U.S. Justice Department attorneys met today with Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County, Arizona, as they look into allegations of civil rights violations in his department’s treatment of illegal aliens. So far, the discussion remains confidential, but insiders say the attorneys are going over what files were already provided to the DoJ and what files need to be provided.

Justice Department investigators say that they gave the sheriff’s lawyers over a week to turn over documents and cooperate with their inquiry.

Attorney General Eric Holder is continuing his more than one year investigation into whether Arpaio’s policies and law enforcement sweeps discriminate against illegal aliens.

The popular Arpaio, who is called “America’s toughest sheriff” by millions of supporters across the nation is known for his opposition to criminal aliens who are committing crimes in his jurisdiction.

His supporters — many who work in law enforcement – say the Justice Department’s civil rights probe and its separate criminal investigation are politically motivated.

“This is an empty-suit attorney general [Eric Holder] wasting taxpayers’ money on an investigation of a law enforcement chief who cares more than Obama’s minions about the safety and security of Americans. This is a federal government that’s out of control,” says a former police commander now an owner of a New York City security firm.

Meanwhile, Arpaio’s lawyers reject claims that he is uncooperative. The attorneys contend the Justice Department may not require documents simply to see if they can find something to support their suspicions of discrimination.

According to Fox News homeland security correspondent Catherine Herridge, Sheriff Arpaio has been open and transparent about his department’s operations including its jail policies and procedures. He appears regularly on news programs and openly explains his department’s activities to reporters, said former police detective Mike Snopes.

Recently, in an effort to bypass the new media’s “liberal filter,” a mass mailing from the man known as “America’s Sheriff” circulated on the Internet to give Americans the unadulterated opinions of the lawman’s lawman.

While the pleas from American citizens in Arizona and other states fell on deaf ears in Washington, DC, the violence and crime at the U.S.-Mexico border continues unabated. And instead of offering support for Arizona’s initiatives to combat criminal aliens and their violence, the Obama Justice Department and Democrats in his own state decided to target  Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio because of his tough immigration enforcement policy.

When the legal director of an influential national group La Raza — The Race – that represents day laborers called Arizona’s immigration law an “unconstitutional, unwise and odious bill”  created by “demagogue leaders” who have become folk heroes for “white supremacists” throughout the country, many within the elite media appeared to choose Arizona law enforcement to vilify.

“I cannot compete with the local and national media machines that distort my record and the job I’m doing to protect this country.  And, I don’t have the personal resources to defend myself from these vicious attacks,” said Arpaio.

“You… probably saw that a federal judge blocked the toughest parts of law before it was set to be enacted on July 29th. I still support this law 100%.  Even before this law was passed and the judge blocked parts of it, I was the only law enforcement official in this state enforcing all the laws that our federal and state legislatures put in place to combat illegal immigration and human smuggling,” said the popular law enforcement official.

“Because I have taken the lead over the years by enforcing existing state and federal laws against illegal immigration, I have become the target of attack by radical, left-wing, open-borders extremists,” said Arpaio.

When asked about the people coming to Arizona to oppose immigration law enforcement — commonly referred to as “carpetbaggers,” Arpaio said, “I’ve been sued, picketed, burned in effigy and even had the Reverend Al Sharpton come to Phoenix – TWICE! – to march on my headquarters.  Some have even gone so far as to call for my assassination!  Now, the Mexican Drug Cartels have issued a “hit” on me.”

“One of the local newspapers printed a political cartoon of me and our Governor wearing Nazi uniforms and performing the Nazi salute,” he laughed, showing he gives little credence to the neo-Stalinist tactics of the far-left.

“What these extremists really want is a Sheriff who will look the other way, be silent and allow the charade to continue, while ignoring the laws of our land. That, I promise, will never happen,” said Arpaio.

“I won’t back down.  I won’t surrender to politicians, thugs or drug dealers!”

Guest columns do not necessarily reflect the views of Accuracy in Media or its staff.

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About the author

Jim Kouri CPP
FSM Contributing Editor Jim Kouri, CPP is currently fifth vice-president of the National Association of Chiefs of Police and he's a staff writer for the New Media Alliance (thenma.org). Kouri's website is located at http://jimkouri.us