Romney just might be able to triangulate that he is not fundamentalist to allay theocratic worries. Otherwise, he has no problem. Think Romney/Lieberman.
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As a long-time resident of Maricopa County, I have been a fan of Sheriff Joe...most of the time. I've also witnessed times when he has displayed his political, photo-op addiction side. But, hey, you can't argue with results, and I applaud his tough stance. At the same time, I recognize him for what he is...an audience-grabbing politician. I'll probably never completely forgive him for his endorsement of Napolitano for governor.

Isn't he also arresting illegals that his sherrifs catch and handing them over to the Border Patrol?

This was a good pick up for Mitt Romney.

I'll never forget that moment in 1995 when I watched Hillary Clinton stand up in Beijing and declare that "women's rights are human rights." In front of the whole world, Hillary spoke out for every woman who suffered from inequality, injustice, and repression. Every person in the hall knew she was making history. Her act of courage still reverberates through women's lives.

Have you seen the look in the eyes of young women at Hillary's campaign rallies? Can you sense the thrill that comes with knowing their first vote in a presidential election could elect America's first woman president?

Madeleine Not-Too-Bright continues to give me reason to find Hillary wanting: she still believes that a**hats like Madeleine are the people to run with in the post-9/11 age. For that transgression of common sense alone she has disqualified herself as a legitimate Presidential candidate. She's a "September 10th Politician" ignorant of the realities of a September 11th world.

I hate it when my browser tells me I'm in one thread and somehow I end up in another. Sorry, Kim!

I wouldn't be too quick to laud respect on this sheriff. Very little money is put into public defender programs where a person who is innocent and charged with a felony who cannot afford $80,00 for a private criminal defense attorney is often forced to plea to a lesser crime, while the more wealthy who can afford to hire a private attorney are less likely to be convicted or have to plea to a lesser crime.

The sheriff's treatment of the prisoners is based on his assumption that all under his charge are guilty. But many could be actually innocent because of the class justice system that is so biased against poorer defendants in the U.S. Few here would be a fan of this sheriff if they were serving time for a crime that they did not commit, but could not afford to adequately prove their innocence in court because of a lack of money. Public defenders often do little beyond urge their clients to plea guilty to crimes, regardless of whether they are guilty or not.

My brother is serving four years for a crime he swears he did not commit because he did not have the $80,000 required to defend himself from the absurd allegation that he caused a fire at a drug house. The guy who ran this drug house stored many dangerous chemicals, and refused to take responsibility for this careless fire and instead blamed it on someone in the neighborhood who didn't like him.The Duke LaCrosse boys charged with rape had the charges dropped because they could afford a decent attorney, otherwise they could be serving as long as life in prison like many of the poor often do.

My brother oftens gets little more than a cold baloney sandwich to eat, and is hungry much of the time. We put money in an account so he can buy a few potato or corn chips once a month. life will be like this for four years for him. I can't respect a system like this.

Im sure your 'innocent' brother was only in the neighborhood to help the kids with their homework right?

Hey Baggi, making the rounds to sock puppet for the Romney campaign are ya?

You're supposed to disclose your affiliation aren't you?

Sheriff Joe is wasting the taxpayers money in Maricopa County AGAIN.

It sounds great, but if you stop and think about it for a second, you'll realize Joe is turning over Sheriff's Deputies to ICE.

When he does that, crimes in Maricopa County will go unsolved with fewer police to chase the bad guys. And no input from the Federal Gov't.

I live in Maricopa County; I voted for Joe, but this crap makes me mad on a fiscal level.

Gianni. You don't know a thing about this case. A drug dealer ran a meth lab in a rented house which included cooking all sorts of highly flammable chemicals into meth. When he had a drug lab explosion, he sought to avoid a 20 year prison sentence by claiming that a neighbor who didn't like him probably caused the fire. Without a single shred of evidence, my brother was arrested and forced into accepting a plea bargain deal for four years rather than 7 years because my brother could not afford $80,000 for a private criminal attorney.

Drug lab fires and explosions are very common. There was no evidence of arson. The drug dealer was hoping to cut his sentence by blaming someone else for his drug lab explosion. The drug dealer was already under investigation by undercover police, where an arrest was already imminent. There was no good reason to accept this drug dealer's claims that someone else was responsible for his drug lab explosion due the type of explosive chemicals and heating equipment used. But without a good attorney, a innocent person has no chance in the court system, so my brother will be eating cold baloney sandwiches for four years.

In Arizona, not only the guilty, but also the poor who cannot afford to defend themselves in court probably end up guests of Sheriff Joe, who probably draws a huge salary, but only feeds moldy baloney to his prisoners.

My affiliation?

I'm a Christian, Conservative, Republican who is married with four children.

How is that sock puppetry?

And as of right now I support Romney but my mind is not made up. It's possible that I will be swayed by some as of yet unknown candidate. I cannot see myself supporting McCain, or Rudy, or Newt, but there might be someone else that I would like more than Mitt.

But i'm not clear on the sock puppet charge. I don't have my own website, or my own blog, nor am I in the media or in politics. I'm pretty much your average joe schmoe.

Oh, I should add that I would vote for Jeb Bush in a heart beat if he were to run over Mitt Romney. But so far ive heard he doesn't plan to run.

Baggi, my apologies. As I read your comment late last night, I felt it had some indicia of a campaign-affiliated positive spin comment.

Paul,
Are you saying that the public defender would not defend your brother?
I get the feeling you are not telling the whole story.

Paul, I was going to leave you alone after your first post because I feel sorry for your brother (maybe I shouldn't), but this statement is absurd on its face:

"My brother was arrested and forced into accepting a plea bargain deal for four years rather than 7 years because my brother could not afford $80,000 for a private criminal attorney."

It is even more ridiculous in light of the further facts you claim -- that the drug dealer was already under investigation, blah blah blah. It doesn't pass the "ha-ha" test.

Furthermore, forensic arson investigation is extraordinarily accurate, and any "arson" claim would either have forensic proof of be shown to be bogus.

So your story just doesn't sing in tune.

Sorry but last I checked, Arizona was in the United States, where even the poorest defendant is entitled to a defense attorney at the expense of the state -- and there ain't no way he was "forced to plea bargain" against his will without the presence of an attorney. And if his attorney forced him, he oughtta start drafting his "Habe."

What you folks are not considering is that since a public defender works on a slender budget of perhaps $500 a client, there is no budget to hire outside experts like a $80,000 private attorney budget can do.

When the drug peddler was facing 20 years for running a drug lab that stored dangerous and flamable meth chemicals that he was cooking. it only made sense for him to blame a neighbor in order to deflect some blame and get a lighter sentence.

The public defender worked on such a tight budget they warned my brother that pleading guilty to a lesser crime would be the best route. Since my brother had no money for a better trial, accepting four years made more sense than risking seven without good legal representation.

There was no evidence of arson. The drug lab caught fire due to the storage of flamable chemicals and open flame meant for cooking meth ingredients. Blaming my brother for this was complete nonsense on the part of the drug dealer.