Controversial Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke, Jr. will not be heading to Washington after all to join the Trump administration in the Department of Homeland Security. The staunch Trump supporter appeared set to join the administration in DHS as the Assistant Secretary for Office of Partnership and Engagement/State and Local Law Enforcement.
“Late Friday, Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke Jr. formally notified Secretary of Homeland Security John F. Kelly that he had rescinded his acceptance of the agency’s offer to join DHS as an assistant secretary,” a Clarke adviser told the Washington Post. “Sheriff Clarke is 100 percent committed to the success of President Trump and believes his skills could be better utilized to promote the president’s agenda in a more aggressive role.”
During the Trump campaign, Clarke rose to prominence as a no-nonsense law and order sheriff cut from the Trump rhetorical mold. Clarke, who is black, likes to say outlandish things, like calling Black Lives Matter a terrorist group. Like Trump, Clarke is proficient conspiracy peddler.
Recent accusations of plagiarism and the brutal death of a mentally ill inmate at a prison under his purview have amplified and expanded existing opposition to Clarke’s DHS appointment, which was announced last month.
Clarke met with President Trump during his trip to Wisconsin earlier this week to discuss other roles for the sheriff, according to a Clarke aide.
