Controversial Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke has accepted a position as an assistant secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, he announced Wednesday in an interview with 1130 WISN Radio. "I'm both honored and humbled to be appointed to this position by [DHS Secretary John Kelly], working for the Trump administration in this position," Clarke reportedly said. He will reportedly assume the job in June; The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel noted the position "does not require Senate confirmation."
Clarke, a registered Democrat but a fervent Trump surrogate, has made quite a name for himself in his four terms as sheriff. He is currently facing a lawsuit over an inmate's death in his jail from "profound dehydration," after the prisoner's pleas for water were ignored for days; a medical examiner classified the death as a homicide. Clarke has also made headlines for suggesting Black Lives Matter should be labeled as a "hate group"; proposing "putting an assault rifle in the talons of the bald eagle on the U.S. national seal"; and refusing to disclose details of a trip he took to Moscow in 2015 on behalf of the National Rifle Association.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
How do presidential transitions work?The Explainer Donald Trump will take office on Jan. 20 after a two-month process
-
Abortion rights measures go 7 for 10Speed Read Constitutional amendments to protect abortion passed in seven states but failed in three others: Florida, Nebraska and South Dakota
-
'The first order of business is to redouble every effort to preserve American democracy'Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Quincy Jones, music icon, is dead at 91Speed Read The legendary producer is perhaps best known as the architect behind Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'
-
OJ Simpson, star athlete tried for murder, dead at 76Speed Read The former football hero and murder suspect lost his battle with cancer
-
Momofuku's 'Chili Crunch' trademark uproarSpeed Read The company's attempt to own the sole rights has prompted backlash
-
Kevin Hart awarded Mark Twain PrizeSpeed Read He is the 25th recipient of the prestigious comedy prize
-
Is Downton Abbey set to return for a final film?Speed Read Imelda Staunton reveals that a third movie may be in the pipeline
-
'Oppenheimer' sweeps Oscars with 7 winsspeed read The film won best picture, best director (Christopher Nolan) and best actor (Cillian Murphy)
-
'Rust' armorer convicted of manslaughterspeed read The film's cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was shot and killed by actor Alec Baldwin during rehearsal
-
The Beatles are getting 4 intersecting biopicsSpeed Read Director Sam Mendes is making four separate movies, each told from the perspective of one band member
