I don't want to get my hopes up, but do you think the mainstream media's finally beginning to "get it" when it comes to our corrupt top constable, Sheriff Joe Arpaio?
CNN didn't exactly lead last night with the above piece on the federal grand jury inquiry into Arpaio, his former fellow Sith Lord Andrew "Where Am I Hiding?" Thomas, and their war on county leaders, bean counters, judges and anyone else who's questioned their mutual insanity.
Still, CNN correspondent Drew Griffin got an ear-load from Maricopa County Supervisors Mary Rose Wilcox and Don Stapley, from Stapley's mouthpiece Paul Charlton, and from Maricopa County Budget Director Sandi Wilson.
It was all stuff we here in Sand Land know plenty about, but news to much of the civilized world. You can almost see the light bulb go on atop Griffin's noggin at one point: You mean Mr. Tough-on-Crime Shurf might be a crook? Shazam!
The best part of Griffin's piece is when he hoofs it over to the 19th Floor of Wells Fargo Tower, where Arpaio's command staff hides out when they're not investigating enemies, only to find that Joe's a no-show. Instead, Arpaio sends forth such tried-and-true MCSO flunkies as spin queen Lisa Allen and interim Chief Deputy Jerry Sheridan, with bookkeeper Loretta Barkell along for the ride.
Griffin wonders where the so-called "Toughest Sheriff in America" is, and Allen assures Griffin that Arpaio would've shown up, but his attorney advised him that it wasn't such a swell idea.
That's interesting, since Arpaio had no problem bloviating about these same questionable "investigations" during his own press conferences. So now he hears his momma callin'?
Then Jerry Sheridan sticks his foot in it when Griffin asks if the sheriff has abused his power and used his underlings to investigate political opponents.
"Absolutely not," Sheridan replies.
So, er, were you in on these bogus investigations?
"No, I was not," says Sheridan.
Okay, um, how would you know?
"I've been here for 32 years," Sheridan told Griffin, as if that were something to be proud of. "I know the inner workings of this office. The sheriff was not involved in any of those mischievous things he's been accused of."
If Sheridan knows the "inner workings of this office" then he best be practicing his recitation of his 5th Amendment right against self-incrimination. Ditto for Allen and all the rest. They've been there too long and know where too many bodies are buried.
Weirdly, there's no mention of the Munnell memo in the segment, but that can of centipedes probably would've taken up the entire show, and Anderson Cooper was real busy talking to that politician in Ohio who likes to dress up like a Nazi.
Hey, you can't have everything. But I'm guessing the 19th floor is a little worried about the CNN piece. See, the neuroscientists up there just issued one of their standard diversionary press releases on Arpaio's latest anti-immigrant stunt, where the MCSO arrested some poor schmucks working at a meat-packing plant.
Wow, Joe, what's up? Running out of car wash joints? Or are you saving some of them for when you're indicted?