Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio was called a "tyrant" Thursday by the leader of the Unitarian Universalist Association.
"I am ashamed that this is happening in my country, that the people of Maricopa County continue to re-elect this tyrant, and that the legal system of my country does little more than scold like an inept parent," the denominational leader wrote in The Guardian.
"Less than a month ago, I, along with several other religious leaders, were treated to a tour of Arpaio's infamous 'Tent City' jail," wrote Peter Morales, the president of UUA. "There, prisoners are kept in tents that reach 130F heat in the Arizona summer."
"What is happening in Maricopa County must be seen to be believed," he wrote.
Arpaio is controversial on a number of fronts.
In March, he released a statement questioning President Barack Obama’s birth certificate.
“A six-month-long investigation conducted by my cold case posse has lead me to believe there is probable cause to believe that President Barack Obama’s long-form birth certificate released by the White House on April 27, 2011, is a computer-generated forgery. I do not believe that it is a scan of an original 1961 paper document, as represented by the White House when the long-form birth certificate was made public.”
He is currently on trial in civil court over allegations his department discriminates against Hispanics.
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