• The constitutional sheriff movement falsely asserts that sheriffs represent the highest law of the land, answering only to the U.S. Constitution and superseding any state or federal authority, including the president. The Southern Poverty Law Centers says that sheriffs who adhere to this ideology “are under the false impression that their role as sheriffs allows them to circumvent the structure of checks and balances put in place by the Constitution.” SPLC also argues that the movement is “actively damaging the nation’s rule of law and attempting to shape the U.S. into a country where fringe law enforcement officers determine what human, civil and property rights they will enforce.” According to States United Democracy Center, “many aspects of sheriffs’ roles are controlled by state constitutions and/or statutory law, including their duties, compensation, terms of elections, and procedures for removal.” [Southern Poverty Law Center, accessed 6/25/24, 6/6/22; States United Democracy Center, 10/4/22]
• Two leading groups promoting the constitutional sheriff movement’s ideology are the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association (CSPOA) and Protect American Now (PAN). CSPOA and PAN — which were formed by former Graham County, Arizona, Sheriff Richard Mack and current Pinal County, Arizona, Sheriff Mark Lamb, respectively — teach sheriffs that they have the authority to exert more control over the voting process and the border, and they encourage sheriffs to refuse to enforce gun control laws or COVID-19 mandates they deem unconstitutional. [Southern Poverty Law Center, accessed 6/25/24; The Washington Post, 11/2/21]
• CSPOA and PAN have increasingly turned their focus toward promoting election denial, such as urging sheriffs to investigate supposed voter fraud. During the 2022 midterms, CSPOA encouraged sheriffs to closely monitor for voter fraud, and ahead of the 2024 election, the group is reportedly urging sheriffs to insert themselves into more aspects of the voting process. CSPOA and PAN have worked with other extremist groups to monitor drop boxes, including the QAnon-linked election denial organization True the Vote. [Talking Points Memo, 4/18/24, 8/8/24; The New York Times, 7/25/22; The Guardian, 8/17/22]
• There is reportedly growing acceptance of the constitutional sheriff movement’s ideology among sheriffs across the country. Since 2018, at least 69 sheriffs out of 3,000 nationwide have either been identified as members of CSPOA or publicly supported it, according to the Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting. But CSPOA’s ideology may be more pervasive: A Marshall Project survey of over 500 of the country’s sheriffs found that more than 48% of respondents agreed that their authority within their own counties supersedes that of the state or federal government. Additionally, CSPOA has “continued to recruit sheriffs into their group and its related ideology through events targeting law enforcement, an online television show and membership in their association.” [Southern Poverty Law Center, accessed 6/25/24; The Associated Press, 8/21/23; Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, 10/20/22; The Marshall Project, 10/18/22] 

• Fox hosted sheriffs associated with the constitutional sheriffs movement at least 103 times on weekday programming between January 1, 2020, and September 25, 2024, according to Media Matters’ internal guest database. Constitutional sheriffs who appeared on Fox have been from Arizona, Michigan, Maryland, and Florida.
• Constitutional sheriffs appeared in at least 22 interviews on One America News’ prime-time evening programming from November 3, 2020, through December 30, 2022, according to Media Matters’ internal guest database. Constitutional sheriffs from Arizona and Florida have been featured on OAN, a far-right outlet known for pushing conspiracy theories about voter fraud, immigration, and the COVID-19 vaccine. [Media Matters, 9/27/22, 3/4/24, 4/25/22]
• Fox News has a history of promoting other extremist sheriffs. Media Matters reported in September 2020 that sheriffs associated with far-right and anti-immigrant groups had made at least 83 appearances on Fox News since August 2017, often pushing extreme narratives against immigration and gun control and boasting about their refusal to enforce public health mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic. [Media Matters, 9/25/20, 5/7/20]

So-called constitutional sheriffs across the country have used right-wing and far-right media appearances to spread the movement’s talking points, push misinformation about voter fraud, fearmonger about migrants coming across the border, and vow not to enforce federal or state laws.

Cochise County Sheriff Mark Dannels

Dannels chairs the Border Security Committee at the National Sheriff’s Association and has been listed as a “confirmed ‘constitutional sheriff’” by the Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting. Dannels was also reportedly a speaker at a 2019 CSPOA event and “openly supports the nullification of certain laws or mandates.” 

As sheriff, Dannels has been a frequent right-wing media commentator about the border, and he gave testimony to the House Judiciary Committee about the border. 

• Dannels appeared on Fox News at least 57 times between January 1, 2020, and September 25, 2024, per Media Matters’ internal guest database. During interviews, Dannels has frequently accused immigrants of bringing drugs and cartel violence to the United States. [Media Matters, 1/31/23]
• On militia-linked radio host Pete Santilli’s show, Dannels promoted “constitutional sheriff” rhetoric and fearmongered about migrants coming across the U.S.-Mexico border, saying, “Together, 3,000 sheriffs have awesome power. … We need all sheriffs to stand up and do what’s right.” Dannels said that drug cartels are “behind everything that goes on in the southwest border.” Later, Santilli outlined constitutional sheriff ideology, claiming that a sheriff on the border who “defer[s] to the federal agents, the federal law,” is “just not understanding the full power and authority or understanding something called dual sovereignty, where the sheriff truly does have the authority constitutionally to enforce the law, then the federal government can't tell him what he can and can't do.” Dannels concurred, adding, “There's autonomy with being a sheriff, there truly is.” [Rumble, Pete Santilli Show, 3/15/21; Media Matters, 1/18/22, 6/7/24]
• Dannels has been a guest on former Trump adviser Sebastian Gorka’s show, where he again fearmongered about migrants coming across the border. During a 2021 interview, Dannels warned about the end of Trump-era Title 42 immigration restrictions, claiming that it “is a tragedy waiting to happen once that goes away” and urging sheriffs to “stand united.” [Newsmax, America First with Sebastian Gorka, 8/1/21; The Associated Press, 5/12/23]

Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb

Lamb has been closely connected to the constitutional sheriff movement, having founded Protect America Now. The New York Times reported that PAN is “affiliated with and espouses similar ideas to the Constitutional Sheriff movement, and has worked to investigate and amplify claims of election fraud that have been debunked.”

Lamb, who lost the 2024 Republican primary to represent Arizona in the U.S. Senate, has been a frequent guest in right-wing media, including programs that have called for political violence or spread conspiracy theories. 

• Lamb has been a frequent guest on Fox News, making at least 35 appearances on weekday programming from January 1, 2020, through September 25, 2024, per Media Matters’ internal guest database.
• Lamb has been a repeated guest on One America News prime-time programs. According to Media Matters’ internal guest database, Lamb appeared on OAN’s prime-time programs at least 14 times between November 3, 2020, and December 30, 2022.
• Lamb went on the program of white nationalist Stew Peters and defended the shooting of Ralph Yarl, a Black teenager who rang a doorbell at the wrong address by mistake. Lamb claimed that the shooter, who reportedly “told police he fired immediately after answering the doorbell when he saw” Yarl, “was trying to protect his property, stand his ground,” and “now he’s being persecuted.” Peters is a far-right streaming host who has pushed antisemitism, spread conspiracy theories, and repeatedly advocated for violence against his perceived enemies. [Media Matters, 4/25/23, 3/13/23; CNN, 4/18/23]
• Lamb has appeared on at least 5 media programs hosted by QAnon conspiracy theorists. In one interview, he told the host, “I follow the show so this is a treat for me.” During another appearance with a QAnon-supporting host, Lamb agreed with the host after he used an anti-gay slur and claimed that “the law system was also manipulated to protect illegal immigrants on American soil with American rights.” [Media Matters, 4/19/23]
• Lamb appeared on an antisemitic network that warns viewers about purported “seditious Jews,” a “Jew coup,” and “Jewish tyrants.” During the episode on which Lamb appeared, the network’s leader claimed that Jewish people “squash” and “crush” people. TruNews headlined his appearance “Sheriff Lamb Stands Up To Vaccine Tyrants,” and the hosts praised Lamb for “fighting back” and “standing up” against vaccine mandates. [Media Matters, 4/10/23]
• Lamb has received a friendly platform from far-right pundit Steve Bannon, the former Trump strategist now serving a four-month federal prison sentence for refusing to comply with a subpoena from the House January 6 committee. During the 2022 midterms, Lamb appeared on Bannon’s War Room program at least twice, where the host lavished praise on Lamb as “one of the true, great young leaders in this country.” [Media Matters, 2/9/23, 7/1/24]
• Lamb promoted his Protect America Now organization on Sebastian Gorka’s Newsmax program, where he also accused President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris of “undermining the rule of law.” During the interview, Lamb said, “We are to get standing together as sheriffs — and now chiefs of police as well — are coming together to stand up for the rule of law, to stand against lawlessness, to protect the people's constitutional rights and to stand against bad policies like what we’re seeing on the border.” [Newsmax, America First with Sebastian Gorka, 8/1/21]
• Lamb has pushed conspiracy theories about voter fraud during right-wing media appearances, including promoting the debunked 2000 Mules film. In a podcast appearance last May, Lamb said there was “no question” there was fraud in the 2020 election. “This was the most unsecure election, and there’s a movie coming out called 2000 Mules, and you’re going to see how unsecure it was,” Lamb said before the film’s premiere. [YouTube, Dropping Bombs, 5/13/22; Media Matters, 2/9/23; NPR, 5/31/24]

Yuma County Sheriff Leon Wilmot

Wilmot has been identified as a “confirmed ‘constitutional sheriff’” by the Arizona Center for Investigative’s reporting, and he is also listed in a 2022 CSPOA press release on “Sheriffs Committed to Investigating Election Fraud.” Wilmot reportedly opened an investigation into baseless claims of voter fraud in the 2020 election.

As sheriff, Wilmot has repeatedly appeared on One America News and Fox News.

• Wilmot appeared on Fox News at least twice between January 1, 2020, and September 25, 2024. During a June 2023 appearance on America’s Newsroom, Wilmot discussed the border and immigration. [Fox News, America’s Newsroom, 6/9/23]
• Wilmot repeatedly appeared on the far-right outlet One America News’ prime-time programs. According to Media Matters’ internal guest database, Wilmot appeared on OAN’s prime-time programs at least four times from November 3, 2020, through December 30, 2022. During a 2022 interview, Wilmot pushed conspiracy theories about voter fraud, saying that the debunked movie 2000 Mules “further validates that folks need to get with the county recorder in their jurisdictions and make sure that they're not being used in these schemes that those individuals are conducting.” [One America News, 6/11/22; NPR, 5/31/24]

Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey

Ivey is a self-identified “constitutional sheriff,” who has reportedly served as an advisory board member of Mark Lamb's Protect America Now and “has emerged as the most prominent spokesman for the group along with Lamb.” Ivey drew attention in 2016 when he encouraged citizens in his county to carry firearms in case “a terrorist attack or active-shooter scenario” happens.

Ivey, who has focused his attention on immigration, has appeared in right-wing media to discuss the topic and promote Protect America Now.

• Ivey appeared on Fox News at least 6 times between January 1, 2020, and September 25, 2024, according to Media Matters’ internal guest database of weekday Fox appearances. In 2021, Ivey appeared on Fox & Friends to discuss immigration and promote the constitutional sheriff-linked group Protect America Now, which he described as “trying to fight attacks on our Constitution, to fight attacks on our citizens’ rights and attacks on our cops, the concept of defunding the police.” He claimed the group is made up of “true sheriffs that are working together, that are out there on the front lines.” [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 3/18/21]
• According to Media Matters’ internal guest database, Ivey appeared on OAN’s prime-time shows at least 4 times from November 3, 2020, through December 30, 2022. During a 2022 interview on Real America with Dan Ball to discuss Hurricane Ian, Ivey fearmongered about “numerous looters,” declaring that, “If you're coming to this area to loot, you are putting your own life in danger because these citizens are not going to play and we’re not going to play.” [One America News, Real America with Dan Ball, 10/3/22] 
• Ivey has appeared on multiple programs on the far-right outlet Real America’s Voice to discuss immigration. During one May 2022 interview, Ivey blamed undocumented immigration for drug abuse and overdose deaths in his county, saying, “Illegal immigration doesn’t stop at the border. It and its effects go into every community in our country.” [Real America’s Voice, 5/9/22, 7/15/21, 4/26/22]

Johnson County Sheriff Calvin Hayden

Hayden opened an investigation into baseless claims of voter fraud in the 2020 election and has tried to assert more authority over the voting process in elections. Hayden, who is listed in a 2022 CSPOA press release as one of the “Sheriffs Committed to Investigating Election Fraud,” has declared himself a constitutional sheriff and spoken at CSPOA events. Hayden has also spread right-wing conspiracy theories and misinformation, including about the 2020 election. 

Hayden has given interviews to right-wing media, including at a CSPOA event.

• In an interview with a conservative host, Hayden declared himself a constitutional sheriff and said that “every sheriff should be a constitutional sheriff.” Hayden also promoted constitutional sheriff ideology, saying, “It's our county, and if the federals want to come in and try to exercise federal law over our state laws, it's not going to work well.” [Trent on the Loos, 11/17/23]
• At the 2022 CSPOA conference, Hayden did an interview with The New American’s Alex Newman to tout his ongoing investigation into voter fraud and urged citizens to “keep an eye on your next elections.” Newman, who is senior editor of a right-wing media outlet published by a subsidiary of the John Birch Society, has hosted a show on QAnon-supporting Rumble channel American Media Periscope and positively quoted Adolf Hitler. During the interview with Newman, Hayden gave credence to allegations of voter fraud and claimed that he started “looking into it” after the election and “going down rabbit holes.” When asked if he had “advice to citizens” who are “hoping to have a constitutional sheriff, hoping to work with law enforcement,” Hayden replied, “If you see anything that doesn't make sense to you … bring it to us, please. Keep an eye on your next elections.” [The New American, 7/25/22; Media Matters, 6/9/23, 6/23/23]

Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins

Jenkins has publicly associated with CSPOA and was charged with conspiracy in an illegal machine gun acquisition scheme. (His trial is reportedly set for January 2025.) As noted by the Southern Poverty Law Center, Jenkins was indicted on six counts for “making false statements and representations in paperwork submitted to the ATF in order to obtain machine guns that were used by campaign supporter Robert Justin Krop’s firearms business,” with SPLC adding, “A refusal to enforce federal laws is directly related to constitutional sheriff ideology.”

As sheriff, Jenkins has frequently appeared in right-wing media to demonize immigrants and complain about a supposedly “wide open” border.

• During the time that Jenkins allegedly engaged in an illegal gun acquisition scheme, he regularly appeared on Fox News to demonize immigrants, paint them as criminals, and call for harsher penalties to be levied against them. [Media Matters, 4/7/23]
• On Steve Bannon’s War Room program, Jenkins touted his use of an immigration enforcement program criticized by civil rights advocates for “empowering racist sheriffs.” During an interview with Real America’s Voice correspondent Ben Bergquam, Jenkins touted his county having “the longest tenure” of the 287(g) program, which the American Civil Liberties Union describes as a “set of partnerships between Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) and state and local law enforcement agencies that effectively turns local officials into ICE agents.” Jenkins told the audience that he’s “proud” and that the program “simply protects the citizens of my county by not letting illegals back onto the streets to commit more crimes.” [Real America’s Voice, War Room, 6/10/24; American Civil Liberties Union, 5/16/24]
• On a program hosted by an anti-immigrant activist, Jenkins claimed the border is “wide open” and complained that “we’re not enforcing the law.” Jenkins told Remembrance Project founder Maria Espinoza that “we've allowed our borders to basically remain wide open, especially now. But I can talk about the impact of the open borders from my county, 2,500 miles away from Texas.” He added that “America is not prepared to support this influx of population” and “American law enforcement and the criminal justice system is not prepared for what is coming our way and what we're gonna face.” [The All-American Project with Maria Espinoza, 3/30/22; The Texas Observer, 6/13/19]

Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf

Leaf is a board member on CSPOA and has seemingly used his position as sheriff to open a misinformation-fueled investigation into baseless claims of election fraud that have targeted elections officials. After Barry County's Board of Commissioners didn't fund a second detective for the investigation, Leaf reportedly used “the power of the posse” and “swore in some people” who volunteered to carry out the investigation.

According to MLive, “Constitutional sheriffs believe a department’s ‘posse’ is a way of giving power to the people, wresting it away from the feds,” and Leaf has reportedly expanded volunteer units in the county, including a Barry County posse with members who “wear uniforms and badges, and are armed” and a second volunteer group, the auxiliary, whose function “is hazy and includes plain-clothed members who may be armed.”

Leaf has also drawn attention for endorsing militias, refusing to enforce COVID-19 social distancing measures, and seemingly defending the alleged terrorist plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

As sheriff, Leaf has appeared in right-wing media, including to praise CSPOA.

• On Fox News in April 2020, Leaf defended his refusal to enforce Whitmer’s social distancing measures. [Media Matters, 11/12/20]
• On a conservative podcast, Leaf discussed his ongoing investigation as the host referenced a voter fraud conspiracy theory about Dominion. During an interview with guest host Patrick Colbeck — a former Michigan state senator who “traffics in election conspiracy theories” — Leaf discussed his investigation into 2020 voter fraud while Colbeck referenced then-newly discovered internal emails from Dominion that The New York Times described as “innocuous” and as merely showing that “top officials at Dominion had communicated with employees in one of its back offices in Belgrade, Serbia, near the time of the election.” During the interview, Colbeck suggested that the emails proved that developers for the company in Serbia “were actively involved in the development of the software that we use in our elections.” Additionally, Colbeck introduced Leaf as “one of the leading members of the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association,” saying that “it's my honor, distinct honor to have Dar on the program with me today.” [The Conservative Daily Show, 4/25/24; The New York Times, 7/20/24; The Washington Post, 5/28/24]
• On a conservative radio program, Leaf promoted militias and posses and claimed that militias are demonized as part of a “New World Order” plot. After host Kate Dalley noted that “when you hear ‘militia’ nowadays, of course, the press, the government try to demonize,” Leaf said, “I look at it as they're trying to do this New World Order and they cannot have a militia in there because the government's going to take care of you. And, you know, just ask the American Indian how well they do that.” Leaf declared that “the sheriff is probably the second oldest office next to the king” and “the posse and the militia have just as much lawful character as the news media” because “the militia and the news media are both mentioned and recognized in the Constitution. …. The posse come across the ocean with the office of the sheriff.” While arguing that posses have a longstanding history with sheriffs, Leaf bizarrely noted that he has “some older pictures, too, that I had in my computer here — I can't find them now — where they're [sheriff’s posse] actually posing with a dead body behind them like it’s a deer carcass.” [NPR, 4/18/20; The Kate Dalley Show, 8/17/21]
• Earlier this year, Leaf reportedly spoke to a sovereign citizen group, National Liberty Alliance, where he reportedly reaffirmed his support for a posse. National Liberty Alliance supports the notion of a constitutional sheriff and has pushed antigovernment conspiracy theories. [Twitter/X, 3/27/24; Southern Poverty Law Center, accessed 8/28/24]
• In an interview posted to CSPOA’s Rumble page, Leaf told CSPOA’s Richard Mack that he appreciates the organization for “hanging in there with me” when he was criticized. He also praised the group for giving “me the knowledge to be able to stand up and make those comments and know that I’m right.” [Rumble, 4/28/22]

Coryell County Sheriff Scott Williams

Williams has been listed as a member of the CSPOA Advisory Board, and he has given credence to conspiracy theories about voter fraud in the 2020 election. 

Williams has seemingly worked to spread the ideology in his office with state resources, attending a CSPOA training with 12 other sworn officers from his office (costing taxpayers $700). Additionally, all of his deputies apparently carry “pocket” Constitutions from conspiracy theorist W. Cleon Skousen, who was reportedly an inspiration for Richard Mack in founding CSPOA.

As sheriff, Williams has given interviews to far-right media at CSPOA events.

• At the 2022 CSPOA conference, Williams did an interview with The New American’s Alex Newman, praising CSPOA, suggesting sheriffs have a duty to investigate voter fraud in the 2020 election, and agreeing that sheriffs are “the last line of defense for America.” Williams said that CSPOA helped “educate me” that “my sole purpose in life” is “to stand in the gap for my citizens.” He also said, “Sheriffs need to step up. They need to be educated.” When asked about investigating the 2020 election, Williams said that he would “want to know that my vote counted, that our elections are secure and safe, and that we are voting in the people that are going to represent the people the best. And I believe the sheriff can do that.” [The New American, 8/2/22]
• At the 2021 CSPOA conference, Williams did an interview with The New American, where he declared that “neither I nor any of my staff will ever take a firearm from somebody.” The host also praised Williams for his refusal to enforce COVID-19 measures from the governor, saying, “It's encouraging to see many other sheriffs around the country, even those who are not affiliated with the CSPOA, have just said basically, no.” [The New American, 9/21/21]
• Williams appeared as a guest alongside Mack on the podcast Liberty Roundtable, which is hosted by CSPOA’s CEO Sam Bushman. Mack said of CSPOA, “We are just growing so quickly, and we need sitting sheriffs like Sheriff Williams to help shoulder that load.” [Texas Tribune, 1/13/23; Rolling Stone, 10/17/23]

Panola County Sheriff Ronald “Cutter” Clinton

Clinton — who reportedly joined CSPOA before becoming the sheriff of Panola County, Texas — is listed in a 2022 CSPOA press release as one of several “Sheriffs Committed to Investigating Election Fraud.” 

The Texas Tribune also reported that Clinton explained at a CSPOA conference that the group’s “reading material” helped him understand the role of a sheriff, and he praised the training events as a chance to be “among my people.”

As sheriff-elect, Clinton gave an interview to a right-wing outlet at a CSPOA event.

• At the 2022 CSPOA conference, Clinton did an interview with The New American’s Alex Newman, calling local law enforcement “the autonomy of your area.” When asked if he would open an investigation into voter fraud in the 2020 election, Clinton noted that he had not taken office yet and doesn't “have any plans to conduct an investigation,” but “if technologies are vulnerable and that's being shown across the country and proven up to, then I would certainly use my position as an advocate to find a solution and make sure our votes are as respected as preserved because of how important they are.” Clinton ended the interview by urging viewers to “support your local law enforcement” because it “is the autonomy of your area.” [The New American, 7/27/22]

Klickitat County Sheriff Bob Songer

Songer is a board member for CSPOA who formed a 150-person armed citizen posse to hunt cougars and “stand as a potential militia.” 

Oregon Public Broadcasting reported that Songer believes that “the posse is also a check on the federal government” and that “when accepting an award from the Arizona-based Constitutional Sheriffs and Police Officers Association in 2019, he said he would deputize hundreds more if he saw any perceived federal overreach in Klickitat.”

He said: “If they think the Bundy deal down in Nevada was a big thing, that would be nothing compared to what would be happening here.” 

Additionally, Songer is listed in a 2022 CSPOA press release as “committed to investigating election fraud.”

As sheriff, Songer has appeared in far-right media, where he has pushed constitutional sheriff rhetoric and promoted the posse model to other sheriffs.

• On Matt Shea’s Patriot Radio program, Songer gave a friendly interview to the former Republican Washington state representative, who was accused of planning an armed occupation and domestic terrorism. [Patriot Radio, 3/10/22, 3/10/22; The Washington Post, 12/20/19]
• In his interview with Shea, Songer claimed that the federal government wants to disarm citizens to install a “one world order” and that sheriffs must “have the backbone to stand up when government becomes the bad guy.” Songer claimed that the federal “authorities don’t have jurisdiction in your county” and that the Biden administration and “the federal government, they want one world order. … Hitler faced the same stuff. In order to turn this country into a one world order or a Marxist country, what do you have to do? You have to disarm the masses.” Songer said that sheriffs must “have the backbone to stand up when government becomes the bad guy. … And when bad guys, crooks violate the rights of your citizens, you go after them, arrest them.” Songer also said: “Your primary job as a constitutional sheriff is when government becomes the bad guy and violating people's rights, your job is to interpose and stand up with a citizen and fight it back against the government.” [Patriot Radio, 3/10/22, 3/10/22; The Washington Post, 12/20/19]
• Songer refused to enforce a state law tightening background checks for gun purchases, telling conspiracy theorist Alex Jones that he “took an oath ... to uphold of the U.S. Constitution and Washington state Constitution, which gives a right to people to bear arms.” Songer, who gave his cell phone number out to Jones’ audience, appeared alongside Joey Gibson, who founded the Vancouver, Washington-based extremist group Patriot Prayer and has been linked to street violence. Jones praised Songer and Gibson, saying he “salute[s] you both,” and telling Songer, “Please come back on to advise us of what's unfolding in your area. You're the frontline of the defense of not just your, your constituents, but also the country.” [Infowars, The Alex Jones Show, 1/9/19; The New Yorker, 5/17/20; Oregon Live, 8/30/20, 7/19/22]
• In an interview with The New American’s Alex Newman at the 2022 CSPOA conference, Songer declared himself a “constitutional sheriff” and promoted his armed citizen posse as a model for other sheriffs. Songer mocked the left for saying his posse would be used for “tracking down immigrants and hanging people from oak trees,” and he declared, “I'm a constitutional sheriff. And I tell people, as an elected sheriff, I'm a constitutional sheriff.” He said, “I’m hoping those sheriffs who are interested” in forming their own citizen posse will call his office so he can share “our policy and procedures for the policy.” [The New American, 5/6/24]
• Songer has appeared on CSPOA founder Richard Mack’s The Sheriff Mack Show, as well as the podcast of CSPOA CEO Sam Bushman. In a 2021 interview with Mack, Songer said that he refused “to join in with the FBI and partner up with local authorities to literally spy on parents at school board meetings.” Mack said he’s doing “exactly what every sheriff in this country should be doing. … We really need to make that a template and get it to every sheriff in the country to do the same thing.” In a 2024 podcast interview with CSPOA’s CEO Sam Bushman, Songer asserted that the Biden administration is trying “to turn our country into a Marxist society. And by doing that, if they can take your guns away from you, number 1, and limit or control the food supply that you would get, they pretty much run you then. You're pretty much owned. And I for one think it's our federal government,” said Songer. [Rumble, 12/16/21, 6/17/24; Rolling Stone, 10/17/23]

Racine County Sheriff Chris Schmaling

Schmaling, reportedly a member of the CSPOA, has spread baseless claims of widespread voter fraud and opened an investigation into baseless claims of voter fraud in the 2020 election. Schmaling, who is listed in a 2022 CSPOA press release as “committed to investigating election fraud,” made headlines in 2021 when he sought charges “against five state election officials because they told clerks to bypass state law during the coronavirus pandemic and send absentee ballots to nursing homes instead of first visiting in person.”

At a CSPOA event, Schmaling gave an interview to a right-wing outlet to defend his recommendation to file charges against election commissioners.

• In an interview with The New American’s Alex Newman at the 2022 CSPOA conference, Schmaling discussed his decision to recommend charges for Wisconsin election commissioners, claiming they “broke the law.” After Newman asked if we should “put 2020 in the rearview mirror or does there need to be accountability if there were crimes committed,” Schmaling said, “That’s why we’re investigating. … We need to hold those people accountable, and then take steps to make certain it never happens again.” [The New American, 7/26/22]

Polk County Sheriff Brent Waak 

Waak has espoused constitutional sheriff ideology, vowing not to enforce a federal gun law. He has also appeared on CSPOA CEO Sam Bushman’s podcast and promoted constitutional sheriff rhetoric in media appearances.

• In an interview with a former prosecutor and conservative podcast host, Waak announced that he would resist ATF enforcement of federal law in Polk County. After the host, Tom Grieve, asked what Waak would do if “ATF comes knocking in,” Waak promoted constitutional sheriff rhetoric, saying that he would “educate them,” “tell them that Polk County is a Second Amendment sanctuary county,” and “tell them that I believe this is an unconstitutional order and that they're in breach of their oath of office to take action on this.” [Rumble, 1/31/23]
• Waak appeared on the podcast Liberty Roundtable, hosted by CSPOA CEO Sam Bushman. During the February 2023 interview alongside CSPOA founder Richard Mack, Waak shared that he would not enforce a new ATF rule. [Southern Poverty Law Center, accessed 8/5/24; Rolling Stone, 10/17/23]

Media Matters searched our internal database of all original, weekday programming on Fox News Channel (shows airing from 6 a.m. through midnight) for segments that analysts determined to include Mark Dannels, Mark Lamb, Leon Wilmot, Wayne Ivey, Calvin Hayden, Chuck Jenkins, Dar Leaf, Scott Williams, Ronald “Cutter” Clinton, Bob Songer, Chris Schmaling, or Brent Waak as guests from January 1, 2020, through September 25, 2024.

Media Matters also reviewed video from the SnapStream and Grabien video databases for all original episodes of OAN’s In Focus, Real America, Tipping Point, After Hours, and The Real Story for guest appearances from November 3, 2020, through December 30, 2022. (The Real Story replaced After Hours on March 22, 2021 and then OAN canceled The Real Story on May 26, 2022.)

We also reviewed internal documents generated from live monitoring of the aforementioned OAN shows, iHeartRadio podcast guest lists, OAN Rumble videos, and YouTube video uploads to cross-check guest appearances. Finally, we searched Twitter for any of the handles @DanNewsManBall, @nefertari_25, @AlexSalviNews, or @STEPHMHAMILL with any of the terms “tune in,” “guest,” “guests,” “tonight,” “join,” or “show” as a final check.

We defined guest appearances as any interviews of any of the aforementioned sheriffs.

We included new appearances only; we did not include appearances in prerecorded interviews unless that was the first airing of the interview. We also did not count a guest more than once if the person appeared in more than one segment in the same episode.