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Billboard currently on display near the Oracle Post Office.
The other morning an ad for Paul Babeu for Congress appeared on the television. I nearly choked on my coffee when I heard the words that Babeu “puts people before politics.” Ever since Babeu became Sheriff in 2008 it has been nothing but his political career and his right wing anti-immigrant agenda that he has been concerned with. In 2010 Babeu appeared in the political ad for Senator John McCain which showed them walking on the border and McCain saying “complete the dang fence.” This put Babeu in the national spotlight and he became one of Fox News’ darlings. He also became a public advocate for Arizona’s “show me your papers law,” SB 1070.
During this period he appeared on a white nationalist radio talk show “The Political Cesspool” even calling its co-host Eddie Miller a “great American.” After local newspapers picked up the story his public information officer Tim Gaffney attempted to minimize the damage by claiming Babeu was unaware of the radio station’s ideology. Eddie Miller said that was a lie and that Babeu had even been warned that the left wing media would attack him for his appearance on the show. Gaffney also said: “Sheriff Babeu has asked repeatedly that groups with these types of beliefs have no association with the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office.” If only Babeu practiced what he preached. He continues to be involved with questionable organizations and individuals that can be considered hate groups, white nationalist or even racist.
Shortly after this, a small billboard in Oracle appeared and drew some attention away from the issue. The billboard displayed a photo of a Latino family with the words, “This is our most serious public safety issue and a national security threat to America.” The quote was attributed to Sheriff Paul Babeu. Babeu’s spin doctor Tim Gaffney denied that Babeu had anything to do with the billboard and the message was taken out of context.
Babeu used the media attention to take a swing at President Barack Obama saying: “This billboard represents the same misleading and misguided message that President Obama made when he gave the example of how law enforcement would target a father walking down the street eating ice cream with his daughter if SB 1070 passed.” How ironic that four years later Babeu and the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office were successfully sued by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in a Federal lawsuit involving racial profiling. It was the first federal lawsuit to challenge SB 1070. Joe Arpaio and the Maricopa Sheriff’s Office have also been found guilty of racial profiling.
In 2014 the town of Oracle was placed in the national spotlight thanks to Babeu instigating and manipulating the protest against Central American immigrant children coming to the nearby Sycamore Canyon Academy. The protest was organized by a few locals with the assistance of Tea Party factions and ALIPAC. The local organizers included at least one member of a border militia group.
At the protest there were local residents, Joe Arpaio supporters and the Arizona Militia protecting Mr. Hate Monger himself, Russell Pearce. A counter protest group was formed to welcome the children and to show the public that Oracle had a heart and was not all about hate and fear. Babeu tried to portray himself as the peacekeeper and made the rounds of the television news people. The media did not buy it and Babeu found himself trying to defend his actions. I believe on that day, people finally realized what Babeu is all about. He is a narcissistic media hound working overtime who will stop at nothing to obtain more power and promote his agenda. His popularity in Pinal County has waned as evidenced by the recent primary losses of his chosen replacement for Sheriff, Steve Henry and his former running partner Lando Voyles.
Some of the media as well as the Democratic Party and its Congressional District 1 candidate Tom O’Halleran have started to hammer him on his ties to the DeSisto School in Massachusetts now that it comes out that he knew about the abusive practices and condoned it. He had lied about having knowledge of the abuse back in 2012 when the story first broke.
He also continues to align himself with alternative right wing groups. Using either taxpayers’ money or RICO funds, he has attended events sponsored by the anti-immigrant group Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR). FAIR has been designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Babeu also used $10,000 of RICO funds to host training in Pinal County with the controversial former disgraced FBI agent John Guandolo. Guandolo is a conspiracy nut who believes that CIA Director John Brennan is a secret Muslim and that our government has been infiltrated by members of the Muslim Brotherhood. He has also said that Muslims have no first amendment rights.
The FBI is looking into Babeu’s misuse of RICO funds including possibly using funds for campaign purposes. One other issue is the Arizona Public Safety Foundation that is tied to Babeu and has received hundreds of thousands of dollars of RICO funds. The Foundation is a non-profit that is believed by some to be a “slush” fund designed to allow Babeu and the Sheriff’s Department to avoid county procurement rules and oversight. The Board of Directors for the fund includes Pinal County Sheriff’s Department staff or people closely associated with the Sheriff or department.
The ACLU has also filed a lawsuit about how the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office has used the RICO laws to seize property from citizens even though they have not been found guilty of any crimes. RICO funds were originally designed to combat organized crime. Now the RICO property seizure laws are being used against ordinary citizens.
It is clear to me that something has gone wrong in the Pinal County Sheriff’s and County Attorney’s offices. This is what happens when you vote in a law and order team. Time to make sure Babeu does not get to Congress.
Author’s Note:
I have been given the opportunity to express my opinion and viewpoints on politics, national, state, and local issues as well as life in general. I hope to inform you as well as entertain you, make you smile or make you mad. I will use humor, sarcasm and occasionally anger to express my views. My intention is to hold politicians accountable sometimes bringing some heat on them and if my views make you angry or hot, remember that like my humor, it is a dry heat. These opinions are entirely my own and do not reflect the views of Copper Area News Publishers.
John Hernandez lives in Oracle. He is retired and enjoys writing and traveling. He is active in the Oracle Historical Society. He covers numerous public events, researches historical features and writes business/artist profiles.
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