Investigative journalist Jessica Pishko says that a growing group of "constitutional sheriffs" have become a flashpoint in the current politics of toxic masculinity, guns, white supremacy, and rural resentment. "Constitutional sheriffs would argue that there is no one who can tell them what to do," Pishko says. "Not the president, not the Supreme Court, not the governor, not the legislature. Sometimes constitutional sheriffs will call themselves something like a king." Her book is The Highest Law in the Land. Also, Maureen Corrigan reviews Creation Lake, by Rachel Kushner. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
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Available@target.com dot this is FREsh Air.
I'm Tanya Moseley in the new series Fargo.
On FX, Jon Hamm plays a constitutional sheriff who believes he has supreme power over shepherding God's sake, a defender of the american gospel who is above the law.
What you need to know is that I am law of the land, elected by the residents of this county to interpret and enforce the constitution given unto us by almighty God.
Fargo Roy Tillman is a dramatic interpretation of a constitutional sheriff.
But in a new book, investigative journalist Jessica Pischko delves into the real life movement.
Sheriffs overall are nearly impossible to remove from office.
They run county jails, arrest people and enforce evictions and immigration laws.
Theyve led protests against the federal mask and vaccine mandates and are embraced by far right militia groups, white nationalists and presidential candidate Donald Trump, who sees them as allies in his plans for mass deportation and border policing.
Jessica Piscos new book is called the highest law in the how the Unchecked power of sheriffs threatens democracy.
She's been reporting on the criminal legal system for a decade, focusing on the political power of sheriff since 2016.
Her writing has appeared in the New York Times, Politico, Rolling Stone and the Atlantic.
Jessica Pischko, welcome to fresh air.