David Clarke Courts Criticism, But Holds On To Supporters

Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke still gets the occasional mention as a possible Trump administration appointee.

But a citizen’s complaint against Clarke and lawsuits over deaths at the Milwaukee County Jail may have stalled the firebrand sheriff’s chances for a high-ranking federal job. The controversies have also given hope to those who would like to see Clarke leave office. But he remains popular with some voters.

Clarke doesn’t give many local interviews these days and declined a request from WPR for this story. He still appears on conservative national talk shows and makes high-profile speeches in other cities. About two weeks ago, he spoke at the “DeploraBall” in Washington, a pre-inauguration party thrown by some of President Donald Trump’s hardcore supporters.

There, Clarke drew cheers for rejecting the idea that Republicans should reach across the political aisle and work with Democrats.

“The only reason I’ll be reaching across the aisle is to grab one of them by the throat and remind them the American people – you – have spoken, and you said you wanted Donald Trump to be the next president of the United States,” Clarke exclaimed.

After being appointed by Republican Gov. Scott McCallum in 2002, Clarke has won four terms as sheriff running as a Democrat. But he identifies as a staunch conservative and helped Trump campaign.

That’s not the only unusual thing about Clarke. There are also his ongoing feuds with Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and even fellow law enforcement leader Milwaukee Police Chief Ed Flynn.

Flynn recently criticized a Trump order to have local law enforcement help carry out United States immigration laws, calling it impractical, while also throwing in a jab at Clarke, who has praised the directive.

“He probably will get in the way on this, and say everything he can do to scare the hell out of people,” Flynn said of Clarke. “But, mercifully, he has very little role. So, I don’t think it’s going to have an impact on the daily lives of the community, but I’m sure he’ll do his best to scare people.”

Stan Stojkovic, a three-decade observer of the Milwaukee criminal justice community said Clarke doesn’t seem to get along well with any of the local police chiefs and is prone to extreme remarks.

“He views himself as a savior, as an individual who’s going to come in and do the right thing, and catch the bad guy. If the world was only that simple, he’d be right. But the world is much more complicated than what he portrays,” said Stojkovic, dean of the School of Social Welfare at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

County officials are investigating Clarke for recently calling deputies to confront a man who the sheriff felt didn’t respect him on an airplane. The man, Dan Black, filed a complaint, and Clarke’s critics quickly jumped to call it an abuse of power.

Stojkovic, though, said the sheriff is more likely to be judged on whether his department is meeting its official responsibilities. Those include patrolling the local freeways, providing security at the airport and county courthouse, and running the Milwaukee County Jail. Three deaths of inmates and a newborn at the jail last year have prompted lawsuits and more investigations.

Even so, some local residents are still in Clarke’s corner.

Outside a West Allis post office last Friday, several customers declined to comment about the sheriff. One man said he didn’t want Clarke to arrest him for criticism. But others said they support Clarke. Brian Konkel said he likes the sheriff’s independence.

“I think there’s a lot of people that try to mess with him, and I just like the fact that he doesn’t take crap from anybody else,” Konkel said. “Everything he does, I think, I’m really on his side.”

The sheriff also seems to still have the support of the only official in the state with the power to remove him from office: Gov. Scott Walker.

Last week, state Rep. David Crowley, D-Milwaukee, called for Clarke’s immediate removal based on the sheriff’s “willful neglect of duties, and repeated inappropriate and incendiary comments,” according to the lawmaker’s press release.

The governor, though, said Clarke’s continued employment is up to voters.

“When the people elect someone, agree or disagree with everything they do or say, I believe it should ultimately be left to the people of that jurisdiction,” Walker said at a press conference in Milwaukee.

Clarke isn’t up for re-election until Aug. 2018. However, Democratic activists say they’re already recruiting potential challengers, if Clarke doesn’t take a job with the Trump administration in the meantime.

A better idea of Clarke’s status with the Republican president could come Thursday, during Trump’s visit to Milwaukee.

Clarke has posted replies to much of the recent criticism of him, on the Facebook page of the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office.