Sheriff Clarence Dupnik Thinks He's the Media *UPDATE

Why is the lead investigator opining about a case which he should be investigating instead of using for political spin?

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It’s irrelevant to me that Dupnik is a Democrat and an elected official; he should not be using the press conference for a tragic event to parade his partisan politics and engage in an embarrassing one-sided blame game. It seems a pattern with Dupnik.

Considering that we now know suspect Jared Lee Loughner was stalking since 2007, and that he publicly made available red flags all over the Internet, it would be judicious for Sheriff Dupnik to not give the public any reason to think that his fondness for insensitive electioneering is related to how Loughner was left to simmer.

Megyn Kelly does an excellent job at diffusing some of his rhetoric.

I understand that this tragedy placed an extreme emotional burden on not just the victims, but those whose duties are to administer after the incident. Dupnik, as an elected official, knew this before seeking elected office, and he of all people should understand the atmosphere which can result from injecting heated, partisan rhetoric into such a sensitive environment. Elected leaders have an obligation to the public to use their platform for unity, not abuse it as Dupnik has done by further inflaming the situation. He owes those intimately affected from this tragedy, as well as the private citizens he referenced for blame, a public apology.

*UPDATE: We know enough now to ask how much Sheriff Dupnik knew about the suspect and when he knew it. Did he know of Loughner’s “troubled past” and previous death threat before the tragedy? If so, he’s setting himself up for massive criticism and the appearance of politicking instead of policing.