Feathered Bastard

New York Times Slams Joe Arpaio's Latest Stunt, Demands Janet Napolitano Rein Him In





The Gray Lady of Journalism boldly ventures where Arizona's paper of record shudders to tread. Today the New York Times, in a scathing editorial, slammed Sheriff Joe Arpaio's medieval 200 Mexican March on Wednesday, and demanded that Homeland Security czar Janet Napolitano, and her boss President Barack Obama, do something about Maricopa County's rogue sheriff, and the 287(g) agreement with ICE that he continues to abrogate.

"The burden of action is particularly high on Ms. Napolitano," notes the unsigned editorial, "who as Arizona's governor handled Sheriff Arpaio with a gingerly caution that looked to some of his critics and victims as calculated and timid."

The editorial observes that Napolitano has recently directed her underlings to look at "ways to expand the 287(g) program." It then notes that "Sheriff Arpaio is a powerful argument for doing just the opposite."

The opinion piece concludes with a graph worthy of the outrage Arpaio's actions have earned:

"Now that she has left Arizona politics behind, Ms. Napolitano is free to prove this is not Arpaio's America, where the mob rules and immigrants are subject to ritual humiliation. The country should expect no less."

Where is similar outrage from the Arizona Republic's scribes? Barely a peep out of them since Arpaio's grotesque spectacle, save for a few lame lines on E.J. Montini's blog.

On the other hand, Channel 12, which like the Rep is also owned by Gannett, has a lot more going on in the moxie department. In fact, last night Channel 12 finally got around to reporting on the arrest of Ciria Lopez-Pacheco in front of her kids by ski-masked MCSO thugs about a month ago. This, after both the New York Times and Huffington Post embedded the video online (not to mention yours truly, who was the first on that story). Hey, better late than never. And at least they reported on it, unlike their print cousins at the Repugnant.

KEEP PHOENIX NEW TIMES FREE... Since we started Phoenix New Times, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Phoenix, and we'd like to keep it that way. With local media under siege, it's more important than ever for us to rally support behind funding our local journalism. You can help by participating in our "I Support" program, allowing us to keep offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food and culture with no paywalls.
Stephen is a former staff writer and columnist at Phoenix New Times.
Contact: Stephen Lemons

Latest Stories