Report: FBI Probing Controversial Arizona Sheriff For "Investigating" Political Foes

[babylonsister]

Report: FBI Probing Controversial Arizona Sheriff For "Investigating" Political Foes
Zachary Roth | November 2, 2009, 1:12PM


Sheriff Joe Arpaio, the hard-line anti-immigration Arizona sheriff, is being probed by the FBI for allegedly using his authority to retaliate against political adversaries, sources tell a local TV station. One of the key cases cited by Phoenix-based KPHO is one we told you about recently, in which a husband-and-wife team of big-name Washington GOP lawyers was briefly recruited to try to build a case against a local official who had clashed with Arpaio.

In response to the KPHO report, Arpaio bizarrely lashed out at ... David Iglesias, the former U.S. attorney who had dared offer an expert opinion to the station.

Arpaio -- the Maricopa County sheriff who has used press-friendly stunts like forcing prisoners to wear pink underwear to build a national reputation -- recently had his authority to conduct immigration raids scaled back by the Justice Department.

But the reported FBI probe could turn into a far bigger headache. KPHO reports that it has examined more than two dozen complaints against the sheriff from business owners, government workers, mayors and law-enforcement officials, who allege that after they spoke out against Arpaio, they found themselves the subject of investigations by his office -- none of which have resulted in convictions, and many of which never even led to charges being filed.

KPHO cites numerous such cases, many of which have made local headlines in the past. But one prominent one is that of Don Stapley, the county supervisor who, after pushing for audits of Arpaio's office, found himself arrested by sheriff's deputies in September. The sheriff's office has alleged violations of campaign-finance laws, but no prosecutor has taken the case. And last week, county officials short-circuited an effort to turn it over to Washington GOP power couple Joseph diGenova and Victoria Toensing.

more...
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/11/report_fbi_probing_arpaio_for_targeting_political.php

[sasquatch]

1. Have his ass work on a road detail with his other lackey officers

Maybe kill a few of them in their cells for "resisting" while we're at it.

[Nothing Without Hope]

2. Sounds like a promising GOP presidential candidate

...which may have crossed his mind.

[Learning Nomad]

3. Go FBI! Let Joe see what real justice is. n/t

[barbtries]

4. the New Times has a shitload of stories about him:

http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/arpaio/

[madmax]

5. Thanks for this link

Just glaced over it but it's bookmarked. A lot of information there.

[Last Stand]

8. 41.4 million taxpayer lawsuit dollars (and counting) for the Outlaw Sherriff's renegade style. nt

[Bitwit1234]

6. This I do no understand

This man is supposed to be an upholder of the law. The government told him to stop rounding up suspected illegals. He said he is not going to. And he keeps on doing it. Shouldn't they just go to his office slap HIM in handcuffs and put him in one of his cells. I don't understand.

[lonestarnot]

7. Teehee! Maybe he'll have to wear of pair of his own stink'n pink underwear

[sasquatch]

10. And be killed in their cells for "resisting", "lack of protetion from violent inmates" or

"lack of medical care".

[lonestarnot]

11. true that, and don't forget heat exposure.

[Joe Chi Minh]

9. The mills of God....? What sweet justice that would be.

[Soylent Brice]

12. Sheriff Arpaio = FUCKO