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Controversial AZ Sherrif under Grand Jury indictment

by Susan Marie Kovalinsky | January 9, 2010 at 05:23 am

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Federal Grand Jury probes abuse of power charges against Sheriff famous for controversial immigration policies

See prior Now Public coverage of the Sheriff by this author and others here.

Maricopa , AZ Sherriff Joseph Arpaio, known for his controversial immigration policies, has been charged with abuse of power against Maricopa County officials who disagreed with his policies.

A federal grand jury is investigating Joe Arpaio: He is the Arizona sheriff known for his aggressive and controversial stance on illegal immigration. Arpaio refused to heed police orders to stop arresting illegal immigrants.

Friday authorities stated that the indictment accuses the Sheriff of launching investigations of local officials who disagree with him.

Subpoenas were issued for two Maricopa County officials to appear before the grand jury to give testimony of Arpaio's actions against county officials after they took action to slash his budget in 2008.

Since then Arpaio and County Atty. Andrew Thomas, an ally, have filed criminal charges against two county supervisors, have said dozens of other county workers are under investigation and have filed a federal racketeering lawsuit accusing the entire county political structure of conspiring against them.
The investigation of Arpaio has been rumored for months, but the statements from County Manager David Smith and Deputy County Manager Sandi Wilson confirming the subpoenas, issued Thursday, are the first official confirmation.

The FBI and U.S. attorney's office in Phoenix declined to comment on the investigation. Arpaio's office did not return a call for comment.

In an interview Friday, Wilson, the county's budget chief, said a prosecutor from the U.S. attorney's office met with her and Smith this week. "They told us that they were looking at abuses by Sheriff Joe Arpaio and his office, abuses of power," she said.

Wilson said she was not asked about the sheriff's controversial immigration policies. Arpaio uses his deputies to enforce federal immigration law and is known for sending hundreds of officers into heavily Latino neighborhoods to ask anyone who commits violations as minor as jaywalking about their immigration status.

Among the officials targeted by Arpaio and Thomas has been Supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox, the lone Democrat on the board, for possible conflict of interest.

Wilson, whom Arpaio has named as part of a possible criminal conspiracy, said it was a relief that the federal government had looked into complaints from a wide array of Arizona officials about the sheriff's behavior.

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Ken Roberts (not verified)

at 08:06 on January 9th, 2010

He is only fighting back more then likely Wilcox is at the head of this investigation into the sheriff.We need ,more like him, he bothers no one only the ones that need bothering . call it profiling what ever you want, if I were in China I would be profiled if a white American was stealing something from the vendors there. they call it common sense which politically correct people have very little of . Here's wishing the Sheriff all the luck and hope he exposes all that are trying to illegally remove him .

YankeeJim

at 08:22 on January 9th, 2010

My Grandpa was a sheriff. He enforced the law, even when people didn't like it. For instance, he enforced prohibition against alcohol and he rounded up slot machines. He had opposition, though he did not use the power of his office to put down those who disagreed with him.

I applaud Sheriff Arpaio for enforcing immigration laws as far as he can. At the limit, he must call the Feds and request action. What happens when the Feds fail at their duties to enforce the laws? He is stuck.

Therein, the Feds create the untenable situation that leads to abuse of power. I cannot and do not justify his using the power of his office to attack political opposition, though I have much empathy for any local law enforcement who are victims of the Fed that is supposed to be protecting all of us.

Karen Hatter

at 10:25 on January 9th, 2010

The actions of this sheriff, harassing an entire community for looking like undocumented residents, are deplorable.

Rory Cripps

at 08:12 on January 10th, 2010

"Arpaio refused to heed police orders to stop arresting illegal immigrants."

Yes! That says it all! The U.S. government simply doesn't want illegal immigrants arrested. It's just not PC and it's oh so racist and xenophobic!

I wish that the U.S. government would be honest with the American people and come right out and say what's really on its mind when it comes to illegal immigrants: namely that the FEDs have no desire whatsoever to protect America's borders and stop the flow of illegals. But of course the FED would never say that because it is a collective sack of lying crap and to be honest with the American people would not be politically expedient.