Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu says he hasn't had a chance to read the U.S. Department of Justice's report on Joe Arpaio's committing some of the worst acts of racial profiling in U.S. history, but that isn't stopping him from chiming in and bashing the feds.
Somehow, Babeu's using Arpaio's bad day as an excuse to continue to crow about "Operation Fast and Furious," the DOJ's botched gun-running sting.
According to Babeu, he's suspicious of the timing of the release of the DOJ's findings because it happens to fall on the one-year anniversary of the death of U.S. Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry, who was killed a year ago today by weapons federal authorities let "walk" as part of "Fast and Furious."
See Babeu's comments below -- and keep in mind, Babeu and America's self-proclaimed "toughest sheriff" are homboys. He's also likely running for Congress -- do the math.
"I have little faith and trust in the U.S. Department of Justice after the actions, subsequent cover up and failure to accept responsibility regarding Operation Fast and Furious. The fact they chose today to release their findings was only done to take the attention away from themselves. Today marks the one year anniversary since the murder of U.S. Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry.
Last evening, the Terry family announced they are demanding that government officials accept responsibility and arrest and prosecute all of the individuals involved with Brian's murder. U.S. Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry was gunned down in a shootout with Mexican smugglers
in Southern Arizona. The gun, which killed Agent Terry, was later tied to the failed Operation Fast and Furious. The U.S. Department of Justice had allowed 2,000 guns including assault weapons and 50 caliber rifles to be purchased on U.S. soil and then turned over to the drug
cartels of Mexico during this fundamentally flawed operation.
The U.S. Department of Justice and Eric Holder have concealed information from Congress and the American people about this operation. Eric Holder and the Department of Justice have already been heavily criticized during Congressional hearings to determine the facts surrounding this operation because of their unwillingness to provide information. Yet, within 12 hours of the Terry family has announcing they want justice against all of those responsible for Operation Fast and Furious, the U.S. Department of Justice decides to release their findings from a 3 ½ year old investigation on MCSO? The timing of the release of the MCSO investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice was only done today in an attempt to take away the negative attention from their responsibilities for Brian's murder and the murders of hundreds of people in Mexico.
Brian Terry swore an oath to protect and defend our Constitution and protect America. Members in law enforcement will continue to stand with the Terry family and press our government for justice as we will not allow Brian's death to be in vain."
Read the complete coverage:Can Arpaio's "Culture of Bias" Be Fixed? DOJ Plan Involves
Training and New Policies
Feathered Bastard: Joe Arpaio Hammered by Politicians, Activists Praising DOJ Report
See our past coverage of the DOJ investigation of Arpaio.Read the full DOJ letter on the Arpaio investigation.
