Post submitted by Brian McBride, former HRC Digital Strategist 

One of America’s most controversial and anti-LGBTQ law enforcement officials could soon be tapped by President Trump to fill a prominent role at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) -- raising alarms with civil rights groups across the country.   

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. is claiming he will leave the office next month to accept a position at DHS’s Office of Partnership and Engagement as a liaison with state, local and tribal law enforcement and governments.

BREAKING: @SheriffClarke announces he will "accept an appointment as an assistant secretary in the Department of Homeland Security."

— Alan Neuhauser (@alneuhauser) May 17, 2017

Although DHS has yet to officially confirm the Clarke’s claim, HRC and other civil rights organizations, including GLAAD and the Anti-Defamation League have expressed grave concerns over Trump’s possible pick.

Not only has Clarke’s tenure as sheriff been called into question following the deaths of four people -- including a baby -- under his supervision, but his long and expansive anti-LGBTQ record is just as abhorrent:

• He said that the Supreme Court’s ruling to legalize marriage equality nationwide would result in a conservative revolt against President Obama’s “socialist agenda.”

Encouraged to see that the sense of resignation over SCOTUS and modern lib cultural rot is turning to anger today. Next is rage, then revolt

— David A. Clarke, Jr. (@SheriffClarke) June 27, 2015

• He condemned Democrats and advocates for calling on sensible gun safety measures; following the tragic shooting at Orlando’s Pulse Nightclub shooting that took lives of 49 people;
• He said on his right-wing podcast that transgender people “suffer from mental disorders” and “live freakish lifestyles”;
• And he said a supportive mother of a transgender elementary school student was guilty of "child abuse."

@VickiMcKenna Reference to the mother of a transgendered elementary school student tells me all I need to know about this story. Child abuse

— David A. Clarke, Jr. (@SheriffClarke) October 19, 2015

In addition to these extremely anti-LGBTQ statments, he’s also referred to Planned Parenthood as “Planned Genocide” and has insisted the Black Lives Matter movement would “join forces with ISIS” to bring down the U.S.

Clarke’s appointment to DHS would be a grave mistake that would cause undue harm to people across the nation. His homophobic, transphobic, racist and sexist views have absolutely no place anywhere, including and especially in law enforcement agencies or the federal government.