Justice Dept. threatens to sue Ariz. sheriff Arpaio in civil rights inquiry

[cal04]

Source: Washington Post

A federal investigation of a controversial Arizona sheriff known for tough immigration enforcement has intensified in recent days, escalating the conflict between the Obama administration and officials in the border state.

Justice Department officials in Washington have issued a rare threat to sue Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio if he doesn't cooperate by Tuesday with their investigation into whether he discriminates against Hispanics. The civil rights probe is one of two targeting the man who calls himself "America's Toughest Sheriff" -- a federal grand jury in Phoenix is examining whether Arpaio has used his power to investigate and intimidate political opponents and whether his office misappropriated government funds, sources said.

The standoff comes just weeks after the Justice Department sued Arizona and Gov. Jan Brewer (R) over the state's new immigration law, heightening tensions over the issue ahead of November's midterm elections. It focuses renewed attention on Arpaio, a former D.C. police officer who runs a 3,800-employee department, and a state at the epicenter of the debate over the nation's estimated 12 million illegal immigrants.

(snip)
Justice Department officials denied any political considerations, saying the investigations and the lawsuit are based on the facts and the law. They declined to comment on details of the Arpaio probes.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/17/AR2010081703637.html?hpid=topnews

[arbusto_baboso]

1. Good. Now follow thru on the threat.

Asshole Joe needs some of his own kind of "justice".

[SILVER__FOX52]

2. Just do it !!!!!!!!!!!1

[saracat]

3. What bullshit. Everyone is suing Joe. Jail him for obstruction of justice!

Our DOJ is just worthless. He doesn't provide the documents they asked for for years, publicly states he doesn't have to comply and will not comply and they are "threatening to sue" ? They threatened to sue months ago. There are more than 200 suits against Arpaio. What are they gonna do, get in line? What absolute wimps.

[Iowa]

5. +1

[AlbertCat]

6. What are they gonna do, get in line?

I must agree. America's Thickest Sheriff .... uh I mean America's Toughest Sheriff wants to be the new Dick Cheney and get some attention... give him some.

The big, empty, uninhabitable state of AZ must need Fed funds more than AK. It must be that money threats look more effective and less combative than confiscation and incarceration threats. But the RW is gonna demonize the administration anyway, so I say, go git 'im.

[DeSwiss]

4. "Just jail the danged sheriff!!!"

K&R

[hyphenate]

7. U.S. may sue Arizona's Sheriff Arpaio for not cooperating in investigation

Source: Washington Post

By Jerry Markon and Stephanie McCrummen
Wednesday, August 18, 2010

A federal investigation of a controversial Arizona sheriff known for tough immigration enforcement has intensified in recent days, escalating the conflict between the Obama administration and officials in the border state.

Justice Department officials in Washington have issued a rare threat to sue Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio if he does not cooperate with their investigation of whether he discriminates against Hispanics. The civil rights inquiry is one of two that target the man who calls himself "America's toughest sheriff." A federal grand jury in Phoenix is examining whether Arpaio has used his power to investigate and intimidate political opponents and whether his office misappropriated government money, sources said.

The standoff comes just weeks after the Justice Department sued Arizona and Gov. Jan Brewer (R) because of the state's new immigration law, heightening tensions over the issue ahead of November's midterm elections. The renewed debate has focused attention on Arpaio, a former D.C. police officer who runs a 3,800-employee department, and a state at the epicenter of the controversy over the nation's estimated 12 million illegal immigrants.

Once seen as a quirky figure who has inmates dress in pink underwear and forces them to work on chain gangs, Arpaio has in recent years become a kind of folk hero to those who favor his heavily publicized "crime sweeps," conducted mostly in Hispanic neighborhoods. But civil rights groups accuse the 78-year-old lawman of racial profiling. And some Maricopa County officials say Arpaio has begun meritless corruption investigations of officials who have criticized his policies or opposed his requests.



Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/17/AR2010081703637.html?hpid=moreheadlines

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Sounds good to me! Bring the bastard DOWN!

[bluestateguy]

8. Swell. And how long is that going to take?

Hearings, pre-trial motions, stays, more hearings, periods of discovery, continuances, depositions, appeals, more hearings, more appeals.

[Diane R]

9. So what do you want them to do? What do you suggest?

[SILVER__FOX52]

11. Put the guy out of my misery !!!

They shoot horses, don't they?

[Suji to Seoul]

12. I prefer legal avenues of justice rather than that

Personally, this worthless scumsucker is an embarrassment to my state and even former Sheriff Joe Richards (Coconino County) and Sheriff Clarence Dupink (Pima County) hate this MFer.

Bring the bastard down! He turned the MCSO into his own personal goon squad!

[PDJane]

10. The wheels of justice grind slowly........

but it's the best we've got, under the circumstances. In some ways, it's all we've got.