When Maricopa County, Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio was fired by his constituents in 2016, the title of “looniest sheriff in America” went to Milwaukee County, Wisconsin’s David Clarke. It wasn’t even a contest. After all, Clarke had been a chest-beating supporter of the thugs who occupied an Oregon wildlife refuge. He’s a full-blown gun nut who wants to put an AR-15 on the Great Seal, thinks Black Lives Matter should sit down and shut up, and thought marriage equality could trigger “a Lexington-Concord moment.”
Clarke was a very early and very loud supporter of Donald Trump. Indeed, on some occasions, it almost seemed as if he was Trump with black skin. He believed “pitchforks and torches” might have been necessary to ensure Trump won, but called for all-out war against Trump’s foes after Trump’s upset victory. He also let it be known that he has no interest in reaching out to Democrats and other Trump foes except to grab them by the throat.
Incredibly, Clarke almost got rewarded for this lunacy. He resigned in August, intending to take a post at the Department of Homeland Security. However, he was forced to content himself with a post at a pro-Trump super PAC because White House Chief of Staff John Kelly didn’t want him in the West Wing.
This weekend, Clarke did a good job of proving why Kelly was wary of him. He spent most of Saturday on a Twitter rant that would do Trump proud.
On Friday, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that the FBI sought a search warrant for Clarke’s personal email account in March, while Clarke was being investigated for violating the civil rights of a passenger who shook his head in disgust when he recognized Clarke on a plane. Clarke actually had his deputies greet the passenger, Daniel Black, with a detachment of search dogs when they arrived in Milwaukee. In May, federal prosecutors in Milwaukee decided against prosecuting Clarke.
The Journal Sentinel made clear that there was no ongoing investigation. But that was lost on Clarke, who blew a gasket early Saturday morning.
Lib media did a drive-by hit job on me today with a FAKE NEWS STORY that I am under investigation by the FBI. It’s a LIE. Last MAY the US Atty’s office found NO EVIDENCE of wrongdoing for doing police work. Lying Lib media took a story from LAST MAY & reports this today as new. pic.twitter.com/ijyWp1IEW5
— David A. Clarke, Jr. (@SheriffClarke) December 30, 2017
One problem–that’s not what the letter actually said. It merely stated that whatever prosecutors may have thought about the “wisdom or propriety of what occurred,” they believed it would be “difficult or impossible” to prove “beyond a reasonable doubt” that Clarke committed a crime.
You would think that Clarke, a four-decade law enforcement veteran–24 years with the Milwaukee Police Department and just under 15 years as sheriff–would know that distinction. Sounds like Clarke is afflicted with the same disease as Roy Moore, a veteran lawyer and judge who thought he could get away with making arguments that would never fly in court.
Any doubt that Clarke was doing this just for the cameras was erased as the day went on. First, after most of his followers woke up, he continued to portray himself as the innocent victim of the big, bad, librul fake news media–and warned that he was going to fight back.
Lib media trying to silence me with FAKE NEWS reports of an FBI investigation because I have been wearing them out in messaging. It won't work. I am not under any investigation. I will increase the hammering of them because they are scum buckets. The truth always wins in the end. pic.twitter.com/yxJqPIgEXU
— David A. Clarke, Jr. (@SheriffClarke) December 30, 2017
Just in case he didn’t make himself clear, Clarke drove the point home further that afternoon.
I am UNINTIMIDATED by lib media attempts to smear and discredit me with their FAKE NEWS reports designed to silence me. I will continue to poke them in the eye with a sharp stick and bitch slap these scum bags til they get it. I have been attacked by better people than them #MAGA pic.twitter.com/XtZW5PdU2b
— David A. Clarke, Jr. (@SheriffClarke) December 30, 2017
Clarke claimed that he was only being smeared as part of an effort to silence him. But he warned the media that he intended to “poke them in the eye with a sharp stick and bitch slap these scum bags.” He harrumphed that he’d been targeted by “better people than them.”
But hours later, he crossed the line from mere alternative facting to unhinged behavior.
https://twitter.com/SheriffClarke/status/947225820493426688
In a page straight out of Trump’s playbook, Clarke tweeted a GIF of a wrestler kicking another wrestler with the CNN logo imposed on his face–while being held by Trump. No doubt Clarke drew inspiration from Trump retweeting a violent GIF showing CNN as a blood splatter on his wingtip.
At least one user reported this to Twitter–and Twitter somehow concluded it wasn’t a violation. When Clarke got a message from Twitter notifying him that he’d been cleared, he took a victory lap.
https://twitter.com/SheriffClarke/status/947301501130637312
Maybe it’s not a violation, David. But it does prove that Kelly was right–you had no business in the West Wing. And for that matter, it proves that you are not fit for any office whatsoever.
(featured image courtesy Clarke’s Twitter)
