BREAKING: Joe Arpaio investigated by grand jury (Fed. Jury Impaneled, Witnesses Testifying Next Wk)

[msanthrope]

Source: KPHO and AZ CENTRAL

Federal Grand Jury calls witnesses for next week--

Joe Arpaio investigated by grand jury
JJ Hensley and Yvonne Wingett - Jan. 7, 2010 06:10 PM
The Arizona Republic .
Two high-ranking Maricopa County officials confirmed late Thursday that they will testify next week before a federal grand jury exploring allegations that the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office has abused power.

County Manager David Smith and Assistant County Manager Sandi Wilson said they were preparing to testify before the grand jury on Wednesday.

Sheriff Joe Arpaio denied any knowledge of the grand jury, but news of sheriff's officials being called to testify before a federal panel has been circulating in county circles for months.
Republic sources have confirmed that at least three high-ranking sheriff's officials, including a captain and two chief deputies, have testified before a federal grand jury in the last four months, though the nature of their testimony remained unclear.
More at link, and link to local news

Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/01/07/20100107joe-arpaio-grand-jury.html

---

Live Story here---

http://www.kpho.com/video/22178103/index.html

[midnight]

1. He has been under a cloud for some time. I hope this ends with some

radical changes into the way the citizens in the phoenix area are treated....

[stuart68]

28. Phoenix is a mess

I was traveling in Phoenix and the trafiic report said "delays on road x, unidentified dead body in the road on y, delays on z". It is so frequent there, it is not even an event.

[Coventina]

31. Excuse me, but I live in Phoenix, and dead (human) bodies in the road

are NOT frequent!

Just like any major city with a pet overpopulation (and what major city doesn't have one?) dead animal bodies do appear, but are picked up pretty quickly.

And here's a newsflash for you: Every major city in this country has traffic problems as well.

I have plenty of criticisms of Phoenix, I've posted many of them here on DU, but don't pretend you're an expert on our problems just because you passed through here.

on edit: clarity

[stuart68]

39. don't get you undies in a knot

I heard what I heard on the traffic report.

It was reported as a human not an animal.

It was reported as casually as any run-of-the-mill traffic nuisance.

Sorry if I insinuated Phoenix is the only city with traffic problems - not sure how you got that impression, but I will apologize anyway.

[Coventina]

41. Nice condescending attitude there. You call Phoenix a "mess"

because on a TRAFFIC REPORT a dead body was reported as causing traffic problems. And from that you assume that dead bodies are a common occurrence?

Let me explain to you how traffic reports work: they try to give you as much information about traffic problems in a very short (30 seconds or less) amount of time. They are not going to dwell on sensational details during that time. That's what the local TV news is for.

[stuart68]

44. My humblest apologies

I should have said, "it would appear to me that a city that regards an unidentified dead body in the road in a casual fashion appears to be desensitized to the issue, and would lead me to believe that it occurs on a large scale as related to my home town they would have live continuous coverage from the scene. But without further data, I should not draw any conclusions"

Does that make you feel better ?

And yes, I am being condescending and sarcastic regarding a town that has, from reports I've seen, a large number of home invasions, kidnappings, murder. A quick Google search indicates the murder rate in Phoenix is 2.24 times the per capita national average
http://www.cityrating.com/citycrime.asp?city=Phoenix&state=AZ

I don't live there, but apparently you do. If you like it, stay there. I think twice the average murder rate is a mess, and frankly, validates my belief the community is desentitized ot the matter.

[Coventina]

47. I'll accept your apology if you promise never to come here again.

I won't deny that crime is a problem in Phoenix, just like in most other major metropolitan areas with over 6 million people.

It's so fabulous that you live in a small town where a dead body warrants 24/7 live coverage. Maybe you should keep your judgemental, sarcastic self there.

As I stated in my first post, I have plenty of criticisms of Phoenix, which I have aired at length here over the years. But your opinions are uninformed, unfair, and hugely unhelpful.

[stuart68]

59. Not Opinion

First, I don't live in a small town.

I included the link on the murder rate. Over 2 times the national average is a mess, but it is not uninformed (it is factual), unfair (it is simly data). Sticking your head in the sand is actually unhelpful.

[Coventina]

63. Now you are switching subjects. My complaint against you

was your claim that "Phoenix is a mess" because of your (mistaken) belief that dead bodies litter our streets and *shock* we have a traffic problem.

After I rebutted those, all of a sudden you are worried about our murder rate. Fine, don't come here anymore. We won't miss you.

But if it will ease your mind any, our high rate is due in large part to the activity of drug gangs from Mexico carrying their wars into AZ. As long as you are not part of the drug trade, your chances of getting murdered here are pretty much the same as anywhere else.

[stuart68]

66. thanks

Amazing you inferred that I thought it was a mess due to traffic. My story was clear - during a traffic report I heard...

You rebutted and I proved my point with hard data, ie, the murder rate.

I know the high murder rate (and home invasion rate and kidnapping rate) are due to drug gangs from Mexico - thanks for once again proving my point that it is a mess.

Bizarre that you feel comfortable chiding me for making an assessment based on perception (but backed up by fact) and you claim that despite excessive drug gang activity, it's really a lovely place. How can you assess anyone's chances of getting murdered - oh, I know, let's look at the per capita murder rate. Generally speaking, it is over twice the rate as the average US city.

Relax, you and I disagree. You feel murderous drug gangs coming over from Mexico are'nt really a big deal as they don't involve innocent bystanders (oh if that were only true). I tend to think that is a mess.

[Coventina]

67. Now you are just being intellectually dishonest.

Great way to make a first impression, I must say.

Your initial post was about Phoenix being a mess because of traffic. You said absolutely NOTHING about murder.

You obviously have no interest in being educated about Phoenix, that's fine. It's far from perfect, I never said that it was a lovely place.

Please, just do all of us all a favor and stay away. We don't need you or want you.

[stuart68]

68. Got it

I originally said

" I was traveling in Phoenix and the trafiic report said "delays on road x, unidentified dead body in the road on y, delays on z". It is so frequent there, it is not even an event. "

I guess I could have been clearer. I should have said the DEAD BODY is so frequent, it is not an event. Funny, you looked right past it (again my proof that it is not an event). So there, we're clear I do not think Phoenix is a mess due to traffic, but the dead body thing.

Not clear how this is intelectually dishonest, but maybe imprecise.

Sorry my first impression was not to kiss up to residents of Phoenix. As I said before, we just disagree, but you want to make this into something else.

Your turn.

[Coventina]

72. Apparently you came to be insulting and rude.

I'm done with you.

As I said before, if you hate Phoenix so much, feel free to absent yourself from here forever.

[stuart68]

74. thanks for the warm welcome

I have tried to voice an opinion based on my personal observations, and you chose to call me insulting, rude, intellectually dishonest, etc - all while I chose to avoid any direct comment about you. And you have the nerve to call me rude !

so your'er done with me ? Good - no need to respond.

[madmax]

69. Welcome to DU

:hi:

[stuart68]

75. thanks

[Iggo]

45. delete

[blueamy66]

40. I live in PHX

and have never seen a sign declaring a dead body on the road.

Surely you jest.

[teknomanzer]

46. I don't know if there was a sign...

but a few months ago someone tried to cross the 60 early in the morning - not the safest thing to do. The incident was in Mesa not Phoenix. I never heard anything about the autopsy. The cause of death was obvious but I wanted to know whether the woman in question was stupid, drunk, high, or disabled. Someone getting hit by multiple vehicles (contrary to our weary traveler's comments) does not happen every day.

I have to agree with my fellow Valley residents - the type of shit described by Stewie has happened in every city I've been to. Traffic jams caused by construction, accidents and too many damn cars is common to every large city in the country. If Stewie had the good sense to read the article then he would know what is REALLY wrong with Phoenix and and the rest of Maricopa county.

What we have here is special. We have our own little piece of the third world, thanks to that racist crusty old bastard who gets off playing tough guy wild west sheriff on the national stage. Most people I know hate the son of a bitch, and a few of those have had the privilege to visit Tent City. Yet the tyrant keeps getting elected to the post. Obviously to some people around here human rights is the punchline of a sordid joke about hippy faggots and dirty Mexicans.

I certainly hope he is brought down. He has intimidated the good people of this county, the press, watchdogs, politicians (including republicans) other members of law enforcement, and anyone else who openly criticizes him. He's fucking with judges now. How much longer can it be before he fucks with the wrong person? Just imagine the climax of The Unforgiven. It will bring a smile to your face.

[blueamy66]

61. He has been elected by

the conservative Mormons and our older retiree population.

I hate him. I sometimes wish, well, I won't post what I wish.

[stuart68]

60. traffic report

not a sign.

However I did see a sign in Austin that says "No Illegal Dumping". Does that meaning dumping is illegal or this is not the spot to dump your illegals ?

[Bonobo]

73. I got a smaller more maneuverable car to avoid the bloated corpses lining Phoenix streets.

:sarcasm:

[Loki]

2. Joe, your time is becoming shorter.

"When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall - think of it, always."

-- Mohandas K. Gandhi

[Supply Side Jesus]

3. Sheriff Joe is an embarssment

for any self respecting law enforcement officer.

Joe is a douche bag of galactic proportions.
Hope he gets to wear his pink underwear and live in a tent.

[taurus145]

23. There you go again

Why do so many people around here insult douche bags?

Douche bags are useful in so many ways. :spank:

[robo50]

29. My sentiments, exactly!

Imagine the retribution he would get from his fellow prisoners, though. So, of course, Joe will NEVER wind up in his own jail, as these are federal charges pending, right?

[PSzymeczek]

4. About freaking time.

Although Sherrif Joe is one of the few keeping the Cochise County Mormon Mafia from being some of the worst law enforcement in the state.

[scytherius]

5. About damned time!!!!!

Now put him in prison and it will be a step, very small, but a step in ridding this nation of the great evil that is Right wing extremism (it isn't conservatism as these people are assuredly NOT conservatives).

[howmad1]

8. Wow! If Joe Blow goes to prison....

....I'd buy him a years supply of vaseline.

[Ken Burch]

18. Make sure it's "industrial strength".

Joe's gonna need it.

[leftynyc]

32. Absolutely NOTHING funny about

prison rape.

[Yupster]

37. Agree lefty

That needs to be a type of humor that is stomped out of our culture.

Every year many men are raped in prison and also contract HIV in prison.

There's just nothing funny about that -- especially on a board which is supposed to be "progressive."

[teknomanzer]

48. Its not meant to be funny...

its meant to be ironic.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

52. I agree with the above, the joke was not funny.

He doesn't deserve vaseline.

[The Wizard]

62. It's not rape if he's willing (NT)

[LiberalFighter]

33. Laced with what? Tabasco Sauce?

[provis99]

6. I wonder if he'll try and arrest the grand jury?

I wouldn't put anything past the little fascist.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

7. For a split second I read "Federal Jury Impaled".

And thought, "wow, that Arpaio guy can really get away with ANYTHING."

[Piewhacket]

9. Just Gnu you were going to say that. Next ye be hoping Arpaio gets undickted.

(PS nice handle, Dirtbag)

[wryter2000]

50. Okay, pal

You owe me a keyboard. That was good coffee, too. :rofl:

[Hissyspit]

10. That's o.k. He'll just send a deputy over to rifle through the DA's papers when no one is looking.

All in the name of maintaining security, of course.

[bkohatlanta]

11. Isn't it odd

That there would be a sheriff who had no idea what was the difference between Right and Wrong. And He's a Republican.
Like Kierik

[niyad]

12. I would SOOOO love to see that SOB in his own jail.

[msanthrope]

55. Federal time--And I'm betting it's for theft of RICO monies.....

http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/blogs/a/z/azpaull/2009/10/not-so-fast-joe-digenovavictor.php

[AlphaCentauri]

13. kool and Rec n/t

[Flaneur]

14. Couldn't happen to a nicer guy.

Arpaio makes Bull Connors seem like progressive policing.

[BadGimp]

15. This guy has got to go

He's beyond awefull. He's a small town Chenney.

A real monster.

[aquart]

16. It's so nice to have good news for a change.

[rpannier]

17. Allow me to spread a little more sunshune your way

A new Rasmussen poll in Connecticut finds Richard Blumenthal (D) leading all potential Republican challengers for U.S. Senate by wide margins.

Blumenthal leads Rob Simmons (R), 56% to 33%. A month ago, Simmons had a 13-point lead over Sen. Christopher Dodd.

Similarly, Blumenthal leads Linda McMahon (R), 58% to 34%, and tops Peter Shiff (R), 60% to 24%.

[aquart]

19. Thank you. I shall have sweet dreams.

[Suji to Seoul]

20. Give me more

Tell me how NH, OH, KY, NC, FL, LA and SD are going please.

Those are the states we have a HUGE chance of picking up.

[bertman]

35. NC, not so much. So far, there's no solid Dem contender to unseat Senator Burr. There

are enough Blue Dawgs in the House to form a kennel club, and the Progressive wing of the party is pretty weak.

There is one "center left" Dem I'd like to see retire and be replaced by a young Progressive, but it looks like he wants to continue to clog up the middle of the road. I'm referring to David Price.

[democrank]

21. Arpio is similar to Cheney.

A real threat to everything this nation stands for.

[Turbineguy]

22. The pro-slavery crowd

will be depressed about this. Brown people not getting abused is an anathema.

[WileEcoyote]

24. There's a bigger picture here:

Expect that Arpaio is covered with drug money bribes. His "Law & Order" reputation being just a ruse.

J. Edgar Hoover used that trick only as a smokescreen for his Mafia kickbacks. Was tight with Dick Nixon and all his Mob cronies too. Only good thing about Hoover was that he was suspicious of the Bush Family.

I'm predicting a radical collapse in the power of our shadow governing bodies. In the near future. One of my predictions (to show indications of this free fall) is for there to be numerous high profile corruption exposes of law enforcement, politicians and media personnel such as executives with CNN and Fox.

This could be the beginning.

[BolivarianHero]

25. You know what pisses me off...

That Democrats were working with Gary Bettman to keep an NHL team from leaving Phoenix to go to Canada. People who elect fucking Joe Arpaio don't deserve a hockey team.

[pattmarty]

26. Fox "news" will lose another "expert" voice.

[whistler162]

27. And in other news the Maricopa County Sherrifs departyment

announces the arrest of the extremly dangerous gang "The Federal Grand Jury". Arrainment of all the members should begin sometime next week.

[msanthrope]

53. Attempted Federal Grand Jury Tampering would be a boon to

the Justice Department.

This will be a tough case to prove, no doubt. Not that Arpaio isn't dirty as they come, but that he still retains enough power to make prosecuting him difficult.

[varelse]

30. Progress

is the rule of law finally making a comeback here in the US? :party:

[ThatsMyBarack]

34. I want Sheriff Joe to go away in 2010.

Will I get my wish?? :bounce:

[lonestarnot]

36. Tee hee. And in his pink underwear too.

[Torn_Scorned_Ignored]

38. Thanks

There is a time when the operation of the machine becomes so odious, makes you so sick at heart, that you can't take part; and you've got to put your bodies upon the gears and upon the wheels, upon the levers, upon all the apparatus and you've got to make it stop. And you've got to indicate to the people who run it, to the people who own it, that unless you're free, the machine will be prevented from working at all. Mario Savio

[Ian David]

42. Joe Arpaio Arpaio Arpaio's going to jail jail jail! n/t

[tjwash]

43. Nice...Joe gets re-acquainted with the good folks who's rights he constantly violated.

I don't often do a "geek-boy happy dance" but that would cause me to bust out in to one.

[DuckyCase]

49. Anyone who ever becomes a "superstar cop" is probably a criminal.

[Hulk]

51. Hope he meets some old friends behind bars...

Serves this piece of shit "justice". What a pompous scum bag. True...fox will lose another "reasoned voice of the right"...but oh well...poof!

[msanthrope]

54. I wonder if Joe DiGenova and Vicky Toensing still want to come

to town...


http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/blogs/a/z/azpaull/2009/10/not-so-fast-joe-digenovavictor.php

[fascisthunter]

56. I heard all about this Bastard on the Radio

fortunately it was college radio...

[Gamey]

57. I predict protests from supporters will circumvent law

[MBS]

58. oh, this is a delicious development. Thanks for posting.

Very very satisfying.
For those just coming to this long-festering story, I also recommend this earlier article on my (shudder) former neighbor, Arpaio's henchman and Karl Rove wannabe, David Hendershott
http://www.azcentral.com/news/election/azelections/articles/2009/10/25/20091025hendershott1025.html

[alstephenson]

64. I read this article in the Arizona Republic.

What a sleaze-bag! It seems hard to believe that anyone could actually be WORSE than Sheriff Joe.

[MBS]

71. yup, he's a piece of work, all right.

Our neighborhood was highly entertained, watching how closely his major home renovations in our neighborhood tracked the onset of his 1999 (and continuing) double-dipping scam, tapping simultaneously into his retirement and salary. ."Sleaze-bag" is the kindest word one could use.

[beac]

65. Here's hoping they have a pair of pink handcuffs available for him when the time comes!

:)

[classysassy]

70. Republican crooks

don't go to jail,the Bush gang is still on the loose.Rush the druggie is still spewing his shit over hate radio, sheriff joe is just another of the well protected thugs that never leave town they just go underground.