Former Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke reportedly dropped the F-bomb in an email exchange with a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel columnist who was working on a story about the former sheriff’s security detail.

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel watchdog columnist Daniel Bice sent Mr. Clarke, an ardent President Trump supporter, a series of questions last week asking how he felt about losing his round-the-clock, taxpayer-funded security detail, which was reportedly put into place in the summer of last year after the sheriff received an onslaught of death threats. Officials last week announced that Mr. Clarke would no longer receive such protection, which reportedly cost more than $220,000 since January.

“Was this a wise use of taxpayer dollars?” Mr. Bice asked, according to screenshots he shared on Twitter, The Hill reported.

“‘F— you and the horse you rode in on.’ I’m David Clarke and I approve this message,” the sheriff responded from his private email address.

Several of you have asked to see a screenshot of the exchange with @SheriffClarke’s new official email account. Here you go. pic.twitter.com/OfftY9y1jq — Daniel Bice (@DanielBice) September 20, 2017

Mr. Bice said he’s been covering Mr. Clarke since 2002 and has a “fun, if often strained, relationship” with the former sheriff, who abruptly resigned from his position last month to join the pro-Trump America First Action super PAC as a spokesman and senior adviser.

In another tweet, Mr. Bice included a screenshot from last year of an email from a member of Mr. Clarke’s staff offering the columnist an “extra-small” shirt bearing the sheriff’s silhouette.

“A message from the sheriff,” the email reportedly read. “He said he is getting you one of these T-shirts for Christmas and needs to know what size you wear. He said his guess would be extra-small but wants to make sure he gets the right size! And no tax dollars will be used! That should make you happy.”

Mr. Bice said he found Mr. Clarke’s humor amusing.

“I’ve been writing about him for 15 years. We know each other very well. I thought the email was funny,” he tweeted.

Mr. Bice said the former sheriff has blocked him on Twitter.

Mr. Clarke addressed the exchange with Mr. Bice on Twitter Thursday morning, writing, “What’s it like 2 move from being a public official into civilian life? This DOPE reporter just found out. It’s great.”

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