Knifefight Afterdance
2011-01-11 14:04:59 UTC
By Jana Winter
Associated Press
Just hours after Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, an Arizona Democrat, was shot
in the head by a crazed gunman, Pima County Sheriff Clarence W. Dupnik
addressing the media for the first time made headlines for saying
that vitriolic political rhetoric heard on the radio and TV caused
Jared Loughner to go on a bloody killing spree that left six dead and
14 wounded.
"When the rhetoric about hatred, about mistrust of government, about
paranoia of how government operates, and to try to inflame the public
on a daily basis, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, it has impact on
people especially who are unbalanced personalities," Dupnik said
Saturday night.
The sheriff, a Democrat who has served as the county's top cop for 31
years, angered many with the remarks including some of his friends,
who felt his editorializing had no part in a news conference, typically
reserved for impersonal facts and details.
Sheriff Larry Dever of Arizona's Cochise County, which borders
Dupnik's, says he considers Dupnik a close friend and mentor but can't
understand what drove his latest comments.
But Dever added that he knows that Dupnik is very angry about the
shootings and was close friends with the federal judge killed and with
Giffords.
Rep. Trent Franks, (R-Ariz) said: "Im especially disappointed in the
sheriff because we were looking to him for straight facts and he
politicized this. I dont want to be unkind but I was disappointed."
"The sheriff is supposed to investigate, not pontificate," Brad
Blakeman, former assistant to President George W. Bush told Fox News on
Monday. "This guy should be fired."
But this isn't the first time Dupnik has offered his brazen opinion on
controversial topics, such as Arizona's controversial immigration law,
the Tea Party and campaign finance.
He called Arizona's immigration law "racist," "disgusting" and "just
a stupid law" in an interview with Tucson's KGUN9-TV on Apr. 27, 2010.
In May 2010, Dupnik wrote in an opinion piece in the Wall Street
Journal about SB1070 calling it unconstitutional: "I have argued from
the moment that this bill was signed that it is unnecessary, that it is
a travesty, and most significantly, that it is unconstitutional.
On the Tea Party, according to the Arizona Star newspaper, he said at
a local immigration forum in September: "I think it brings out the
worst in America. Instead of sitting down and getting both parties to
work together, they are part of a movement designed to stop Obama from
accomplishing anything.
On gun laws, at a press conference following the mass shooting:
"Well, I think we're the Tombstone of the United States of America," he
said, adding, "I have never been a proponent of letting everybody in
this state carry weapons under any circumstances that they want, and
that's almost where we are."
On Jan 9, 2010, Dupnik said of campaign finance reform to Fox News's
Megyn Kelly: "When millions of dollars are filtered into this country
to buy very vitriolic ads and they don't have to be identified to the
people that are donating money to them, I think we need to take a look
at it."
Critics say the sheriff needs to be the protector of the people, not a
source of instigation and divisiveness.
Sheriff Paul Babeu of Pinal County, Ariz., told Fox News that Dupnik's
comments only helped to fuel unsubstantiated rumors that were rampant
in the hours after the shooting, including that the shooting suspect
had served in Afghanistan and was a member of the Tea Party.
All of these have been debunked," Babeu said. "I wish that everybody
would take a moment and try to calm this down and that's our job. It's
not to insert our opinion but find out the facts and what's truly
happened.
Dupnik himself later conceded on Fox News that his blaming vitriol was
his opinion, not fact. And despite his critics he isn't backing down
from his statements.
"I think differences of opinion is what makes the world go round and
round but it's irresponsible for us not a some point to address this
kind of behavior and try to put a stop to it," Dupnik told Fox News'
Kelly.
But others say the sheriff should just stick to his job.
To ascribe political motives and then launch a political assault
naming elected leaders in America and saying this is connected when
there is no basis in fact does nothing to help at a time when people's
hearts are broken and really trying to assess what happened here,"
Babeu said.
"And you and all Americans look to law enforcement to find out the
facts of truly what happened and not to give an opinion. But the
sheriff is an elected sheriff."
Associated Press
Just hours after Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, an Arizona Democrat, was shot
in the head by a crazed gunman, Pima County Sheriff Clarence W. Dupnik
addressing the media for the first time made headlines for saying
that vitriolic political rhetoric heard on the radio and TV caused
Jared Loughner to go on a bloody killing spree that left six dead and
14 wounded.
"When the rhetoric about hatred, about mistrust of government, about
paranoia of how government operates, and to try to inflame the public
on a daily basis, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, it has impact on
people especially who are unbalanced personalities," Dupnik said
Saturday night.
The sheriff, a Democrat who has served as the county's top cop for 31
years, angered many with the remarks including some of his friends,
who felt his editorializing had no part in a news conference, typically
reserved for impersonal facts and details.
Sheriff Larry Dever of Arizona's Cochise County, which borders
Dupnik's, says he considers Dupnik a close friend and mentor but can't
understand what drove his latest comments.
But Dever added that he knows that Dupnik is very angry about the
shootings and was close friends with the federal judge killed and with
Giffords.
Rep. Trent Franks, (R-Ariz) said: "Im especially disappointed in the
sheriff because we were looking to him for straight facts and he
politicized this. I dont want to be unkind but I was disappointed."
"The sheriff is supposed to investigate, not pontificate," Brad
Blakeman, former assistant to President George W. Bush told Fox News on
Monday. "This guy should be fired."
But this isn't the first time Dupnik has offered his brazen opinion on
controversial topics, such as Arizona's controversial immigration law,
the Tea Party and campaign finance.
He called Arizona's immigration law "racist," "disgusting" and "just
a stupid law" in an interview with Tucson's KGUN9-TV on Apr. 27, 2010.
In May 2010, Dupnik wrote in an opinion piece in the Wall Street
Journal about SB1070 calling it unconstitutional: "I have argued from
the moment that this bill was signed that it is unnecessary, that it is
a travesty, and most significantly, that it is unconstitutional.
On the Tea Party, according to the Arizona Star newspaper, he said at
a local immigration forum in September: "I think it brings out the
worst in America. Instead of sitting down and getting both parties to
work together, they are part of a movement designed to stop Obama from
accomplishing anything.
On gun laws, at a press conference following the mass shooting:
"Well, I think we're the Tombstone of the United States of America," he
said, adding, "I have never been a proponent of letting everybody in
this state carry weapons under any circumstances that they want, and
that's almost where we are."
On Jan 9, 2010, Dupnik said of campaign finance reform to Fox News's
Megyn Kelly: "When millions of dollars are filtered into this country
to buy very vitriolic ads and they don't have to be identified to the
people that are donating money to them, I think we need to take a look
at it."
Critics say the sheriff needs to be the protector of the people, not a
source of instigation and divisiveness.
Sheriff Paul Babeu of Pinal County, Ariz., told Fox News that Dupnik's
comments only helped to fuel unsubstantiated rumors that were rampant
in the hours after the shooting, including that the shooting suspect
had served in Afghanistan and was a member of the Tea Party.
All of these have been debunked," Babeu said. "I wish that everybody
would take a moment and try to calm this down and that's our job. It's
not to insert our opinion but find out the facts and what's truly
happened.
Dupnik himself later conceded on Fox News that his blaming vitriol was
his opinion, not fact. And despite his critics he isn't backing down
from his statements.
"I think differences of opinion is what makes the world go round and
round but it's irresponsible for us not a some point to address this
kind of behavior and try to put a stop to it," Dupnik told Fox News'
Kelly.
But others say the sheriff should just stick to his job.
To ascribe political motives and then launch a political assault
naming elected leaders in America and saying this is connected when
there is no basis in fact does nothing to help at a time when people's
hearts are broken and really trying to assess what happened here,"
Babeu said.
"And you and all Americans look to law enforcement to find out the
facts of truly what happened and not to give an opinion. But the
sheriff is an elected sheriff."