You probably aren’t surprised to hear that rural west Texas is a conservative kind of place. The area is solidly Republican, and consistently votes that way. And in Edwards County, Texas, the sheriff in town wants to keep it that way – by any means necessary.
Pamela Elliott was elected to the position in 2012, and since then has made the county a place of intimidation and paranoia for those who oppose her points of view, especially Democrats and Latinos. Elliott is a member of the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association, a group that urges elected officials to disobey laws they believe are unconstitutional, like gay marriage. She also has ties to a local militia.
For someone who claims to be a law enforcement officer charged with keeping the peace, Elliott seems to be more interested in keeping the residents of Edwards County in perpetual fear. One man, who refused to give his name due to worries of retribution, commented that:
“I’ve been told to install a camera in my vehicle just in case something happens. People here, officials included, are very wary of the sheriff.”
But nothing says more about Elliott’s stranglehold over the county quite like what happened in August, 2014. The Edwards County Democratic Party convened in the home of Rachel Gallegos. When Gallegos came home for that meeting, she saw something incredibly disturbing.
Her driveway was blocked. Cars were everywhere. People were milling around, including members of the Sheriff’s Department, some in uniform, others in plain clothes. And standing across the street, watching it all, was Elliott.
After the meeting started, Elliott knocked on Gallegos’ door. She demanded to be let in under an obscure Texas law, which, according to the Texas Attorney General’s office, was not legal.
Outside, the people were getting angry. An observer, afraid for her safety and the safety of those at the meeting, decided to do something about it. She submitted a complaint to the attorney general, the secretary of state and the district attorney that she:
“…was shocked that [Elliott] was in uniform but wasn’t doing anything to control the crowd, keep the peace, or protect them or us. She seemed to be encouraging the mob. I wanted to call someone, but I had no idea who I should call if the head of our law enforcement is part of the problem.”
Gallegos believes that Elliott’s motives were to intimidate Democratic voters in an upcoming race for a judge’s position in the county. The Republican candidate was a friend and supporter of the sheriff, and the Democrat he was running against was expected to do well. The Republican ended up winning the election.
In the vast expanse of west Texas, the number of square miles in a county often is close to number of residents that live there. Because of that, these cases don’t get a lot of media or national attention. But whether you live in a big city or a small town, it is inappropriate for law enforcement officials to abuse their power and threaten their citizens, even if you disagree with them.
Here’s hoping state officials will finally stand up and take notice.
If you can stomach some of Elliot’s rantings, here’s a video of her speaking about her “duties” as sheriff.
Feature imagine via Edwards County Sheriff’s Office
