Episode 2: The Network

Why are sheriffs aligning with right-wing insurgents? We take you back to 2012, inside a conference room in Las Vegas, where a new far-right network of sheriffs—the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association (CSPOA)—held its first-ever gathering. Their mission? To combat what they saw as the “socialist” agenda under former President Obama.

CSPOA openly fosters alliances between sheriffs and militias. Some of the figures involved, like Stewart Rhodes—founder of the Oath Keepers, who was later charged with seditious conspiracy for his role in the January 6 insurrection—have become central players in today’s ongoing political conflict. What does this growing bond between far-right movements and elected sheriffs mean for the future? How could it escalate the threat of far-right insurgency?

Featured in this episode:

• Frederick Clarkson, Senior Research Analyst at Political Research Associates
• Mary McCord, Executive Director of the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection (ICAP) at Georgetown University

Further Reading:

• Learn how a Right Wing Network Mobilized Sheriff’s Departments.
• Read a recently published excerpt from Jessica Pishko’s new book, The Highest Law in the Land, on constitutional sheriffs.
• Take a deeper dive into one of the Christian militant movements influencing this network, Christian Reconstructionism.
• Check out this background on another key influential group within this network, The John Birch Society.

The Insurgence: Sheriffs is created and hosted by PRA research director, Cloee Cooper. This episode was also written by Cloee Cooper. Audio production, audio editing, sound design, sound engineering, sound mix, story editing, story development, and consulting production by Cuentero Productions. All under their client-facing trademark, Cuentero Transeúnte Productions™. Olivia Lawrence-Weilmann provided production assistance and creative consulting. Additional production assistance was performed by René Martin. Original score is by Aakash Desai. The Insurgence: Sheriffs is executive produced by Political Research Associates (PRA) and Cuentero Productions.