FLORENCE — Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu has been on the job less than two years, but he's already emerging as a leading border security hawk and a rising star in the Republican Party.
Arizona's controversial crackdown on illegal immigration has created an insatiable appetite for pundits to banter over illegal immigration, and Babeu has helped fill the void. The shiny-headed, 41-year-old sheriff has appeared on cable news shows at least nine times since Gov. Jan Brewer signed the measure April 23.
Babeu's an unlikely authority on illegal immigration — a "border sheriff" whose territory lies dozens of miles from the border; a lawman with a decades-old political career that began as an 18-year-old city councilman in New England.
But he's carved a niche as a prolific critic of the federal government.
"Literally the president has shirked his responsibility," he said. "I'm letting everybody who will care to listen know what is going on here."
With a penchant for publicity and a dogged focus on combating illegal immigration, it's easy to compare Babeu to Joe Arpaio, the Maricopa County sheriff known nationally for his tough immigration enforcement and locally for his battles with political rivals.
Babeu says he respects Arpaio but rejects suggestions that he's the next "Sheriff Joe." Their styles are very different, he says.
"Sheriff Paul" — as he's known on his campaign materials — had just a few years of experience in law enforcement when he ousted an incumbent sheriff in 2008 and took over as chief of the 700-person department responsible for law enforcement and the county jail. Two decades earlier he was the youngest councilman ever elected in North Adams, Mass., and he went on to fail in two bids for mayor there.
So he followed his parents west and signed up to be a cop in suburban Chandler, outside Phoenix, and was later elected by his fellow officers to lead the police union.
The affable cop smiles easily and often, even when he's just finished a biting attack on the federal government. He was the first Republican in memory to win countywide in Pinal, and he quickly raised the profile of his agency by joining the circuit of vocal Arizona border hawks.
Four months after taking office, in May 2009, Babeu teamed with immigration hard-liners including Arpaio and state Sen. Russell Pearce in a legislative hearing calling for local police to get more involved in immigration enforcement. The hearing was a precursor to Arizona's immigration law that, a year later, would give Babeu a megaphone to build a national profile.
He grabbed the attention of conservatives when he asked last month for donations to buy new semiautomatic rifles. "My deputies are outgunned and we are outmanned" by Mexican drug cartels, he said.
Critics, including the chair of the county Board of Supervisors, wondered why he didn't just ask the supervisors to buy the new weapons. Babeu said the crisis was so imminent he didn't have time to deal with government procurement rules.
As sheriff, Babeu oversees 218 sworn police officers who patrol an area larger than Connecticut, much of it remote desert. It's miles from the U.S.-Mexico border, above Pima and Santa Cruz counties, but still a key corridor for human and drug smugglers sneaking toward busy highways.
The situation on the ground hasn't changed much in the last decade or so, said Sgt. Dave Hausman, interim president of the union representing Pinal sheriff's deputies. Babeu's just made immigration enforcement a higher priority.
"The sheriff certainly saw an opportunity to make a name for himself on this issue, and he is politically savvy enough to take advantage of that opportunity," said state Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, a Phoenix Democrat, who said she appreciates that Babeu is always polite even though they bitterly disagree.
On one morning earlier this month, Babeu was visited by Romanian law enforcement officials who wanted to learn about battling organized crime. He showed them intelligence photos of men carrying rifles and bales of marijuana through the desert.
Ever the politician, Babeu gave his guests a defense of Arizona's Senate Bill 1070, and a rebuke of President Barack Obama.
"At a time when we need help, our federal government has become our enemy and is taking us to court," he said, referring for a Justice Department lawsuit challenging Arizona's immigration law.
Then he added: "We can say that in America and I won't disappear at night."
Babeu's rise hasn't been without stumbles. He was forced to apologize for appearing on a radio show that endorses racist ideologies. He said his staff didn't do enough research about the show.
Babeu owes much of his political standing to Arizona Sen. John McCain, who enlisted Babeu in April to help sell his 10-point border security plan. Babeu also starred in two key television ads touting McCain's plan, including a much-lampooned spot in which McCain turns to Babeu and says "complete the danged fence."
"He's really on the front lines, and his knowledge and expertise I value enormously," McCain said of the sheriff. "But also he's become a national figure and spokesperson for border security, and I think he probably has a bright political future."
Indeed, campaign finance reports show donations have flowed in to Babeu from around the country all summer. Babeu doesn't face re-election until 2012.
In Babeu's office, atop a stack of books on a crowded coffee table, sits a memoir by Sarah Palin. Behind his desk is a framed photo of the sheriff with McCain's former vice presidential nominee.
It's fitting company for a smooth-talking politician who, like Palin, suddenly skyrocketed to Republican celebrity with a little help from McCain.
AZMomma posted at 3:56 pm on Sun, Sep 12, 2010.
Ouch - hatchet job and try to toss Babeu under the bus !
Linking him with Sarah Palin might just do it!
Babeu is one of the new breed of AZ Sheriff's....clone of Sheriff Joe.
Carolyn posted at 4:33 pm on Sun, Sep 12, 2010.
Babeau - Clone of Arpaio - completely unacceptable. Arpaio has embarrassed Arizona enough and cost the taxpayers enough. Babeau.is nothing but another smooth-talking con-artist - typical Republican who is full of himself.
coyote posted at 5:02 pm on Sun, Sep 12, 2010.
We have a lot to learn about this relative newcomer to our state. Think that the verdict is still out on Sheriff Babeu.
trigama posted at 6:15 pm on Sun, Sep 12, 2010.
He would have my vote if i lived in Pinal County. He is obviously an intelligent and talented individual.
samkat posted at 7:19 pm on Sun, Sep 12, 2010.
Carolyn: How many illegals have you adopted? You obviously have great love for them and want to take the financial burden off the rest of us who do not agree with your philosophy. :-)
abimopectore posted at 9:02 pm on Sun, Sep 12, 2010.
Babeu in his mendacious words is misdirecting the truth like his older counterpart in the next door county. If immigration deportations are higher under this administration, how could Obama be doing worse than any of his predecessors? He's being a tad disingenuous and like his older counterpart, he is playing the part of a politician to all the dolts that listen to his silly unsubstantiated political rhetoric as if it were gospel. Folks, it takes critical thinking skills to see through the smoke screen, something that is obviously blinding most of the voting public.
LibertyandJustice posted at 11:23 pm on Sun, Sep 12, 2010.
Well, it certainly is interesting how the author refers to him as a "smooth talking politician", when Sheriff Babeu's true accomplishments are based on actions and not words.
Not surprising, coming from the vermin in the left-wing media such as this one. After all, they dispise patriots like the Sheriff.
Crafty wordsmithing will have the reader thinking this AP reporter is simply performing his job as a journalist, however, he blew it when he chose to write the two final paragraphs.
"You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time."
Abraham Lincoln
That my fellow readers, is very fitting.
[wink]
forkedlift1 posted at 2:59 am on Mon, Sep 13, 2010.
"Babeu's true accomplishments are based on actions and not words." ? What "actions" are those?
One of the first thing he did was hire a PR person, is a politician through-and-through, and is commonly referred to as "Joe-Lite." Self promotion first and everything else is incidental.
DrunkenMonkey posted at 5:07 am on Mon, Sep 13, 2010.
forklift1,
while you often have some good points, and some really off-the-wall, long-winded-run-on points, your posts tend to lean one way. You don't like the Maricopa County Sheriff, You don't like the Pinal County Sheriff, You don't like the Govenor.
Do you even like living in Arizona? If not... bye...
DataMan posted at 8:36 am on Mon, Sep 13, 2010.
Yup, national fame by appearing on White Supremacist, and down right wacko radio shows. This clown is just like a Joke Jr!
rrjenn posted at 11:38 am on Mon, Sep 13, 2010.
forkedlift1
doesn't like anyone who isn't for amnesty and open borders. Probably a Mexican who sends half his paycheck back to Mexico to help fund the rest of his family to sneak across our borders like the common criminals that they are.
rrjenn posted at 6:27 pm on Mon, Sep 13, 2010.
Looks like about half the nation is behind our good sheriffs and the rule of law. The other half are cowards or idiots like those of you who do not support the rule of law.
State Legislators for Legal Immigration Files Legal Brief Supporting Arizona Against Obama Lawsuit
9/13/2010
Coalition members from 24 states call on U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to reverse injunction protecting illegal alien invaders over Constitutional rights of American citizens
Pennsylvania State Representative and State Legislators for Legal Immigration (SLLI) founder Daryl Metcalfe announced today that this nationwide coalition of state lawmakers has filed an amicus brief with the United States Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals against the Obama administration’s legal challenge to Arizona’s newly enacted illegal alien apprehension and deportation law (Senate Bill 1070).
forkedlift1 posted at 12:45 am on Tue, Sep 14, 2010.
Half the nation probably does know about Maricopa County's notorious sheriff Joe Arpaio and reference to him as equatable to "the rule of law" is satire at its finest.
In the past two weeks he added two more to his mounting collection of violations to "the rule of law."
(1) Refusal for 17 months to comply with federal law by refusing to provide specified MCSO documents and information to the DOJ's Civil Rights Division, the agency duty bound by law to investigate complaints of alleged civil rights violations. Lawsuit against Arpaio filed by DOJ for sheriff's action.
(2) Violations of state campaign finance laws for misuse of his own "leftover" campaign funds for a prohibited purpose.
Those are just two recent actions that we know of.
"Joe Arpaio" and "rule of law" are antonyms. Hence the satire.
forkedlift1 posted at 12:56 am on Tue, Sep 14, 2010.
For good measure, here's the oath of office required of all Arizona's elected officials.
Read ARS 38-231, which provides in part ...
38-231. Officers and employees required to take loyalty oath; form; classification; definition
....
E. In addition to any other form of oath or affirmation specifically provided by law for an officer or employee, before any officer or employee enters upon the duties of the office or employment, the officer or employee shall take and subscribe the following oath or affirmation:
State of Arizona, County of ______________ I, _____________________
(type or print name)
do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution and laws of the State of Arizona, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same and defend them against all enemies, foreign and domestic, and that I will faithfully and impartially discharge the duties of the office of ______________________ (name of office) ________________________ according to the best of my ability, so help me God (or so I do affirm).
______________________________________
(signature of officer or employee)
RollerCam posted at 12:41 pm on Tue, Sep 14, 2010.
The OBL (open borders lobby) has shown SEVERE hatred of Babeu, which leads me to believe that Sheriff Paul is effective in his actions and that he has a real future in fighting this cancer that has invaded our state and our country.
Yes, illegal aliens who reside inside America are absolutely considered a CANCER.
Masterrogue666 posted at 4:35 am on Sat, Sep 18, 2010.
Interesting how those that want to enforce ALL laws of our country are considered criminals, or an "upstart".
forkedlift1 posted at 11:15 am on Tue, Sep 21, 2010.
As the pervasive corruption, abuse of power under color of law, and criminal acts within the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office continues to unravel and be exposed, that agency certainly sets a record for VIOLATING all laws of our country.
It's not mere happenstance that since Arpaio was first elected, MCSO has already set a record of over $40 million for any law enforcement agency in the country that his agency has cost Maricopa County in successful lawsuits caused by MCSO's wrongful actions. And as of this date, there's another $42+ million in Notices of Claim hanging over the personal heads of Arpaio-Hendershott-Thomas, filed individually by about 5 judges, two supervisors, some county employees, and one private citizen against them.
With the evidence already collected, investigated and reviewed by the FBI, the U.S. Attorney, the DOJ, and the federal grand jury it appears that justice will ultimately be served.
Imanoid posted at 9:46 am on Sat, Oct 2, 2010.
As I have stated before, when you have a state that is number 50, the bottom of the list in the country on education. You end up with a lot of small minded, can't think logically for themselves kind of people. It is obvious here that there are many on this board. To believe that what has been uncovered as far as Puroll getting shot by 6 smugglers, 80 miles into our desert, carrying heavy bales of marijuana and AK 47's, one would have to be a uneducated fool.
After more than 40 years of Republican control of our legislature we now find ourselves in the worst shape this state has been in. And, you can't blame any Dem governors. They don't make law. Only sign or veto laws. It is the republican, mormon cabal that has us in such dire straits.