The current Milwaukee County sheriff told radio host Vicki McKenna that he is set to become an assistant secretary.
President Trump has added another controversial figure to his administration, hiring Sheriff David Clarke for the Department of Homeland Security.
The current Milwaukee County sheriff told radio host Vicki McKenna on Wednesday that he is leaving Wisconsin to become an assistant secretary in agency’s the Office of Partnerships and Programs, working as a liaison to state and local police.
Clarke became a vocal Trump supporter during last year’s campaign, most notably giving a Republican National Convention speech where he called Black Lives Matter protests “anarchy.”
He had been floated as a possible Trump cabinet pick during the transition, and also a potential replacement for FBI Director James Comey.
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Those on the national stage have bristled at his harsh rhetoric, though he has also faced criticism in his current job, particularly over deaths at the Milwaukee County Jail.
A jury recommended charges for workers at the facility earlier this month for the death of Terrill Thomas, who died last year after he was allegedly deprived water for seven days.
Three other people died at the jail in the following months, though Clarke has dismissed criticism including calls for his resignation as “fake news.”
Clarke’s departure has nothing to do with calls for his resignation in Wisconsin, according to Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Craig Peterson, who added that he is « just anxious to serve his president. »
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However, there are concerns about Clarke being up to the job on the national stage.
One Wisconsin Republican who knew Clarke told the Daily News he’d be a « disaster, » and said he hoped the new hire would be « far removed from any substantial decision making. »
Former DHS official Juliette Kayyem said that she held Clarke’s position in the Obama administration said on Twitter, “I am floored. And feel for my career staff.”
The sheriff himself told McKenna on Wednesday that he knows there will be a « steep learning curve, » but that he hopes to improve communication between law enforcement on the federal and local levels.
