Sure, it's ok for an elected law enforcement officer to use his position of power to investigate a political opponent for spite and intimidation. It is unbelievable that you can't see this.
2 points here im assuming you are intentionally not getting which separates it from the thread you were intending to mock through comparison.
1. A private investigator was being used not entities of the Sheriff's office.
2. It was done only after the judges wife made the claim that the judge interfered and tampered with an election. Mind you, an election for a position the judge was against.
Further, you understand that had Joe used actual investigators and tax payer dollars he would then have been liable for ethics violations. He did it the right way. Had the investigation turned up any misdeeds the information could then be turned over to the officials to conduct a formal investigation.
You attempt to make a claim of impropriety yet fail to see the irony of the judge being the one who was abusing the power of his position. So I guess to your original point, yes, it frightens me to the lengths your party will go to stamp out opposing positions and views.
Thanks for playing. I'll actually be curious to see where this one goes. Keep us posted.