If Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio hosted a fundraiser for everyone who doesn't like him, doesn't respect him, doesn't think he's "playing with a full deck," and compares him to Mayberry's bumbling lawman Barney Fife, he'd have no time for things like inmate coloring contests, or Elvis-themed panty parties at his jails.
So, it's a good thing he's only hosting a fundraiser for one person who can't stand him -- and that person is former Congressman Matt Salmon, who happens to be running for Congress...again.
Next Wednesday, for the bargain price of $250, you could spend an evening with America's self-proclaimed "toughest sheriff," and some of his far-right-wing GOP cohorts as Arpaio attempts to raise money for Salmon -- again, a guy who is on the record talking about how incompetent he thinks Arpaio is.
Get the details on the fundraiser here.
You may recall last month, after Arpaio endorsed Salmon, we dredged up some old interviews Salmon gave to various media outlets, including New Times. The topic: Joe Arpaio.
In a May 2003 article in the East Valley Tribune, when asked about Arpaio, Salmon told the paper "do I care for Arpaio? Do I like him? No."
He goes on to compare the sheriff to Mayberry's inept top sheriff's deputy, Barney Fife.
While Arpaio may have high poll numbers, his support is not deep and people are growing weary of his antics, Salmon said. He cited the millions of dollars the county has paid in lawsuits against the sheriff's office, as well as Arpaio's well-publicized acquisition of an armored personnel carrier complete with a .50-caliber machine gun for the department.
"It almost looks like Barney Fife after a while," Salmon said of Arpaio's tenure. "It's like drilling on people's teeth without Novocaine. It just hits a raw nerve."
Salmon made similar remarks about the powerful sheriff in a 2005 interview with New Times.
In 2005, when asked about Arpaio, Salmon told New Times "I don't respect him. I don't think he's playing with a full deck."
So, as of 2005, Salmon's feelings towards Arpaio are as follows:
-He doesn't like him.
-He doesn't respect him.
-He doesn't think he's playing with a "full deck."
-He compares him to Barney Fife.
Yet, now that he's running for Congress and could use the endorsement
of a political heavyweight known for his tough stance on Arizona's issue
du-jour, illegal immigration, Salmon's lovin' him some Joe.
In a press release announcing that Arpaio is endorsing his campaign, Salmon says the following:
Sheriff Joe Arpaio has been a tireless advocate for the safety of Maricopa County citizens for almost two decades. He understands how important it is to protect our national borders against illegal immigration and he knows I will make that a top priority in Washington. I am grateful for his confidence in my ability to represent the best interests of our communities.
We've sent Salmon's staff multiple emails asking for an explanation of the switcheroo. We've been ignored each time.
If you'd also like an explanation as to why a Congressional candidate, who once said he had no respect for Joe Arpaio, would now refer to the sheriff as a "tireless advocate for the safety of Maricopa County citizens for almost two decades" now that he's running for Congress, email Salmon's campaign spokesman Adam Deguire at [email protected].