Why Did Robert Mercer Become a Cop in New Mexico?
Robert Mercer might be phenomenally wealthy, but according to a new profile, the former hedge fund CEO and GOP mega-donor has been adventuring in New Mexico for years in order to obtain something even billionaires have a hard time getting.
Bloomberg’s Zachary Mider recently spoke to William Norwood, police chief of Lake Arthur, NM, and Mercer’s superior during his work as volunteer officer on the force. Since Norwood says he doesn’t give special treatment to any of his reservists, it would mean that Mercer patrols the town for at least 6 days a year while providing his own gun and law enforcement equipment.
The way Mider sees it, Mercer began his volunteer work in 2011 so he could obtain license to carry concealed weapons anywhere in the country via the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act:
From the profile:
States vary widely in their approaches to regulating concealed weapons. But in 2004, Congress passed the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act, declaring that police officers can carry concealed guns in any state with no need of a local license. The law applies to officers who are off-duty and out of their jurisdiction—and includes volunteer reservists.
The law made a police badge an immeasurably valuable item in places such as Suffolk County, N.Y., where Mercer lives, and where concealed-carry permits are granted only rarely. Applicants must prove they face “extraordinary personal danger.”
Mercer wouldn’t provide comment to Mider, but the reporter found that Lake Arthur has 84 reserve officers who live all around country, and their members consist of former Navy SEALs, bodyguards, and other kinds of gun enthusiasts. Even though Lake Arthur doesn’t see a whole lot of intense law enforcement action, Mider said that the newsletter from Norwood’s department makes it sound like “a sort of high-octane club for guys who subscribe to Guns & Ammo.”
Due to recent events, there have been questions about whether Lake Arthur is a “badge factory,” a township where law enforcement figures allegedly give away badges to friends or wealthy buyers. Norwood insisted this isn’t the case with his town, that concealed carry rights wouldn’t be worth the volunteer prerequisites, and that reservists aren’t allowed to use their concealed-carry privileges outside of their jobs.
In other news, Mercer’s name has appeared in the political press more often than usual recently due to his involvement with Cambridge Analytica. The data firm is currently under a great deal of pressure due to the the revelations that they harvested Facebook data from millions of people in order to launch an online political campaign while they worked with President Trump’s 2016 campaign.
[Image via screengrab]
— —
