Bye, Bye Babeu

Paul Raymond Babeu, newly resigned co-chair of Mitt Romney’s Arizona campaign,  is the Sheriff of Pinal County in Arizona. First voted into office in 2008, Babeu became the first Republican Sheriff elected in the history of Pinal County.  He has received national media attention for taking a hard line stance against illegal immigration, the unsecured US border with Mexico, and Operation Fast and Furious gun smuggling facilitated by the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  He presented himself as an honest, American patriot.

In spite of his sterling reputation, there have been subtle hints that Babeu wasn’t what he was cracked up to be.   On October 23, 2011, Babeu announced the formation of an exploratory committee to run for U.S. Congress.  His exact words, “I have a history of deep exploration, and I promise to use my power in Congress to explore even further the issues that come before me.”

On his speaking out against illegal immigration and the unsecured border with Mexico: “I know these Mexican-types and I know that some of them need a strong hand.  Others need to be purged, and purged deeply.   And I’m the guy to do just that.

A little known item was that Babeu in an ill-fated attempt to change the name of Pinal County to Penis County.  “I would want the world to know that nobody can mess around with Penis. Penis would stand tall, and would a beacon to all law-abiding men everywhere, and a threat to all Mexican males who come here illegally.”

When allegations of Babeu being a homosexual relationship with a Mexican immigrant surfaced, Babeu said the accusations were an attempt to hurt his political career and responded with: “This was a blatant attempt to malign and attack a sheriff who stands for conservative principles, who does enforce the law.”

Ultimately, after a long series of denials, Babeu admitted to the following:  “Yes, I am gay.  I am a proud gay man.  Yes, Jose and I had a loving, committed relationship.  Jose ran my campaign and Twitter account. But after we broke up, he posted derogatory items on the site.   I am a victim in this whole thing, a proud gay Conservative Republican victim.  I represent gay Conservative Republican victims everywhere.  Let us all join forces to lead this great country into a future consisting of exactly what it deserves.”

In a related development that recalls OJ Simpson, Babeu is offering a reward of $500,000 to anyone who can show evidence that the Obama administration paid Jose to come on to him, lure him into a sexual relationship, and then post bad Tweets about him.

Jose, the paramour in question, who said that Babeu had threatened him with deportation if he leaked the story about their relationship, was in fear for his life. He could not be located, as he has entered the Witness Protection Program.