Here in Maricopa County, we all know the name Joe Arpaio. The former sheriff is now, of course, running for the Senate and ended his more than 20-year run in law enforcement by being convicted of ignoring a judge’s order to stop his notorious immigration raids in Latino neighborhoods here in Phoenix.
We know that Arpaio is an idol to many in the conservative world, including those who call themselves constitutional sheriffs. They believe that the sheriff, in any county, is the one who holds the final say on a law’s constitutionality.
Basically, to these folks, the sheriff is a one-man justice system.
Ashley Powers dives into the world of constitutional sheriffs in a new piece in The New Yorker, and finds Arpaio’s conviction and following pardon by President Trump only bolstered those followers.
The Show spoke with her about the piece. She started by telling us about the history American sheriffs and how it’s still reflected in how the nation’s 3,000 sheriffs operate.
