Stern says the guys were openly confrontational. As he wrote on New Times' Valley Fever blog last week, Sheriff's Captain Jim Miller "proved himself to be a real bully, practically begging me to make a move that would allow him to arrest me . . . He picked up a couple of random folders sitting on the records counter and waved them in my face. 'Take these papers from my hand!' he snarled. 'Take these papers from my hand!'"
Real mature, dudes.
As Miller would later write in a memo to his boss, Chief Deputy David Hendershott, he was livid that Phoenix police refused to arrest the reporter. (You can read the whole thing here.)
"I was further infuriated that any member of the Phoenix Police Department would fail to come to the aid of another law enforcement officer while performing his duties," Miller wrote, "and then dare to threaten interference with a potential arrest . . . "
Later in the memo, Miller actually whined, "I felt by the end of the encounter that [the Phoenix police] were there to protect Stern. The most significant response by the Phoenix commander was to 'warn' me not to take action against Stern." Cry me a freakin' river.
But here's the really crazy part.
Miller didn't take the incident to mean that his guys were overreaching or that public records belong to the public.
Instead, he decided that New Times and the city of Phoenix must be in cahoots. He decided that Phoenix officials must have shared a "great deal of information" about the sheriff's request, that Phoenix police were "instructed not to interfere" with Stern's effort to "antagonize" them, and that City Attorney Gary Verburg "conspired in some way to partner with Stern."
How ludicrous.
To set the record straight: There is no conspiracy. You only have to read New Times' coverage of Phoenix City Hall to know that our relationship has frequently been tense — and always a bit testy.
Beyond that, I broke the story of the sheriff's silly records request more than a month ago. One of my sources, who has nothing to do with City Hall, heard that the sheriff had put in a public-records request for the mayor's e-mail and told me about it. Nosy reporter that I am, I immediately filed a public-records request for the public-records request. Naturally, Stern knew a "great deal of information" about the request — he'd read all about it in our paper!
And as for that "conspiracy" between the city attorney and New Times . . .
Stern met City Attorney Verburg for the very first time at the city clerk's office last Wednesday. Stern was getting interference from the sheriff's deputies, so he called the mayor's press secretary, Scott Phelps. Phelps asked Verburg to go to the clerk's office to straighten out the situation.
Stern and Verburg met for the first time while the sheriff's deputies were watching. And they had little reason to collaborate: Verburg's office is the one prosecuting Stern for that disorderly conduct charge.
Remember when Stern dared to argue that he ought to be allowed to record public records with his digital camera, and the sheriff ordered him to be charged? Citing a conflict of interest, County Attorney Andrew Thomas recused himself, so Verburg's office took the case.
They've refused to drop the charge. Stern could face up to six months in jail.
Some conspiracy, eh?
The stupidest thing about the sheriff's public-records request isn't the bullying at City Hall last week, or even the hypocrisy.
The stupidest thing is what's in the records. Nothing.
Oh, sure, there's stuff. Mayor Gordon got plenty of e-mail; so did City Manager Fairbanks and Police Chief Harris. But I went through the entire 9,343-page request and I can tell you, with absolute certainty, there is nothing of substance there.
No embarrassing revelations about Gordon's personal life. No evidence of a conspiracy between Gordon and Arpaio's opponents.
The only "scoop" in the entire set of records is the fact that former news babe Mary Jo West used the occasion of the Chávez Day speech to ask Gordon for a job. Seriously.
West, who famously handled communications for the Catholic diocese during the fallout from former Bishop O'Brien's hit-and-run, praised Gordon's "stance against Sheriff Arpaio's unprofessional actions," then casually mentioned that if Gordon's spokesman, Phelps, should ever retire, she's looking for work. "I am used to staying calm in the middle of controversy," she wrote.
Any time that's the best tidbit in 9,000-plus pages, you know you're in trouble. The rest of the records are just blather — thank-you notes from the activists and church-goers who hate Arpaio, rants on immigration from his most loyal supporters.
"I hope you and your wife get gang raped by your illegal Mexican freinds [sic]," wrote William L. Strop of Astor, Florida. "You need to move your shitty ass to Mexico and get the hell out of MY country and take your shitty family with you you cock sucker!"
"Sheriff Joe is trying to get these wetbacks out of here," wrote Jeff Fischer of Mesa. "Why don't you go to mexico and take these cockroaches with you!!!!!!!!"
Sorry Mr. Newsreporter but you have to show me where the Sheriff and his men are in the wrong.
Do you have an outstanding warrant you are afraid they will find.
Do you have an outstanding traffic volation you are afraid they will find.
Do you just not like law enforcement people.
Get a life, they serve and protect you and your loved ones.
Way to go Sheriff, I'm on your team.
I am questioning Joe Arpiao. My son is serving four and a half years in Florence West for a DUI and minor drug offences. I was under the impression that during his incarceration he would have access to college accredited classes through Rio Salado College for his rehabilation. Upon reveiwing the Rio Salado class catalog for inmates, I discovered that those that are serving 10 years for violent crimes have the opportunity to be dental hygenist, learn Arabic or Marine Biology amongst other beneficial classes that could land them a job. Then as ludicrios as it sounds, those serving 5 years have very little choices to rehabilatate themselves, actually there are about ten classes they have to choose from. All the others can not be done through correspondence. The ten year+ inmates do have limited access to computers and DVD's that allow them to pick and choose as they please the classes they want to take. Is my son there just for punishment and more than likely will be one of the 70% that reenter the prison syestem because he cannot find a decent job because he has had no reabilatation? Dear Joe, Please let me know how I should think about this delemma. Is it fair? Is it worthwhile? Does it make sense? Renee Wilkie
i wish we had a sheriff like him in central oregon.if only it was legal to shoot these filthy wetbacks i would be happy!
Although I thoroughly enjoyed the article, Gordon is by no means a hero. He�s an effeminate ineffective creep who road the fence long and hard and took a stance against Ar-pie-hole and the sweeps ONLY after he was threatened to be sued by the Justice Department not too long ago. Gordon�s inertia came to the Justice Department�s attention during the immigrant protests in the Pruitt�s parking lot. Gordon did absolutely nothing with the Pruitt�s situation until the JD intervened.
Just heard that Bozo Joe fired Shaq from MCSO for being in Florida and using foul language while at a Rap Concert. Bozo Joe says Shaq shouldn't be allowed to play anymore basketball professionally either for this....Bozo Joe stripped him of his MCSO Posse badge and his MCSO Secret Celebrity Police Badge. Oh my, this has got to be the funniest thing I've ever heard. Has Arpaio finally completely lost his mind or what.... This should be funnier than Hell once the true story comes out and not Bozo Joe's version..
Re the article "Please Tell Me We're On Candid Camera" where you state: "Sheriff's Captain Jim Miller...picked up a couple of random folders sitting on the records counter and waved them in my face. 'Take these papers from my hand!' he snarled. 'Take these papers from my hand!'"
I wonder what would have happened had Mr. Stern taken the folders while stating: "Certainly, sir, I always follow the lawful orders of a police officer."
I didn't even read this whole article. I've read volumes about this Buford T. Justice wannabe. I just wonder, time and time again, how this fucking douchebag continues to get re-elected. He basically spits on the US constitution, excercises martial law in his own twisted way, treats people in all walks of life like shit and dies it in plain view of everyone on the planet. He's cost the state and Phoenix's tax payers untold millions of dollars. That alone should be enough for the mayor or the governor or SOMEBODY to give that ass crack his walking papers. What an embarassment of a public servant this impotent, self serving prick is. I feel for you Phoenix. I dig your town and I dig your state but somebody's got to do something about this fuck.
I served with THE REPEATER; I knew THE REPEATER; THE REPEATER was a friend of mine. You, sir, are no THE REPEATER.
Seriously.
I served with THE REPEATER; I knew THE REPEATER; THE REPEATER was a friend of mine. You, sir, are no THE REPEATER.
Seriously.
I served with THE REPEATER; I knew THE REPEATER; THE REPEATER was a friend of mine. You, sir, are no THE REPEATER.
Can i be part of the money game?! I will spend it before they want it back. Joe old age is getting the best of him. he dose not like us brown skin folks and he dose not like the higher power of him and most of all he is giving away or tax payers money. !!!WHAT A JOKE!!!
great article yet again from you Sarah! I think that whats lost here though is that in his report, Capt Miller states that one of them was a D.O. So what are detention officers doing running an internal affairs investigation is what really needs to be asked here. The mere fact that jail staff are gathering the information used in an investigation thats supposed to be an internal one screams of inpropriety in itself. Theres a reason Detectives are such, and theres a reason jail staff are such..And if their so understaffed that they cant open the satellite jails, and they have to shut down most of the visitation hours due to lack of staff, then why arent they there instead of scanning useless documents at City Hall that really could just be to gain the email add's of citizens who have sent a less than favorable opinion of MCSO to the Mayors office. . Its not like a few months ago they didnt try to do the same with New Times readers, so i dont think im that far off. Either way, you guys are awesome for being the ones that have stood up to this fascists regime and reported on the things that local media refused to in fear of reprisal from MCSO. AzRepublic has caught on, but i dont think their whole hearts are in it. Otherwise they wouldnt bury stories about the negative things MCSO does..(some they do, some they dont now) the Sheriff "mugabe" Arpaio regime is at its end, and he'll have no one to blame come Nov but himself and his main blimp hendermutt. PS 50% is about where hes at in the polls, seems to be some confusion about this. And lets not forget they dont say who their polling, repubs, dems, independants, whites only, etc..so that too could be off.
