Thursday, January 7, 2010, 9:41pm MST
A federal grand jury in Phoenix is looking at abuse of power allegations against the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office and Sheriff Joe Arpaio.
County Communications Director Cari Gerchick told the Phoenix Business Journal Thursday night that County Manager David Smith and County Budget Director Sandi Smith have met with federal prosecutors and will appear before a federal grand jury in Phoenix on Jan. 13.
Gerchick said the grand jury is looking at abuse of power charges against the MCSO and Arpaio. Sandra Raynor, spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Phoenix declined comment.
"I have no comment as grand jury proceedings are secret and I can neither confirm or deny their existence," Raynor said in an e-mail to the Business Journal.
MCSO spokesman Brian Lee said Arpaio declined to comment about the grand jury and would continue his duties as Sheriff as usual. Arpaio's critics contend his office harasses and conducts investigations against those who oppose his immigration and other get-tough policies.
The Sheriff teamed with County Attorney Andrew Thomas to indict County Supervisors Mary Rose Wilcox and Don Stapley and has investigated other county officials.
The U.S. Justice Department has been conducting a civil rights investigation of the MCSO's immigration and crime sweeps to see if they unfairly target Hispanics. The Sheiff has also repeatedly denied wrongdoing on that front.
The abuse of power investigation and grand jury is separate from that civil rights inquiry.
Phoenix Business Journal
Unbelievable! Two thugs from the New Black Panthers can stand in the door way of a polling place, intimidating voters with their clubs, and the Obama administration sees no need to prosecute them.
Yet, let a duly elected law officer perform his duty in upholding the law and the Obama administration launches a federal Grand Jury Probe.
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4 comments:
Hey Lew,
I don't live in AZ, but have kept up with the Sherrif's fight against lawlessness. How can we for a nationwide, or at least regionally, support and opposition voice to what is unjustly happening to the Sherrif?
Thanks,
DC
DC, I too don't live in Arizona, but like you, have been a fan of Sheriff Joe's actually enforcing the laws of the country, city and county he was elected to.
Conservative America, the real majority, needs to stand up, get involved and speak with a LOUD and determined voice. We need to reclaim America from these leftists.
We have the chance to begin this very year by digging into our candidates running for office and support them. If not with money, our voices in spreading the news of them.
The left is always crying about "special interests" influencing elections, and never admitting they are the biggest special interest in the country.
If we don't begin taking the country back through the elective process, I shudder to think what will follow.
Though I never met Arpaio, I am proud to say he is like me a retired DEA agent.
We need more Joe Arpaio's in local law enforcement, all across the nation.
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