Arizona sheriff shrugs off latest death threat

[Jason]

Arizona sheriff shrugs off latest death threat - CNN.com



(CNN) -- Maricopa County, Arizona, Sheriff Joe Arpaio said Tuesday he shrugged off reports of a $1 million bounty on his head by Mexican drug cartels, saying this is not the first -- nor the largest.
Arpaio, who calls himself "America's toughest sheriff," told CNN he had a $5 million bounty on his head when he worked for the Drug Enforcement Administration in Mexico.
"It's nothing new," Arpaio said on CNN's "American Morning." "It's part of my job. They keep coming after me."
Maricopa County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Lisa Allen said Monday that authorities are investigating the threat, which came in the form of a text message from a throwaway cell phone in Mexico.
Allen said that the message was sent to a "text message tree," similar to a phone tree. The message offered $1 million to anyone who could kill Arpaio. She said investigators "don't know how likely it is" they will be able to track down the sender.
It was not clear how the threat came to light.
Allen said the FBI is assisting in the probe, but FBI special agent Manuel Johnson, a spokesman for the bureau's Phoenix office, said the agency is aware of the reported threat but he knows of no federal investigation. Johnson said the bureau would help if Arpaio's office requested assistance.
Arpaio is well-known for creating a tent city jail in the Arizona desert, providing pink underwear for inmates and bragging that he spends more to feed his dog than a prisoner in his jail. He made national headlines for his tough enforcement of Arizona's anti-illegal immigration laws and for his outspoken support for a new state immigration law, parts of which were blocked by a federal judge last week.
His critics say he has a long history of abusing his power and launching bogus criminal investigations against political opponents. Those critics note that while the probes were launched with great public fanfare, they rarely resulted in convictions.
A federal grand jury is probing the complaints, but Arpaio's allies have defended the investigations as necessary. The 78-year-old sheriff, who has been the chief law enforcement officer for the county that includes Phoenix and many of its suburbs since 1992, would not discuss the issue with CNN in a July interview, citing the federal probe.
Arpaio was elected Maricopa County sheriff in 1992 and has been re-elected every four years since. He served for 32 years in federal law enforcement before then, ultimately becoming head of the DEA's Arizona office.
Speaking Tuesday on "American Morning," Arpaio said the latest threats come with the job.
"It's part of my work," he said. "I do my job. Nothing changes."

[R13]

I don't condone any death threat, but I wouldn't mind if someone beat the hell out of this redneck.

[Jason]

I don't condone any death threat, but I wouldn't mind if someone beat the hell out of this redneck.

Maybe you should collect on it.

[R13]

I definitely am not afraid of this old man, I'd break his hip!

[steer]

I don't condone any death threat, but I wouldn't mind if someone beat the hell out of this redneck.

We need more rednecks like this.

[R13]

Rednecks who are being investigated by the FBI and Justice Dept., who has cost his area 43 million in lawsuits? Yeah, exactly what the world needs more of, a power-hungry racist redneck.

[steer]

People never like people who stand for what they believe.. it's an old man, who's been around and seen it all.. he's hardcore, and he'll never change.. more power to him. Send the illegals back, lay the law on the drug pushers...

[R13]

I'm sure that's it, just because he stands up for what he believes. Or it could be the numerous prisoners that have died in custody, racial profiling of hispanics, his obsession with illegals that he ignores other cases - like 3 seperate cases of the raping of a 13, 14 and 15 year olds that the cases were closed before any investigation(a month before the DNA evidence came back) and using his power to take down his opponents. He's a corrupt, racist moron that like I said, is being investigated by the FBI and Dept. of Justice...hopefully he'll end up in prison, where he'll find out what hardcore really is and we'll see if he still "stands up" when he's in there with latino gangs.

[starbuck]

someone is going to have to stand up against the illegal immigration of this country. seems the office of the President doesn't want to to it, no matter who or which party is in office.

[R13]

I think it's the most overblown issue out there, most come here and work hard in jobs that we aren't lining up for and keep to their self.