Sheriff David Clarke has announced that he’s accepting a position as assistant secretary for Homeland Security. Placing Clarke in any position of authority is terrifying. Prisoners keep dying in his custody, with at least four deaths recorded in Clarke’s Milwaukee County jail.
He’s under investigation over the death of one prisoner who was denied water for seven days. He’s also being sued over the death of a baby born in one of his jails.
Clark has a long history of political extremism. He has written that Black Lives Matter is “the enemy” and comparable to ISIS. Clarke has also embraced the far-right conspiracy theories about the unsolved murder of DNC staffer Seth Rich:
I admit I do not know all the facts here but as a former homicide detective, was he killed because he knew too much? https://t.co/Khymi6HoU5
— David A. Clarke, Jr. (@SheriffClarke) March 23, 2017
As Dara Lind of Vox notes, the Trump administration is full of people who talk about law and order but have no respect for the rule of law. Clarke more than anyone embodies this trait. Putting him in a senior position is a deeply dangerous move, further evidence of an administration spiralling out of control.