with you Projection is a terrible thing. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Man\_With\_The\_Golden\_Gun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@The\_Man\_With\_The\_Golden\_Gun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Man_With_The_Golden_Gun)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doj-sues-sheriff-arpaio-for-civil-rights-abuses/621586/49 "2012-05-14T16:28:49Z")
> [@dngnb8](#): > > Oh you mean like the knee jerk generalizations made about political parties on this board? Golly gee wilikers, that surely wouldnt spill over in other areas! Oh My! > > Im laughing at you, not with you I can’t say I’ve ever made a post like that. Other people here certainly have, but Dopers are not a monolithic entity. But then again, with this gem I’d say what I said about your reading comprehension skills before were actually a fair deal too optimistic. And trust me, I’m laughing at you a lot more than you ever could me. Face it, tiger. I wrote a post. You missed the point of it. That settles it. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doj-sues-sheriff-arpaio-for-civil-rights-abuses/621586/50 "2012-05-14T16:38:13Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > [More details.](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/10/justice-department-joe-arpaio-lawsuit_n_1507098.html?ref=politics) Arpaio’s record is a whole lot more disturbing than I realized. Yes it is. His entire “tenure” has been one long and nevetr ending stream of abuse of power and corruption. He belongs in one of his pink jump suits. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doj-sues-sheriff-arpaio-for-civil-rights-abuses/621586/51 "2012-05-14T16:42:00Z")
> [@SteveG1](#): > > Yes it is. His entire “tenure” has been one long and nevetr ending stream of abuse of power and corruption. He belongs in one of his pink jump suits. I’ve read the complaint, and while I agree the allegations lay out a set of facts that could if believed for the basis for civil liability, I didn’t really see what crimes were alleged. So do you mean this statement sort of generically, or do you mean he’s actually committed crimes? ---
**Author:** ![dngnb8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@dngnb8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dngnb8)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doj-sues-sheriff-arpaio-for-civil-rights-abuses/621586/52 "2012-05-14T16:48:51Z")
> [@The\_Man\_With\_The\_Golden\_Gun](#): > > And trust me, I’m laughing at you a lot more than you ever could me. Wanna bet. You owe me a keyboard, monitor, and Dr P ---
**Author:** ![The\_Man\_With\_The\_Golden\_Gun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@The\_Man\_With\_The\_Golden\_Gun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Man_With_The_Golden_Gun)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doj-sues-sheriff-arpaio-for-civil-rights-abuses/621586/53 "2012-05-14T16:54:16Z")
> [@dngnb8](#): > > Wanna bet. You owe me a keyboard, monitor, and Dr P Dr. Pepper? Well okay, I’ll give you a bit of credit on your taste in soft drinks. But on the other hand, you owe me a new pair of eyes since mine have rolled so hard that they’ve left my sockets, bounced off the floor, and rolled out of my apartment into the parking lot where they were immediately turned into retina roadkill by someone’s Ford Explorer. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doj-sues-sheriff-arpaio-for-civil-rights-abuses/621586/54 "2012-05-14T16:56:35Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > I’ve read the complaint, and while I agree the allegations lay out a set of facts that could if believed for the basis for civil liability, I didn’t really see what crimes were alleged. So do you mean this statement sort of generically, or do you mean he’s actually committed crimes? In addition to the usual “arresting people for being brown”, other accusations (IF TRUE) are that he allows his guards to abuse people who have been arrested and charged (but not yet convicted of anything), and of using his office to harrass and “investigate” political rivals (both his rivals and the rivals of his friends). Whether it does mean jail or not, I still feel pretty safe in saying he is out of control and has gone over the line… repeatedly and defiantly ---
**Author:** ![dngnb8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@dngnb8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dngnb8)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doj-sues-sheriff-arpaio-for-civil-rights-abuses/621586/55 "2012-05-14T17:54:42Z")
> [@The\_Man\_With\_The\_Golden\_Gun](#): > > Dr. Pepper? Well okay, I’ll give you a bit of credit on your taste in soft drinks. > > But on the other hand, you owe me a new pair of eyes since mine have rolled so hard that they’ve left my sockets, bounced off the floor, and rolled out of my apartment into the parking lot where they were immediately turned into retina roadkill by someone’s Ford Explorer. Does that mean your eyes were **F** ound **O** n **R** oad **D** ead ---
**Author:** ![The\_Man\_With\_The\_Golden\_Gun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@The\_Man\_With\_The\_Golden\_Gun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Man_With_The_Golden_Gun)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doj-sues-sheriff-arpaio-for-civil-rights-abuses/621586/56 "2012-05-14T18:04:28Z")
> [@dngnb8](#): > > Does that mean your eyes were > > **F** ound **O** n **R** oad **D** ead I can’t say I saw that one coming. ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2012, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doj-sues-sheriff-arpaio-for-civil-rights-abuses/621586/57 "2012-05-15T01:11:09Z")
When I first heard about Arpaio I had a mildly favorable opinion of him. At that time, 100% of what I knew about him was that he had started making his inmates wear pink clothing and had created volunteer chain gangs. I remember thinking people who had problems with either of those things were kind of ridiculous. The pink clothing was reasonably explained as a valid way to stop people who had access to the laundry from smuggling new clothes out to sell on the street (something that apparently was actually happening), making them pink dramatically reduced their value outside of the jail. Additionally, I see no civil rights or humanitarian concerns with making someone wear pink clothes. The chain gangs were a total non-issue, people volunteered to be in them. Most any type of work that gets you outside and away from jail would obviously be a **prized privilege** in most jails or prisons. Since then as Arpaio has done more things and more information has come out about him my view evolved into thinking he’s an idiot clown engaged in all kinds of stupid behavior for cheap publicity and votes. And then finally it took a more sinister turn and looks like he’s completely corrupt and on several different fronts. (Misuse of funds, civil rights violations, political corruption by using his law enforcement status to harass political enemies, feeding inmates rotten food and denying them basic medical care.) I can see how people supported him very early on though, because the first time this guy got press outside of Arizona it was for pink underwear and chain gangs. I hope that at least some portion of the people who still support him do so in ignorance of all the other stuff. Although I suspect the true believers probably latch onto him because of his anti-immigration stance and ascribe everything else to politically motivated muckraking. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2012, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doj-sues-sheriff-arpaio-for-civil-rights-abuses/621586/58 "2012-05-15T04:27:28Z")
> [@Martin\_Hyde](#): > > I remember thinking people who had problems with either of those things were kind of ridiculous. The pink clothing was reasonably explained as a valid way to stop people who had access to the laundry from smuggling new clothes out to sell on the street (something that apparently was actually happening), making them pink dramatically reduced their value outside of the jail. Additionally, I see no civil rights or humanitarian concerns with making someone wear pink clothes. In Hillsborough County, Florida, the county jail uses orange uniforms. Their advantage is that they stand out and they don’t look like anything else (who do you know who wears orange jumpsuits?), so an escapee who hasn’t had time to get other clothes would be easily spotted, and I never heard of any outside market for them. But, orange is just dorky-looking, it’s not a color calculated to insult or humiliate anyone’s masculinity. ---
**Author:** ![gamerunknown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6bbea6/32.png) [@gamerunknown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gamerunknown)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2012, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doj-sues-sheriff-arpaio-for-civil-rights-abuses/621586/59 "2012-05-15T12:06:18Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > it’s not a color calculated to insult or humiliate anyone’s masculinity. Zimbardo has shown that emasculation leads to deindividuation in a prison population, which pretty much invariably leads to abuse from guards. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2012, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doj-sues-sheriff-arpaio-for-civil-rights-abuses/621586/60 "2012-05-15T18:47:29Z")
> **[Thomas Aubuchon Alexander - Opinion | PDF | Virtue | Government Information](https://www.scribd.com/document/88738575/Thomas-Aubuchon-Alexander-opinion)** > > Scribd is the world's largest social reading and publishing site. Bricker, kindly read this. Take a note of where it says Sheriff Joe ordered various things. Tell us what you think. (The pit thread [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=651579&page=4](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=651579&page=4) has a longer series of quotes, but I’m not going to clone my thoughts here. ) It pretty firmly concluded he used the powers of his office to harrass political and legal rivals. As in, you know, setting judges up to be arrested on completely baseless grounds for bribery. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doj-sues-sheriff-arpaio-for-civil-rights-abuses/621586.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doj-sues-sheriff-arpaio-for-civil-rights-abuses/621586.md?page=4)