Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik has been under relentless fire from the right since his impassioned and impromptu plea for an end to hateful and violent rhetoric. (Though as Media Matters points out at that link, they "repeatedly praised a different Arizona sheriff, Paul Babeu, who regularly engages in vitriolic attacks against President Obama and Democrats," and revere the racist Joe Arpaio).

Dupnik has been attacked by everyone from Red State and Malkin to his home state Senator, Jon Kyl.

Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) said he didn't think the sheriff's words "had any part in a law enforcement briefing." Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ) said he was "disappointed" in the sheriff. Conservative talk show host Neal Boortz said Dupnik was looking for political gain, and Fox News anchor -- in an interview with the sheriff -- wondered aloud why he would "inject political speculation" into the story. They all argued that Jared Loughner, the suspected shooter, is a "madman" and that politics had nothing to do with the shooting.

Dupnik remains undaunted by the pressure and last night told ABC News' Diane Sawyer:

"The kind of rhetoric that flows from people like Rush Limbaugh, in my judgment he is irresponsible, uses partial information, sometimes wrong information," Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik said today. "[Limbaugh] attacks people, angers them against government, angers them against elected officials and that kind of behavior in my opinion is not without consequences." Limbaugh today railed against the media and Dupnik for trying to draw a link between the heated political climate and the shooting rampage, calling the sheriff a "fool." But Dupnik stood by his assertions. "The vitriol affects the [unstable] personality that we are talking about," he said. "You can say, 'Oh no, it doesn't,' but my opinion is that it does." .... Dupnik said he'd like to see the federal government establish some kind of commission to deal with civility in the United States and make recommendations about how to get it back. "I don't have a problem with heated arguments," he said. "As a matter of fact you are kind of getting a little heat out of me now, and it is because I am very angry at what has transpired." "Not because it's Tucson, Arizona, but because of two beautiful people -- one almost dead and one assassinated -- that were personal friends of mine," he said, speaking of Giffords and U.S. District Judge John Roll, "and outstanding individuals and public servants."

He's certainly an authoritative voice for how his own state, Arizona, has been affected by the hate. If anyone has a right to speak out, it's a law enforcement official who has seen directly the results of the violent rhetoric, including being threatened himself.

There's more discussion LeftyCoaster's diary.