Arizona sheriff under investigation for alleged abuse of power

[cheneyschernobyl]

Source: CNN

"Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio calls himself "America's toughest sheriff." He is famous for creating a tent city jail in the Arizona desert; for providing pink underwear for inmates; for bragging that he spends more to feed his dog than a prisoner in his jail.

This year he has made national headlines for his tough enforcement of Arizona's anti-illegal immigration laws and for his vocal support for a controversial new immigration law that takes effect at the end of July.

But the 77-year-old lawman is himself the subject of serious allegations of abuse of power. Arpaio's critics say he has a long history of launching bogus criminal investigations against political opponents and anyone else who gets in his way.

This year a federal grand jury started looking into the allegations."

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/07/09/arizona.tough.sheriff/index.html?hpt=T2

---

Finally; this doesn't surprise me.

My apologies in advance if this was already posted. I checked, and didn't see this subject anywhere.

[iamjoy]

1. I Hope...

If he's guilty, I hope he has to live in a tent, wear pink underwear and they spend less on his food than he used to spend on his dog's food.

[Capitalocracy]

13. And I can't wait to hear him bitch and moan about it. nt

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Diclotican]

3. TxVietVet

TxVietVet

And my guess is that the folks who wil welcome him, also wil give him, some wel-deserved treatment.. My guess is that many inmates in the tent city's would be really eager to treat him, the same way he did in his best days... You know, beat the crap out of him every day, and then scare the hell out of him every night...

Even me who are not native to the US, know both of this Sherrif, and the tent city he was making in Arizona.. And I also know, that many inmates, if ever get the shange would tear this old bastard lim from lim, in slow motion...

Diclotican

[Name removed]

23. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Brooklyns_Finest]

62. To be fair

It doesn't matter if the Law Enforcement Official (LEO) is fair or is currupt, most inmates would love to tear in to them if they had the chance.

[Diclotican]

72. Brooklyns_Finest

Brooklyns_Finest

That is maybe the truth, and police officers who end up in prison, tend to have serious time behind bars, becouse everyone with a grouge against police officers tend to want to get their revange.. And if yoo are sitting behind bars for life, you tend to have a grouge with the comunity as a whole, and specially the police officers who got you there maybe? And we should all be glad, that most police officers are not corrupt, and hare not bad apples, but rater fair, and hardworking officers, who does a good job, compared to what they got in salary...

But this Cheriff in Arizona have been a special case for many years now.. Im belive he had had this little camp of his for at least 10 year or so now. And he more or less brag that he feed his prisoners for less than 5 dollar a day.. And he also claim the food to be healty and good - as the prison itself produce the food used (I would like to se the real numbers) And he also claim thar he have to use more money to feed his dog than his prisoners. A lovely picture I might say...

But on the other hand, im maybe not to jugde how americans in US is treating their prisoners, as im not a part of the culture over there (thankfully im not) But some aspect of your prison system tend to be little over the top to me. But then again, my own little country are living in a smal village, compared to live in the US I guess...

And I know, that most officers, world over, is doing a great job, compared to most rumors want to claim... Have encounred a few in my life, and most of them had been rather correct, even tho this one woman was a "ass" as she wanted to be more like the guys than the guys really was..

Diclotican

[UTUSN]

4. This is *ONLY* k&r number THREE?!1 n/t

[ThatsMyBarack]

49. Mine's #106!

:hi:

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

5. like Gerald Hege, former sheriff Davidson Co NC, now ex felon

Gerald Hege even had a tv show. (it was actually pretty good) where he interviewed
inmates etc.

From wikipedia article:

Hege took Buford Pusser and Joe Arpaio as role models. Hege ordered all deputies to dress in paramilitary fatigues and combat boots; Hege dressed this way himself, despite the tradition of business attire for Davidson County sheriffs. Hege reinstuted the use of chain gang prisoner labor. He also removed the television sets and books (except for the Bible) from the county jail. (In a sign of things to come, Hege made sure the televisions were removed in full view of the local news media.) The jail was repainted in pink with weeping blue teddy bears. Prisoners also wore color coordinated jumpsuits to identify their offense: Blue for misdemeanors, green for sex offenders, and orange for felons. The jumpsuits were striped in the old fashioned manner as opposed to the modern solid color. Hege carried a Heckler & Koch MP5 instead of a service revolver. The sheriff also kept the robes of eight former Ku Klux Klan members whom he claimed he had convinced to retire. Hege also claimed that Mafia hitmen had a bounty on his head, as he interrupted the flow of drugs through Davidson County. These claims could not be verified.
...
Ostensibly to raise money for charity, Hege created a line of merchandise centered on his public persona. Hege merchandise items included posters, die-cast "spider cars," action figures, coffee mugs and barbecue sauce. All revenue from this merchandise and his TV appearances was donated to charity.
As years passed, charges of nepotism, financial irregularities, and mismanagement began to surface. On September 15, 2003, Hege was charged with 15 felonies and suspended from office. The charges were five counts of embezzlement by a public officer, five counts of obtaining property by false pretenses, two counts of obstruction of justice, one count of endeavoring to intercept oral communication, one count of aiding and abetting to endeavor to intercept oral communication and one count of aiding and abetting to obtain property by false pretenses.
Despite Hege's "No Deals" slogan, he eventually accepted a plea agreement.

more here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerald_Hege

PS Hege ran in the Sheriff primary (GOP). He lost.

Meanwhile, there will be a constitutional amendment on the ballot in NC in
November to make it illegal for ex-felons to run for sheriff.

[Bobbieo]

6. Watch the money pour in from all over the country if this bastard is ever charged -

just like it is pouring in for our govenor. They are the teabaggers heros.

[cheneyschernobyl]

7. Hmmm.......since he's in AZ........hmmmm......

is he there legally? Quick, somebody check his papers! I doubt he's indigenous!

[Froward69]

8. Home grown Nazi.

That sheriff is a true PIG. The type of cop that gets good cops shot.

[cowman]

18. Your comparing him to Nazis?

That is the most fucking insane statement I have ever heard? How many inmates has he murdered? How many inmates have been gassed? The nazis murdered millions and you compare Arpaio to the nazis? Get a fucking clue, I don't like his methods, but to compare him to a nazi is just fucking stupid

[fascisthunter]

22. he exhibits the same bigoted mentality nazis do

take a chill pill

[cowman]

24. thats bullshit

I'll ask again, how many did he kill, how many did he gas, how many did he torture and rape, how many has he lined up beside pits and shot? comparing him to nazi's is repungent and a huge slap at the suvivors of the holocaust. Don't tell me to take a chill pill. He has been investigated several times and been cleared several times and I suspect that this latest allegation is just political bullshit. The people of Maricopa County keep re-electing him so I guess they like the job he is doing.

[PSzymeczek]

58. There have been inmates

who have died while in his custody. Usually from heat-related causes.

[pinboy3niner]

61. And his tent city jail conditions were found to violate the Constitution

His tent city remains under federal oversight until conditions improve.

A year ago, The New Yorker ran a fascinating profile on Arpaio. Among other things, the article reported Sheriff Joe's reaction to very mild criticism from an Arizona Mayor's wife. The Arizona Republic covered the reaction to that story:

Gascón chastises Arpaio for remark
'People should be outraged' over raid comment, he says
by Nathan Gonzalez
The Arizona Republic


Outgoing Mesa Police Chief George Gascon said "people should be outraged" at comments Sheriff Joe Arpaio made to a magazine reporter about needing to "raid Mesa again" because the mayor's wife wasn't a fan.
<snip>


The Arpaio comment was reported in the July 20 issue of the New Yorker magazine, which describes a phone call last spring between Arpaio and a deputy. The deputy was shadowing the jury selection in a case in which Mesa Mayor Scott Smith's wife was a prospective juror.

One juror stated that Arpaio was her hero; Smith's wife, however, reportedly said, "Joe is not my hero."

According to the article, Arpaio responded, "I knew it! I never trusted that mayor. He's pro-immigrant. He's never going to fire that chief (Gascon). We gotta raid Mesa again."

Read more:
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/2009/07/17/20090717gascon0717.html

The abstract of the New Yorker article is available here (full article available by subscription only):
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/07/20/090720fa_fact_finnegan

A follow-up Q&A by the magazine with the article's author, William Finnegan, reveals more about Arpaio and his operations. A sample:

What is Arpaio’s media operation like? And what kind of attention does he want from the press?

Arpaio’s media-relations unit is a very busy operation. They were terrific to me, giving me all kinds of time and access. They even helped me get an interview with the sheriff’s single most important political ally, Andrew Thomas, the county attorney, whose press aide at first rejected the idea because, as I overheard it, he considered The New Yorker a “far left” magazine. Arpaio’s press operation seems dedicated to maximizing the sheriff’s media exposure, period.

There have been federal investigations into Arpaio’s treatment of prisoners, including a Department of Justice probe that began this past March. Do you think this will have any effect on Arpaio?

The Department of Justice did investigate conditions in Arpaio’s jails in the nineteen-nineties, and produced a couple of scathing reports, which led to agreements that mandated improvements. Whether much improvement ever occurred is a matter of debate. There is a longstanding consent decree in place that orders oversight of the treatment of pre-trial detainees in Maricopa County. Arpaio has tried to get that decree lifted. Last year, a federal judge refused to lift the decree, finding that jail conditions remain unconstitutional. Phil Gordon, the mayor of Phoenix, asked the Justice Department last year to investigate Arpaio’s office for alleged discriminatory conduct in the pursuit of undocumented immigrants.

That request didn’t get anywhere with the Bush Administration, but the Obama Administration has been a different story. In March, a group of Democratic congressional leaders asked Justice to launch a similar investigation, and it quickly did. Will it make any difference? I don’t know. Arpaio and his associates made a big show with me of not caring what federal investigators found or said. <[b>“I don’t bow down to the federal government,” Arpaio said. His chief deputy, who was about to meet, he said, with seven lawyers from Justice, actually said to me, “I’m going to shove it up their ass.” They seem to think they can bluster their way through anything from Washington.


http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2009/07/william-finnegan-on-sheriff-joe-arpaio.html

[rhett o rick]

60. I think it is a silly response too, but I dont think it deserves your response. What is

your motivation? Are you defending the Nazi's, the sheriff, or just looking to call a poster, stupid?

[cowman]

63. None

comparing Arpaio to a nazi is a huge slap at the survivors of the holocaust and to everyone who fought in WW2 including my father who fought in Europe and Korea. Some inmates died while in custody but that happens in just about any prison or jail in this country. The nazi's murdered millions.

[sweetloukillbot]

71. There were also prisoners who died during interrogation after being left in stress positions...

It's not just heatstroke in Tent City.

[cowman]

77. Back that up with facts

not inuenndo. If that had really happened there would have been a huge outcry, sorry but unless you have provable facts, its all bullshit

[sweetloukillbot]

79. Google Scott Norberg and Richard Post

1 died while being suffocated in a restraint chair. The other had his neck broken and is a quadraplegic. The county paid millions of dollars in wrongful death suits and the cases got Arpaio on Amnesty International's watch list for human rights abuses.

[classysassy]

82. He is another Bull Connors

do you agree with that statement?

[Steve20]

40. re

"Nazi" is a bit of a stretch.

[RedCloud]

48. can we settle for "not see"?

[PufPuf23]

9. An individual with that attitude is not mentally nor morally qualified

to be in law enforcement.

[cowman]

19. Apparently the voters of Maricopa County

think he is because he keeps getting re-elected by big margins everytime

[Archae]

10. I have my doubts.

They'll get a "jury of his peers" to find him "Not Guilty."

He'll end up dying in that Sheriff's chair.
To the end of his days thumbing his nose at the Constitution and grandstanding for the cameras.

[msanthrope]

25. A federal jury will draw from more than Maricopa County. It's possible

to get a jury that won't be happy with Joe.

[cowman]

26. This is a grand jury

the purpose of a grand jury is to see if there is enough evidence to warrant an indictment, not to try him. It doesn't matter if they don't like him, it matters if he broke any laws. I suspect that nothing will come of this again.

[msanthrope]

29. The poster I was replying to (not you) was speaking of the eventual criminal federal

jury that will try him (hopefully) on an abuse of power charge(s). Since, of course, federal grand juries do not issue "Not Guilty," verdicts, I thought the post was clear.

Thus, my post concerned that future jury.

As for the empaneled grand jury, it too draws from the relevant federal jurisdiction, not merely from Maricopa County. Thus, it is entirely possible that this grand jury might be filled with souls tired of Arpaio's crap.

There will be federal charges, IMHO. I've never met a federal prosecutor who will take 6-9-12 months of grand jury time on speculation. I suspect we are hearing stories about it now because target letters have been mailed.

[Archae]

30. He'll walk.

Like I said above.

Even *IF* he's convicted, then he becomes a "martyr" for the far-right, and once he gets out of jail, *BAM* he goes on the speaking circuit, writes inflammatory books, and continues to end up on Fox "news."

[msanthrope]

38. I don't think so, this time.

Let me tell you why.

Along with abuse of power, there are whispers of financial impropriety. His wife's land holdings.

Arpa io is refusing comment.

Has he ever done that?

This isn't going to be a case about some brown-colored people*** (sarcasm tag, people!!) It's gonna be a case about political skulduggery against nice, white people. And stealing public monies. And owning land.

The Justice Department simply does not fuck around. They tend not to empanel grand juries for naught.

[Archae]

52. I'll believe it when Arpaio gets the frog-march.

But I'm not at all confident in the outcome.

And BTW, then what? You think it ends with Arpaio?
That sheriff's department is FULL of brutal, corrupt cops.

[msanthrope]

59. Then, what?

Of course it does not end with Joe. Who will not get a frog-march--but a place and time to turn up. He might even be stupid enough to turn it into a media event.

It will not end with Arpaio. I don't think anyone with sense thinks that. But the internecine war should be fun.

[cowman]

31. My mistake

but I doubt very seriously that anything will come of it. He's been investigated several times to no avail. I suspect that this is politically motivated by his opponents.

[msanthrope]

39. Indeed. And not, I suspect, your first or last. n/t

[Name removed]

50. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[msanthrope]

57. Point taken.

FYI--I did not alert on you. Sometimes, one must be called an asshole simply for good measure.

[cowman]

64. No

there was no excuse for my comment. i could and should have been much more civil with my comment.

[msanthrope]

68. Thank you. n/t

[SILVER__FOX52]

11. This idiot is a Fascist.

It always seems strange to me that Fascists seem to hate themselves and it manifests itself in these obnoxious psychological pathologies, ie pink underwear? This guy needs to be taken out, fast.

[cowman]

27. How do you

know he hates himself? What the hell are you, an armchair psychiatrist?
And what do you mean by "this guy needs to be taken out, fast". Is that a threat against a county official?

[sasquuatch55]

32. Relax cowpie!

nt

[cowman]

37. Resorting to insults

nice and classy of you.

[NoGOPZone]

54. How do you define class?

Would it include asking if someone is an 'armchair psychiatrist'? Or using the word 'a**hole'? :rofl:

[cowman]

66. I already

apologized for the a**hole remark and as for the armchair psychiatrist comment, what would you call it?

[NoGOPZone]

76. Yep, you apoglogized

You also answered my questions with another question. :rofl:

[DesertFlower]

12. i live here. i can't stand him.

he's an arrogant racist.

[sabrina 1]

14. Finally! Now let's hope they get him!

[Patchuli]

15. Yesssssssssssssss!!!!!!!!! nt

[LawnKorn]

16. K&R

[Stuart G]

17. K and R

[sonias]

20. I hope he gets an inside look of a prison cell

Then he can experience first hand what it's like to be treated like a sub-human.

That would be real justice and no one deserves it more!

:bounce:

[TerribleLarryDingle]

21. K&R

[bobburgster]

28. About F%$#ing Time!

Sheriff Joe Arpaio is the biggest asshole going.

[Xicano]

33. If he walks, which is certainly possible. Then I hope he's prosecuted by the federal government

n/t

[SoapBox]

34. Couldn't happen to a nicer CREEP!

...investigate him till his ass hurts.

[changed4thebetter]

35. How?

How has he stayed sheriff for so long I wonder?

[sweetloukillbot]

41. He uses xenophobia and fear of criminals to appeal to low information voters

He packs inmates into tents in 120 degree weather, feeds them rotten food - the bare nutritional minimum and humilates them publicly. He also periodically goes into Latino neighborhoods and arrests anyone he can find in hopes of catching illegal aliens. He wastes taxpayer money on tanks and photo ops. And heavily Republican Maricopa County eats it up. He also launches criminal investigations (which usually come of naught) of his political opponent and ruins the reputations of his political challengers.

[changed4thebetter]

42. So...

The folks who pay his salary want him to do what he is doing? I guess that's one way of keeping your job.

[sweetloukillbot]

44. I won't disagree that the majority of voters in Maricopa County keep reelecting him.

That doesn't make his methods legal or moral. The majority of people in Arizona think SB1070 is perfectly fine. Doesn't mean it's Constitutional.

[cowman]

51. And it doesn't mean its

unconstitutional. the courts will decide that.

[EFerrari]

73. You're defending this out of control abusive bigot? Cool.

[cowman]

78. No

I'm defending the rule of law, most of you here have already judged him guilty before the facts are in, if you were in the same situation, I'm sure you would want the presumption of innocence until proven guilty.

[rpannier]

45. Like Bull Connor

:shrug:

[sweetloukillbot]

43. I will give him credit on one thing - he's a strong animal rights advocate

He works with animal control for pet adoption. I think he has turned an old jail into an animal shelter for pets recovered from crime scenes. However he uses this as opportunity for photo ops, vigorously pursuing high-profile animal abuse cases for news coverage.

[NoGOPZone]

53. Considering the accusations

I'm begin to wonder, too. ;-)

[cowman]

67. And thats all they are so far

accusations.

[kestrel91316]

36. He's 77. Even if convicted, he'll never spend a day in jail. Just watch.

"Oh, the poor widdle old thing, he's pitiful, please Mr. Judge don't send him off to JAIL......wahhhhhhh."

[alfredo]

46. You know those on the grand jury are looking over their

shoulders, waiting for a visit from him or one of his goons.

[Omaha Steve]

47. Does AZ have the death penalty?

Now you know why I don't like to post when I've had a few.

K&R!

[47of74]

55. I didn't want anything to do with Arizona BEFORE their new law was passed

And this piece of work Arpaio was the main reason why. He's not a lawman, he's a thug. I know police men and women who are professionals, and neither Arpaio or any of his enablers are worthy to shine the badges of these men and women!

[catnhatnh]

56. A worthless asswipe, a piece of shit.

Cruel and inhuman? 120 degrees. Degrading? Pink underwear. And a diet of bologna sandwiches that "cost less than dog food"???

A "tough" sheriff-no a media courting whore.

[madokie]

65. I hope they lock his sorry ass up

so far back in a cell that they'll have to shot beans to him for him to eat. A shitstain on the good people of arizona. I know there is a few good people there.

[shanti]

69. unchecked power

that's arpaio :(

[grasswire]

70. Arpaio is on twitter

It's kinda sickening to watch him boast.

[sweetloukillbot]

74. Great article from the AZ Republic that details the whole sordid affair

Investigations started over 2 years ago...
http://www.azcentral.com/news/election/azelections/articles/2010/07/11/20100711joe-arpaio-probe-first-steps.html

[pinboy3niner]

75. I posted it in GD:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8725147

[NYC Liberal]

80. A kick and a recommend. nt

[muntrv]

81. I'll believe it when he's wearing the pink boxers.

[FreedomRain]

83. about time

the real "leading asshole in the state"

But the only thing that will bring him down in the eyes of the frightened sun citiers is if he continues to waste their tax money.

At least he couldn't run for governor without stepping down and leaving all the evidence of his crimes open for someone else's perusal.