Subscribe“Reports in the New-Times over more than a decade have detailed Arpaio's backroom dealings, his mistreatment of prisoners under his watch and his general scuminess. Prisoners at his county jail get only two meals a day, must wear pink underwear, and live in tents outside the jail where they work seven days a week in chain gangs, digging graves for the indigent.
An investigation by county prosecutors into the paper's reporting began when New-Times published Arpaio's home address on its website in 2004. A little-known Arizona statute dictates that it's legal to publish the home address of a law enforcement agent in print, or on the radio or television, just not on the Internet; when the print article was uploaded to the New-Times website, prosecutors pounced.”*
"Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas announced Friday afternoon that he was dismissing the case against New Times and that no charges would be pursued against the editors and writers involved in the case.Bullshit. Left-hand meet right-hand.
Thomas also said he was dismissing special prosecutor Dennis Wilenchik, who had pursued the case on the county's behalf.
Thomas said that mistakes were made, that the case had been grossly mishandled and that he was uncomfortable with where the case had gone.
He said he had only learned in the past day that a subpoena had been issued for Web site information from New Times."
"How difficult is it to find Arpaio's home address? It took me five minutes of Web plinking, and I didn't need New Times to find it."I'm sure many a MeFi detective can come up with Joseph M. (Joe) Arpaio's (born June 14, 1932 | Phoenix | Maricopa County, AZ) home address "lickety-split" and with no help from law enforcement sources.
"So now that Andy sees the public finally outraged at his gestapo tactics, he retreats and distances himself from his well-paid lackey. Nice try, Andy, but you gave this case to Wilenchik because you knew he'd employ these kinds of tactics. You are not off the hook."
"This abuse by Arpaio and his henchmen is disgusting and needs to be addressed. Where is Goddard looking into this? Where is the county board? Why people continually vote Arpaio in is just amazing."
"Now Thomas is running for cover. This will the beginning of the end of his career. This will NOT be forgotten and his challenger will be sure to bring it up."
"The paper isn't being dinged for publishing the sheriff's address in print -- that's not a crime.
'We could publish it on a billboard and that would be OK,' [Village Voice Media Chairman Jim] Larkin said."*
"Arpaio got his records purged from the Maricopa County Recorder's Office. The redacted records include such key information as deeds, mortgages, affidavits of value and conveyances of title....And neither are the real estate records for his top deputy, the twice-bankrupt, double-dipping David Hendershott, paid a $131,189 salary plus another $51,000 in annual pension money (he retired from the sheriff's office and was rehired as chief deputy by Arpaio)."
"I discovered [Arpaio]'s got $690,000 in cold, hard cash invested in two small commercial properties in Scottsdale and Fountain Hills.Methinks the sheriff is hiding something and is doing everything to avoid the glaring questions at hand.
The total amount of cash slippery Joe has stashed into at least six other real estate investments may be much more than this. How much more, I don't know. That's because the 72-year-old has taken unusual steps to make sure the public can't find out the amount of cash he's stashed into Maricopa County real estate....All [real estate] records are normally available for public inspection. But not Arpaio's.
...this is a guy who is making $78,000 a year as sheriff along with his federal Drug Enforcement Agency civil service retirement pay of about $65,000. His wife operates a small travel agency, Star World Travel, that doesn't appear to be much of a cash cow.
[Read the article for a summary of the numerous Arpaio's real estate holdings the reporter was able to uncover on his own].
...it turns out, Joe has been dabbling in real estate in some of the most expensive parts of town. He's investing large amounts of cash, violating the cardinal rule of commercial real estate. And nearly all the records of his wheeling and dealing are conveniently sealed.
...How about sitting down and showing us all of your real estate records? Tax returns would be nice, too. While you're at it, bring [Chief Deputy David] Hendershott's records, as well.
Explain to us where you -- a retired federal civil servant and county employee -- come up with so much cold, hard cash.
Otherwise, even one of your lamebrained posse members might think you're hiding something."
Below the Belt -- Lawyer Dennis Wilenchik's spearheading Joe Arpaio's attempt to smear his chief political rival"And I thought Boston politics was suspect!
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posted by ericb at 2:17 PM on October 19, 2007