Feds may launch civil rights probe into deaths at Trump-loving sheriff’s jail

The Huffington Post has reported that the Department of Justice is considering launching a civil rights probe into four deaths that occurred at a jail run by Milwaukee Sheriff David Clarke, who is an outspoken Donald Trump supporter and Black Lives Matter critic.

Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI) asked the DOJ’s Civil Rights division to look into the deaths of four people (including a newborn and a mentally ill man who died from thirst) in the Milwaukee County Jail in early December.

Moore announced this Wednesday that the DOJ had responded to her request.

“We will carefully consider your letter along with other information we may receive regarding Milwaukee County Jail in order to determine whether a pattern or practice investigation may be necessary,” Assistant Attorney General Peter J. Kadzik wrote in a Dec. 15 letter to Moore obtained by HuffPo.

Currently, Milwaukee County is conducting an investigation into medical care at the facility to determine what could have been done differently. According to the county’s chief medical examiner, Clarke “threatened” and “verbally pummeled him for releasing information about the deaths.

In a statement to HuffPo, Clarke’s office slammed the investigation as “fake news” designed to punish him for supporting Trump during the 2016 election.

“After January 20, 2017, Sen. Jeff Sessions will become the new Attorney General of the US Department of Justice,” the statement read. “He will take the partisan politics out of decision making at DOJ. The Sheriff looks forward to working with the NEW administration in Making America Great Again!”

Featured image via Twitter

Sky Palma

Before launching DeadState back in 2012, Sky Palma has been blogging about politics, social issues and religion for over a decade. He lives in Los Angeles and also enjoys Brazilian jiu jitsu, chess, music and art.

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