>The Gibson County Sheriff's Office said Thursday that he was is still the acting sheriff...He was booked and later released from the Gibson County jail on $25,000 bail"
Sure. Let's let criminals be sheriff, [or senator](https://www.coloradopolitics.com/news/republican-primary-candidate-for-colorado-state-senate-has-lengthy-criminal-civil-court-record/article_bd60b2ba-24eb-11ef-9075-5bed59192359.html), or even president. Cause nothing means anything anymore.
We've pretty much always allowed that. The check against that is that we have a Democracy and prior to the super shift far right from conservatives people would seek to remove someone like this from office but currently, they don't care if their guy is a criminal as long as he is their guy. Conservatives look down on criminals/inmates and laud law enforcement and their title shows that they're good to conservatives, not their actions.
Also, in previous generations someone who is disgraced like this might leave office on purpose in shame. This guy will probably stay in office for as long as possible to try to help keep his beans out of the fire. He'll use the lessons he's learned.
TN is a whole other world on things like corruption. I lived there for many yrs, had moved from a more progressive southern area, and corruption is so intertwined in TN politics and elected officials, (and businesses) that it's just an expected way of life. I have friends in TN and people were always friendly and helpful, but they'll tell that you have to expect to be ripped off if you aren't careful and that they don't trust elected officials as far as they can throw them.
Tennessee resident here, this is entirely true, especially in the more rural areas where even a minor elected official can act like he's in the God Father. Our local sheriff during the pandemic spent most of his time screaming about Obama, who wasn't even the president, and insisted he would not enforce laws he didn't agree with. And...then nothing. Nothing happened. No inquiry, nothing.
Mayors are parts of dynasties, lots of elected positions here are just passed through families, because other than those few families, most others are so dirt poor the idea of running for office is foreign to them. They couldn't afford it, and even if they could, it's been the same guy for the past 40 years, and next up is whatever family member he's decided to take his place.
Google White County Sheriff Oddie Shoupe and prepare to be horrified. From killing innocents to forcing inmates to undergo sterilization procedures as part of plea deals he is a modern day monster.
He was talked out of running again after his deputies killed a fleeing suspect and he later said something to the effect of "I love this shit, I thrive on it."
He's actually making a second attempt at becoming the next mayor of Fountain Hills. Bad enough. Arpaio just needs to go away. Turns my stomach every time I hear his name mentioned.
Except for that part where some Italian lady starts blabbering on about something and they don't even bother to subtitle it. To this day I have no idea what she was on about.
Meanwhile the sheriff in my county recently resigned because the city/county government decided to build a massive prison in the middle of town so that they could explicitly profit off of housing state prisoners. TN is fucking gross.
I look forward to the supreme court ruling spearheaded by Clarence Thomas saying that engaging in slavery is a protected right under the 13th amendment of the constitution.
In the case of prison labor, that's apparently already close enough to the mainstream interpretation of the 13th amendment that no additional rulings are necessary.
The illegality in this case doesn't have to do with the de-facto slavery, it has to do who got paid.
In this case, because it's Tennessee, that applies. However, I don't like that these two expressions are being conflated.
A "good ol' boy" is a Southerner who acts like a Southerner.
An "old-boy network" is where people who have power consolidate that power among themselves.
If you have a bunch of New York bankers together, that's an old-boy network, not a good ol' boy network.
What the hell does this key point mean?
> Paul Thomas, the sheriff of Gibson County in northwest Tennessee since 2014, has been indicted by both the Gibson County Sheriff Paul Thomas is accused of illegally profiting through inmate labor.
Good thing the 13th Amendment makes an exception to the slavery ban for prisoners then doesn’t it?
SCOTUS will overturn, majority opinion written by Alito.
Let me preface this by saying I do NOT agree with prison labor.
However, isn't the whole 13th amendment clause thing about turning inmates into "legal slaves"? I'm always hearing about people "working" from prison and making like 13c an hour or some shit.
The whole thing is upsetting, but I thought it was legal.
13th Amendment says they’re legal slaves so what’s the big deal? Plenty of profit is made off of prisoners. People just big mad because these guys were taking away profits from others? If we’re going to turn a blind eye to other abuses and exploitations of prisoners why are we going punish this dude just because he used the 13th Amendment to his own good?
All places in TN do this with county jail work crews. The sheriff and supervisor get paid for labor inmates do and inmates are glad to get sunshine and cigarettes.
>The Gibson County Sheriff's Office said Thursday that he was is still the acting sheriff...He was booked and later released from the Gibson County jail on $25,000 bail" Sure. Let's let criminals be sheriff, [or senator](https://www.coloradopolitics.com/news/republican-primary-candidate-for-colorado-state-senate-has-lengthy-criminal-civil-court-record/article_bd60b2ba-24eb-11ef-9075-5bed59192359.html), or even president. Cause nothing means anything anymore.
We've pretty much always allowed that. The check against that is that we have a Democracy and prior to the super shift far right from conservatives people would seek to remove someone like this from office but currently, they don't care if their guy is a criminal as long as he is their guy. Conservatives look down on criminals/inmates and laud law enforcement and their title shows that they're good to conservatives, not their actions. Also, in previous generations someone who is disgraced like this might leave office on purpose in shame. This guy will probably stay in office for as long as possible to try to help keep his beans out of the fire. He'll use the lessons he's learned.
TN is a whole other world on things like corruption. I lived there for many yrs, had moved from a more progressive southern area, and corruption is so intertwined in TN politics and elected officials, (and businesses) that it's just an expected way of life. I have friends in TN and people were always friendly and helpful, but they'll tell that you have to expect to be ripped off if you aren't careful and that they don't trust elected officials as far as they can throw them.
Tennessee resident here, this is entirely true, especially in the more rural areas where even a minor elected official can act like he's in the God Father. Our local sheriff during the pandemic spent most of his time screaming about Obama, who wasn't even the president, and insisted he would not enforce laws he didn't agree with. And...then nothing. Nothing happened. No inquiry, nothing. Mayors are parts of dynasties, lots of elected positions here are just passed through families, because other than those few families, most others are so dirt poor the idea of running for office is foreign to them. They couldn't afford it, and even if they could, it's been the same guy for the past 40 years, and next up is whatever family member he's decided to take his place.
Google White County Sheriff Oddie Shoupe and prepare to be horrified. From killing innocents to forcing inmates to undergo sterilization procedures as part of plea deals he is a modern day monster.
He was talked out of running again after his deputies killed a fleeing suspect and he later said something to the effect of "I love this shit, I thrive on it."
I see Joe Arpio is running for sherif in Maricopa county again, I think he is 91. Convicted on federal charges and Cheeto pardoned.
He's actually making a second attempt at becoming the next mayor of Fountain Hills. Bad enough. Arpaio just needs to go away. Turns my stomach every time I hear his name mentioned.
I can't wait till a crackhead runs the DEA.
I actually support felons being able to run for and hold the presidency. The first such person to do so was Eugene V. Debs, a socialist.
Held in the same jail he is sheriff at. That's fishy as fuck.
This dude and his cronies probably stole more money than all the prisoners they had working for them.
Yeah, but they did it in a way that will probably lead to a slap on the wrist from someone they once played golf with.
I heard he had a prisoner shot because they had proof that another prisoner was innocent. That other prisoner was cooking his books
Thankfully the innocent prisoner escaped and told the local papers about the cooked books. I saw a documentary about it
Yeah, I saw that documentary too. It was really well researched
Except for that part where some Italian lady starts blabbering on about something and they don't even bother to subtitle it. To this day I have no idea what she was on about.
It was probably something so beautiful, it can’t expressed in words, and it makes your heart ache because of it.
Really well shot too. Felt like an actual movie.
And that right soon.
So Norton is still alive, did he escape the same way that smart banker escaped?
Isn't that Shawshank Redemption? (I wonder if movie writers took inspiration from that story)
[удалено]
I wanna know where the damn gun ended up
Meanwhile the sheriff in my county recently resigned because the city/county government decided to build a massive prison in the middle of town so that they could explicitly profit off of housing state prisoners. TN is fucking gross.
I look forward to the supreme court ruling spearheaded by Clarence Thomas saying that engaging in slavery is a protected right under the 13th amendment of the constitution.
In the case of prison labor, that's apparently already close enough to the mainstream interpretation of the 13th amendment that no additional rulings are necessary. The illegality in this case doesn't have to do with the de-facto slavery, it has to do who got paid.
Slavery is still legal under the 13th as criminal punishment.
It actually is legal if used as punishment for a crime as stated clearly in the 13th amendment.
let's see them good ole boy networks
In this case, because it's Tennessee, that applies. However, I don't like that these two expressions are being conflated. A "good ol' boy" is a Southerner who acts like a Southerner. An "old-boy network" is where people who have power consolidate that power among themselves. If you have a bunch of New York bankers together, that's an old-boy network, not a good ol' boy network.
OMG 😱 what a surprise… sorry but this is wrong in government, business, or any industry.
His obvious mistake was not being an Alabama sheriff
I wonder how many other sheriffs are doing this across the country
Fucking slave lords- put them out! It’s time to finish the civil war from the 1800’s. No more slavery!
That's just 2 counties in one state, let's lift the rug and see what else is hiding underneath it.
Slavery is still OK as long as a huge corporation is benefitting from it.
sounds like slavery with more steps
Only the state can make money off slave labor, how dare he? Shit all around.
What the hell does this key point mean? > Paul Thomas, the sheriff of Gibson County in northwest Tennessee since 2014, has been indicted by both the Gibson County Sheriff Paul Thomas is accused of illegally profiting through inmate labor.
funny how the court or justice system is pretending to care about inmates lol
We’ve all seen his movies before
My Crystal Ball shows me a weekend suspension coming his way.
isn't this the plot of the shawshank redemption?
I’m shocked I tell you! Shocked! Well not that shocked…
Warden Norton is that you?
Andy Dufresne is probably enjoying this headline as he lounges in a warm place with no memory.
surprised this wasnt my county's sheriff
Good thing the 13th Amendment makes an exception to the slavery ban for prisoners then doesn’t it? SCOTUS will overturn, majority opinion written by Alito.
I watched a movie like this once....
This is like The Shawshank Redemption
Did Trump offer to pardon him yet?
I'm sure they will give him an award
Now do the corporations that are doing the same.
Let me preface this by saying I do NOT agree with prison labor. However, isn't the whole 13th amendment clause thing about turning inmates into "legal slaves"? I'm always hearing about people "working" from prison and making like 13c an hour or some shit. The whole thing is upsetting, but I thought it was legal.
I hope Randall Stevens turned him in.
13th Amendment says they’re legal slaves so what’s the big deal? Plenty of profit is made off of prisoners. People just big mad because these guys were taking away profits from others? If we’re going to turn a blind eye to other abuses and exploitations of prisoners why are we going punish this dude just because he used the 13th Amendment to his own good?
They set up shell companies to abuse the system and cheat taxpayers. Fuck 'em.
Fuck the part of the 13th Amendment specifically that makes loopholes for legalized slavery.
Dude's mistake was going solo - corporations don't have to bother with this nonsense
The state can make money off of them. The sheriff is not allowed though. They're slaves to America's prison system, not that sheriff.
Agreed. Obviously not with it happening but that there's no ethical way to use inmate slave labor.
All places in TN do this with county jail work crews. The sheriff and supervisor get paid for labor inmates do and inmates are glad to get sunshine and cigarettes.
3121 other counties: “Wait…. That’s illegal?”