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Sheriff's candidates debate the issues
Immigration, homeland security and integrity issues took center stage at the League of Women Voters candidate forum Sept. 25 at Ida Lee Park, where the three candidates for Loudoun County sheriff were featured.
Republican candidate Greg Ahlemann used every opportunity possible to criticize 12-year incumbent Sheriff Steve Simpson, who is running as an independent, on immigration and integrity, while Democratic candidate Michael George brought the issue of homeland security in the county to the forefront.
George spoke of how the county needs to be prepared for possible terrorism threats, not only on the law enforcement side but also in the school system, the hospitals and throughout the community. The Sheriff's Office needs to help secure homeland security funds from the government.
“To fight terrorism takes a whole community,” he said.
Ahlemann called illegal immigration “the issue in this race.” He spoke of his experience working as a deputy in Sterling Park when he arrested many people with no documentation who could not speak English.
“Trying to say crime statistics have gone down doesn't seem to make the single mother feel safer as she goes out to buy groceries at night,” Ahlemann said.
George, who worked in gang intelligence with the Fairfax County Police Department, noted that all of the gang members arrested are not illegal immigrants.
“From what I've seen working with gangs, about 10 percent were illegals,” he said. “I don't think you can [conclude] that one is related to the other.”
Simpson said only about one in 20 gang members the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office deals with is an illegal immigrant.
“It's wrong to assume that everyone who's in Sterling is first of all illegal and second of all gang bangers because that's just not true,” he said to lots of applause from the crowd, which numbered about 80 people.
Simpson said a lot of the issues that need to be dealt with in Sterling Park are occupancy and zoning matters that need to be taken care of by zoning and housing officials. His office can't legally knock on doors and ask residents for proof of citizenship, he said.
George contended that crime exists in every race and culture.
“We need to target crime; we don't need to target a culture,” George said.
When asked about overcrowding issues in the new county jail, Ahlemann again tried to pull the conversation back to the illegal immigrant issue.
He said that Sterling school board member J. Warren Guerin told him that 4,000 students in Sterling schools do not speak English in their homes, and that while he can't say that all 4,000 of them are illegal, 100 of them may be. By not spending money to provide those 100 English as a Second Language courses, Ahlemann contended that taxpayer money would be saved.
“There's your money for the jail,” Ahlemann said.
He later tried to clarify that he was using the number of 100 as an examples and it may not be totally accurate.
George responded by saying how the federal government supersedes everything in this issue, and education cannot be held from anyone.
“Every kid has a right to an education, and that's the law,” he said. “We have to educate [immigrants], and we have to give them medical care.”
In closing statements, Ahlemann attacked Simpson's integrity, saying that he should not even be in the race since he signed the Republican pledge to back whichever candidate was nominated. If Simpson went back on his word, Ahleman said, how can citizens be sure that his deputies would be accountable to important documents they signed.
Simpson responded by saying that a lot of the comments made about him are not true. He said he could not endorse a candidate who has such little experience as Ahlemann for an issue like public safety, which means so much to him since he raises his family in Loudoun County.
“The reason I walked away from the Republican Party is because it’s not the party I joined many years ago,” he said.
George closed the debate, saying that a good sheriff needs a combination of experience, vision and integrity.
“Having experience makes having a vision easier,” he said.
He added that in his 22 years of law enforcement, no one has ever questioned his integrity.
Loudoun County citizens will take to the polls Nov. 6 to vote for a variety of races, including the sheriff's race between Ahlemann, George and Simpson.
As I read of the debate for Loudoun County Sheriff, I wonder if Loudoun County is at such great risk of a wave of illegal immigrant crime, why don't the law enforcement agencies just check the legal status of all people they stop? For that matter, how about using the sobriety checkpoints to check citizenship status? Maybe the County should check the legal status of all citizens paying property taxes?
Or even better, perhaps the Supervisor from Sterling could propose legislation that required that all persons carry a county identification card on their person at all times? If you don't have your card, off to jail you go!
The resurgent nativism that is occurring in Loudoun County politics is sadly reminiscent of the eras of racist, anti-immigrant history of the United States. The Irish in the early 18oo's, The Chinese in the mid 19th century, the Italians at the turn of the century, the Japanese during WWII; all were targeted because they were newcomers and looked different.
It is the fear mongers against which we must be most vigilant. If we allow them to prevail, our beloved nation will truly fail in it's noble proclamations of liberty and justice for all.
I seek a Sheriff who will respect the rights of ALL Loudoun County residents, and provide law enforcement without profiling. Which of the candidates can promise this?
Posted by LoudounPatriot
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