Doubling Down on Stupid: Sheriff Fudd Blames Rush Limbaugh

Forget his own incompetence, let's keep piling on Rush Limbaugh.

The Arizona sheriff investigating the Tucson shooting that left U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords critically wounded had harsh words today for those engaging in political rhetoric, calling conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh "irresponsible" for continuing the vitriol.

"The kind of rhetoric that flows from people like Rush Limbaugh, in my judgment he is irresponsible, uses partial information, sometimes wrong information," Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik said today. "[Limbaugh] attacks people, angers them against government, angers them against elected officials and that kind of behavior in my opinion is not without consequences."

Limbaugh today railed against the media and Dupnik for trying to draw a link between the heated political climate and the shooting rampage, calling the sheriff a "fool." But Dupnik stood by his assertions.

"The vitriol affects the [unstable] personality that we are talking about," he said. "You can say, 'Oh no, it doesn't,' but my opinion is that it does."

Investigators have yet to determine what motivated 22-year-old Jared Lee Loughner, described by some as appearing to be mentally unstable, to allegedly open fire on the crowd outside the Tucson Safeway. However, so far there is no evidence that he has any ties to any political group

Not that we know this to be true, but in today's fact-free media environment, we'll just toss it out there.

Jared Loughner has been making death threats by phone to many people in Pima County including staff of Pima Community College, radio personalities and local bloggers. When Pima County Sheriff’s Office was informed, his deputies assured the victims that he was being well managed by the mental health system. It was also suggested that further pressing of charges would be unnecessary and probably cause more problems than it solved as Jared Loughner has a family member that works for Pima County. Amy Loughner is a Natural Resource specialist for the Pima County Parks and Recreation. My sympathies and my heart goes out to her and the rest of Mr. Loughner’s family. This tragedy must be tearing them up inside wondering if they had done the right things in trying to manage Jared’s obvious mental instability.

Every victim of his threats previously must also be wondering if this tragedy could have been prevented if they had been more aggressive in pursuing charges against Mr. Loughner. Perhaps with a felony conviction he would never have been able to lawfully by the Glock 9mm Model 19 that he used to strike down the lives of six people and decimate 14 more.

This was not an act of politics. This was an act of a mentally disturbed young man hell bent on getting his 15 minutes of infamy. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department was aware of his violent nature and they failed to act appropriately. This tragedy leads right back to Sherriff Dupnik and all the spin in the world is not going to change that fact.

I've got a new name for Dupnik.

Sheriff Nifong.

Just a sneaking suspicion, but I think when the fallout clears, Rush Limbaugh will still be broadcasting while this jerk is ushered into retirement, if not the penitentiary (ship him over to Sheriff Joe Arpaio). Until then I hope Rush beefs up security. I wouldn't want Sheriff Nifong's incendiary rhetoric to pose any threat to him. I mean, you know how unhinged those lefties can be.

By the way, the maniac Loughner was a registered independent, despite the pitiful efforts at making him out to be a Republican. If only those nitwits knew how to spell Tucson, that fraud may have fooled one or two dozen members of the lamestream media.

So if Loughner's a registered independent, can I blame Bernie Sanders and his filibuster of hate? What, that sounds crazy? No more so than this.