OCTOBER 26, 2011
Sheriff Paul Babeu opens Congressional exploratory committee
"The real deficit in Washington is one of leadership," says Sheriff
SAN TAN VALLEY – Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu today announced the formation of an exploratory committee for the United States Congress, District 4.
"I believe the real deficit in Washington is one of leadership," Babeu explained. "Almost three years after the 800 billion dollar stimulus disaster, nearly one in ten Americans is unemployed. In some of our communities, that number is more than double. Meanwhile we have a 14 trillion dollar national debt, with budgets in the red as far as the eye can see.
Arizona is ground zero in the fight against drug and human smuggling. Rather than secure our border and enforce the law, what did we see from our Federal government? Signs in my county warning Americans to stay away, because the cartels were in control; a lawsuit against the people of Arizona; a declaration that the border is more secure than ever. Meanwhile, 400,000 people unlawfully enter our state every year, tens of thousands with criminal records, some from nations that sponsor terrorism.
Now we find that our own Federal government in operation Fast and Furious put 2,000 guns in the hands of the most dangerous criminals in North America. These guns have been found at the murder scene of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry, and hundreds of crime scenes in Mexico.
It's clear that Washington is broken. To fix it we'll need leaders unafraid to make tough decisions, leaders more worried about the next generation than the next election.
I believe it may be time for a new Sheriff in Washington."
The new committee will allow Sheriff Babeu to travel the district and measure support for a full-fledged Congressional run. A final decision is planned for early in the New Year.
Paul Babeu is America's Sheriff of the Year, as voted by his colleagues in the National Sheriff's Association. As Sheriff, he reduced his budget by 10 percent while decreasing response times to emergencies by 50 percent. As a police officer, he was awarded two medals for saving lives, and served as President of the Chandler Law Enforcement Association. A retired Major in the United States Army National Guard, he commanded Task Force Yuma, which reduced illegal border crossings by 94 percent, and served a tour of duty in Iraq.
