George Soros sinks $9.6 million in law enforcement races

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio. (Capitol Media Services file photo by Howard Fischer)

Liberal hedge-fund tycoon George Soros has poured $9.6 million into local law enforcement races across the country in a bid to remake the criminal justice system.

The longtime bankroller of liberal causes had focused his political giving in the past on mostly federal races.

But Soros has broadened his contributions over the last year by backing Democrats in local district attorney races in Illinois, Louisiana, New Mexico, Mississippi, Texas, Missouri, Florida, Colorado, Georgia and Arizona.

He has given $2.3 million into trying to unseat metro Phoenix’s longtime sheriff, Joe Arpaio.

So far, all but one of his favored candidates have won either their primaries or have been elected to office. The spending helped topple a well-known incumbent in Orlando and drove a Republican candidate from the race in Albuquerque.