cover of episode The Unchecked Power Of Sheriffs

The Unchecked Power Of Sheriffs

2024/9/10
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Jessica Pishko
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Maureen Corrigan
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Tanya Mosley:节目开头介绍了FX剧集《Fargo》中虚构的宪法警长角色Roy Tillman,他被描绘成拥有凌驾于法律之上的权力,这引出了对现实生活中宪法警长运动的讨论。 Jessica Pishko:警长在农村地区扮演着重要的执法和政治角色,其历史和神话传说与“宪法警长”运动有关。宪法警长运动的核心人物是理查德·麦克警长,他利用最高法院的裁决来提升自己的地位,并与民兵运动建立联系。警长拥有很大的权力来制定政策,包括监狱管理、枪支管制和驱逐等方面,而且他们管理着大部分的监狱。警长在移民执法中扮演着越来越重要的角色,这与美国将移民系统与刑事司法系统联系起来的政策有关,特朗普政府进一步加剧了这一趋势。警长在种族方面扮演了重要的角色,从协助奴隶贩卖到参与囚犯租赁制度,这在很大程度上导致了如今县份白人人口比例居高不下的现状。各州对立法约束警长持谨慎态度,部分原因是警长游说成功,并声称自己不受法律约束。 Jessica Pishko: 前亚利桑那州马里科帕县警长乔·阿尔佩奥是“宪法警长”的典型例子,他滥用职权,对移民进行过度执法和暴力,同时却未能有效履行其职责。阿尔佩奥能够公开进行这些行为的部分原因是他成为了媒体名人,以及司法部和亚利桑那州政府不愿与他对抗。拉丁美洲裔社区的努力促使司法部对阿尔佩奥进行了调查,但干预警长不当行为并不总是明确的。核心“宪法警长”运动大约包括300名警长,约占全国3000名警长的10%。警长是民选官员,不受其他县级官员的管辖,这导致了“宪法警长”运动的产生。警长拥有很大的权力来制定政策,包括监狱管理、枪支管制和驱逐等方面,而且他们管理着大部分的监狱。“石花园行动”为地方执法部门提供资金用于边境巡逻,但资金的去向和有效性缺乏追踪。

Deep Dive

Chapters
Constitutional sheriffs assert that they are the ultimate interpreters of the Constitution, specifically the Bill of Rights, and not the Supreme Court. This belief system grants them perceived supreme power, even above federal and state authorities.
  • The US Constitution doesn't mention sheriffs.
  • Constitutional sheriffs focus on the Bill of Rights.
  • They consider themselves the chief interpreters of the Constitution.

Shownotes Transcript

Investigative journalist Jessica Pishko says that a growing group of "constitutional sheriffs" have become a flashpoint in the current politics of toxic masculinity, guns, white supremacy, and rural resentment. "Constitutional sheriffs would argue that there is no one who can tell them what to do," Pishko says. "Not the president, not the Supreme Court, not the governor, not the legislature. Sometimes constitutional sheriffs will call themselves something like a king." Her book is The Highest Law in the Land. Also, Maureen Corrigan reviews Creation Lake, by Rachel Kushner.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices)NPR Privacy Policy)