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Could Orange County turn into Arizona? Protests against Governor Brewer’s signing of SB 1070 into law came close to home as Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio visited Southern California over the weekend. As the invited guest of Orange County Sheriff hopeful Bill Hunt, the controversial Arizona lawman appeared at three campaign fundraising stops in Newport Beach, Santa Ana, and Costa Mesa. Demonstrators followed the Arizona sheriff at every turn to denounce his notorious immigration sweeps in Latino neighborhoods as racist while calling for a boycott of the state. Hunt, who hopes to unseat incumbent OC Sheriff Sandra Hutchens in the June election, has defended Arpaio against charges of racism at a recent candidates forum. Responding to Anaheim Deputy Police Chief Craig Hunter who is also in the running, Hunt said, “You call Joe Arpaio a racist? That’s what happens when a sheriff stands up and does his duty!” At that same forum, he also promised voters that should he prevail in the upcoming election, he would model his leadership after the Arizona Sheriff that he has allied so closely with. According to a poll conducted earlier this month by the newly launched “Voice of OC” investigative news website, Hutchens holds a double-digit lead over both Hunt and Hunter, but a majority of voters remain undecided.

GUEST: Gustavo Arellano, Staff Writer with the OC Weekly, Author of the ‘Ask a Mexican” column and book, Host of the 3 O’Clock Report Heard on KPFK every Thursday.

Read more at http://www.ocweekly.com/2010-04-01/news/moxley-confidential-bill-hunt-sheriff/