The Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association is urging lawmen to form posses, seize voting machines and investigate baseless claims of voter fraud.

A conference for a far-right sheriffs group this week drew a parade of felons, disgraced politicians, election deniers, conspiracy theorists and, in the end, a few sheriffs.

The Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association, or CSPOA, met in Las Vegas’ Ahern Luxury Boutique Hotel conference center to publicly counter reports of extremism within the group and set a course for the coming election — one that involves sheriffs’ investigating what they claim, despite a lack of evidence, is rampant voter fraud.

The group sees sheriffs as the highest authority in the U.S., more powerful than the federal government, and it wants these county officers to form posses to patrol polling places, seize voting machines and investigate the Democrats and foreign nations behind what they claim is a criminal effort to rig the vote by flooding the country with immigrants who vote illegally.

Critics of the group — including voting rights advocates and extremism researchers — fear the CSPOA’s new focus will amount to interference and legitimize disinformation about U.S. elections.

  • Flying Squid
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    287 months ago

    Thank god the article said that there weren’t that many actual sheriffs there. ACAB, make no mistake, but at least it seems like most sheriffs don’t want things to go this far.

    • @foggy
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      187 months ago

      I think this depends on where you live.

      • Flying Squid
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        117 months ago

        Well sure, if you live in one of the places where the sheriff believes in this sort of bullshit, you’re fucked.

        But at least it isn’t a massive movement with a majority of sheriffs on board. If anything, from the sound of things in the article, it’s pathetic.

        • @foggy
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          107 months ago

          Idk Texas is pretty big

          • Flying Squid
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            237 months ago

            And yet only around 100 people showed up for this event, most of them not sheriffs. Take the good news where you can get it.

    • @[email protected]
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      87 months ago

      Probably just too fat and lazy to go to the conference. lol

      I read the article and it had heavy grifting vibes.

    • @wjrii
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      67 months ago

      I could find them committing to one active sheriff being there, and he’s a real peach.