Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke announced on Wednesday he had accepted a position as assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security. The announcement cast new light on Clarke's controversial past and colorful Twitter history.
Clarke also has ties to Russia and — rather oddly for someone who was a county sheriff in Wisconsin — met years ago with Russian officials in Moscow.
Clarke tweeted about visiting Moscow in December 2015, saying he met with Russia's foreign minister. According to the Daily Beast, Clarke visited the country as part of a delegation from the National Rifle Association. The delegation reportedly met with Dmitry Rogozin, a far-right official who was under US sanctions.
Clarke's trip was paid for by both a firearm company CEO, and an organization run by a Russian national based in Washington, DC.
