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Sheriff Joe: Politics and Paranoia
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Arpaio Awaits Justice as Election Looms
By Michael LaceyNovember 01, 2012Editor's note: Michael Lacey is the former co-owner of Village Voice Media. He and his partner sold VVM to senior... More >> -
The Feds Proved Themselves a Cage of Cowardly Lions in the Arpaio Investigation
By Stephen LemonsSeptember 06, 2012At the conclusion of her four-page letter to Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery, explaining the Arizona U.S.... More >> -
Mike Stauffer's Third-Wheel Bid for Sheriff May Keep Arpaio in Office
By Stephen LemonsJuly 12, 2012One day after defending himself at a candidates' forum for keeping his day job as a lieutenant with the Scottsdale Police... More >> -
Victims Wonder Why Arpaio Let Sex-Abuse Cases Languish
By Ray SternFebruary 16, 2012Late 2005 to October 2007 was not a good time to be raped or molested in El Mirage. During that time, the town had... More >> -
The Feds Have Evidence That Joe Arpaio Broke the Law -- When Will The Indictments Come?
By Ray SternMay 26, 2011Soon after becoming head of the Maricopa Anti-Corruption Enforcement team under Sheriff Joe Arpaio, Bill Knight became... More >> -
Feedback from the Issue of Thursday, April 28, 2011
April 28, 2011BROKEBACK MCSO Too bad Joe will probably skate: Your story makes the whole SCA thing make sense ("Love Connection," Ray... More >> -
Should Sheriff Joe Arpaio Get a Pass When the Indictments Come Down? Hell, No
By Stephen LemonsSeptember 23, 2010INDICTMENT TIME I have a simple question for U.S. Attorney for Arizona Dennis Burke and Arizona Attorney General Terry... More >> -
Arpaio Kicks $40K to New Times, Plus Benjamin Bratt Discusses His New Movie, La Mission, and His Opposition to SB 1070
By Stephen LemonsJune 10, 2010PUBLIC RECORDS PAYDAY It's a unique day in the annals of New Times-MCSO relations when Sheriff Joe Arpaio cuts this... More >> -
The Court Tower Conspiracy: Andrew Thomas and Joe Arpaio's Court Tower "Cover-Up" Sounds Like a Good Story, But It's Pure Fiction
By Sarah FenskeFebruary 18, 2010If Andrew Thomas were the one telling this story, he'd probably begin it on December 12, 2008. That's the day Thomas,... More >> -
MCSO Shackling Pregnant Moms, and Singer Linda Ronstadt Plans to March Against Arpaio
By Stephen LemonsJanuary 07, 2010CHRISTMAS ANGEL Miriam Mendiola-Martinez is a small woman, but her passive, sad demeanor makes her seem smaller. When... More >> -
Feedback from the Issue of Thursday, December 31, 2009
December 31, 2009MELLOW PINK The president isn't the enemy here: I read your article about Barack Obama's lack of impetuosity concerning... More >> -
The Nooses Must Be Cut Down
Yavapai County Attorney Sheila Polk provided the blade. Now it's up to AG Goddard and President Obama to use it
By Michael LaceyDecember 31, 2009Sheriff Joe Arpaio and Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas have defiled our town square with hanging corpses: five... More >> -
Is Nothing Sacred?: Apparently Not in Joe Arpaio and Andrew Thomas’ Wacked Legal World
By Paul RubinDecember 24, 2009Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Gary Donahoe could not be more different from Sheriff Joe Arpaio. Donahoe is as... More >> -
The American Artist: A Naturalized Citizen, Painter, and Valley Legal-System Translator, Ramon Delgadillo Was Refused Entry to Arpaio's Jail Because He Didn't Carry Proof of Citizenship
By Stephen LemonsDecember 17, 2009Editor's note: This is one of a group of individual accounts of racial profiling by Sheriff Joe Arpaio's forces. Ramon... More >> -
The Pink Negro: As an Ivy League Lawyer, is President Barack Obama Hard Enough to Confront the Evil Personified by Sheriff Joe Arpaio?
By Michael LaceyDecember 10, 2009President Barack Obama gracefully accepted the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, Norway. Here, in Phoenix, Arizona, we... More >> -
Tuned In: The MCSO Pointed Guns at Siblings, Both U.S. Citizens, After a Deputy’s Attention Was Drawn to Them by Spanish-Language Music Blaring from Their Car
By Ray SternDecember 10, 2009Editor's note: This is one of a group of individual accounts of racial profiling by Sheriff Joe Arpaio's forces. The... More >> -
He Never Flinched: A U.S. Citizen Was Detained by the MCSO and Then Testified Before Congress About His Being Racially Profiled
By Stephen LemonsDecember 03, 2009Editor's note: This is one of a group of individual accounts of racial profiling by Sheriff Joe Arpaio's forces. The... More >> -
No Probable Cause? No Problem!: A U.S. Citizen Says He Was Detained Without Probable Cause by the MCSO, and Then Jailed for Traffic Violations
By Valeria FernándezNovember 19, 2009Editor's note: This is one of a group of individual accounts of racial profiling by Sheriff Joe Arpaio's... More >> -
Rules Be Damned: A Legal Resident Presented Valid Documentation to the MCSO but Was Jailed for 12 Days Anyway
By Valeria FernándezNovember 12, 2009Editor's note: This is one of a group of individual accounts of racial profiling by Sheriff Joe Arpaio's forces. The... More >> -
Does U.S. Attorney Dennis Burke Have the Stones to Take on Sheriff Joe?
By Stephen LemonsNovember 05, 2009BURKE'S BUMBLE CBS 5's recent special report on Sheriff Joe Arpaio's pattern of retaliation against anyone who... More >> -
Zip-Tied at 12: A Permanent Resident and His U.S. Citizen Son Are Bound by the MCSO for Being Brown and Living Next to a Drop House
By Stephen LemonsOctober 29, 2009Editor's note: This is one of a group of individual accounts of racial profiling by Sheriff Joe Arpaio's forces. Fili... More >> -
The MCSO Retaliates Against a Guadalupe Activist; Plus, John Huppenthal Spews Bogus Stats During a Prejudice Party at the Arizona Capitol
By Stephen LemonsOctober 29, 2009LOCAL HEROES Ever since the MCSO's contract for police services with the town of Guadalupe was renewed earlier this... More >> -
Joe Arpaio and Andrew Thomas: They're All About the Perp Walk
By Sarah FenskeOctober 08, 2009"You've got to be kidding." That's what Don Stapley said as sheriff's deputies arrested him September 21 in the county... More >> -
Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s Command Staff is Caught Up in a Serious Criminal Investigation, Newly Released Documents Show
By Sarah FenskeSeptember 03, 2009Five months ago, investigators with the Arizona Attorney General's Office raided the home of one of Sheriff Joe Arpaio's... More >> -
Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard Goes After Captain Joel Fox and the SCA Money
By Sarah FenskeAugust 27, 2009In near-endless posts on our Web site, Captain Joel Fox has waxed on about the media, about his career as a SWAT team... More >> -
SCA Donors Knew Their Money was Going to Sheriff Joe Arpaio -- and That Could Mean Trouble for the State GOP
By Sarah FenskeAugust 13, 2009Five little words just might prove to be the downfall of Sheriff Joe Arpaio's command staff — and the Arizona... More >> -
Feedback from the Issue of Thursday, August 13, 2009
August 13, 2009TEARDOWN TOWN Like 1984 all over again: To ASU President Michael Crow: Which is more sustainable, which is greener,... More >> -
All the Sheriff's Men: The SCA Campaign-Finance Scandal is Linked to Sheriff Joe Arpaio's Chief Deputy David Hendershott
By Sarah FenskeJuly 23, 2009ANALYSIS (See list of related stories that led up to this piece) "This situation has absolutely nothing to do with the... More >> -
Janet Napolitano Pulls a Switcheroo on the Pro-Immigrant Crowd, Arpaio Scores a Latina Judge's Recusal, plus Swastikas in Fountain Hills
By Stephen LemonsJuly 23, 2009287(G) BOOS You'd have to mine Davy Jones' locker to discover the true depth of our Democratic ex-governor's duplicity... More >> -
The Lumley Vampire Attacks Arizona Department of Corrections’ Charles Ryan for the Death of Marcia Powell, Arpaio’s Goons Zip-Tie a 12-Year-Old, and the Jail Lockdowns Are Over
By Stephen LemonsMay 28, 2009DARTH RYAN The Lumley Vampire, the underground newsletter purportedly run by current and former Arizona Department of... More >> -
Neo-Nazis and Extreme Right-Wingers Love Joe Arpaio, and There’s Evidence that the MCSO Keeps Them Close
By Stephen LemonsMay 14, 2009Strapped with a sidearm, carrying an Arizona flag, and wearing a golf cap and ink-black sunglasses, the neo-Nazi... More >> -
Arpaio’s Avondale Sweep a Bust, Pima County Sheriff Wants to Check School Kids’ Immigration Papers, and Chris Simcox Takes on McCain
By Stephen LemonsApril 30, 2009DUPNIK'S SHARK Where the right wing meets the sick and surreal. Is this what Arizona's become? Every day in this state,... More >> -
Arpaio and the 287(g) Hearings, Direct from D.C.
By Stephen LemonsApril 09, 2009TRIUMPH IN D.C. The weather was muggy. The cherry blossoms were in bloom. And Sheriff Joe Arpaio was on the agenda on... More >> -
Are Your Papers in Order?
By Michael LaceyMarch 19, 2009Elaine Sanchez understands Guadalupe, Arizona, as well as she understands her six children. She was born and raised in... More >> -
The Bird Defends a Hispanic Woman Whose Wing Was Clipped by the MCSO, and Knocks Guadalupe Mayor Frankie Montiel's Idea of Din-Din with Arpaio
From the beak of The Bird to the ear of Stephen LemonsMarch 19, 2009BAD BREAK Why did six of Joe Arpaio's goons break the arm of a Mexican house-mom? The answer seems to be that MCSO... More >> -
Are Your Papers in Order?
The Sanchezes are American citizens who've been in this country longer than Joe Arpaio's family. The Sanchezes are criminally brown.
By Michael LaceyMarch 12, 2009Elaine Sanchez understands Guadalupe, Arizona, as well as she understands her six children. She was born and raised in... More >> -
It's Time to Kick Andrew Thomas Off the Stapley Investigation
By Sarah FenskeFebruary 19, 2009From the beginning, I've been skeptical about the charges against Don Stapley. The Maricopa County Supervisor faces 118... More >> -
Before Don Stapley’s Indictment, There Was the Land Deal
By Sarah FenskeJanuary 01, 2009Behind the year's most shocking indictment — 118 criminal counts filed last month against Maricopa County... More >> -
Andrew Thomas Cuts a Plea Deal with a Neo-Nazi, County Democrats Reorganize, and a Phony UPS Guy Delivers Redflex Ticket
From the beak of The Bird to the ear of Stephen LemonsDecember 18, 2008PASTOR'S SON Sympathy for a racist skinhead? Has The Bird gone bonkers? Maybe. But as this avian considers the curious... More >> -
Don Stapley’s Biggest Crime Was Failing to Hide His Real Estate Dealings as Well as Sheriff Joe Arpaio Did
By Sarah FenskeDecember 11, 2008The world's pettiest law enforcement duo is at it again. Sheriff Joe Arpaio and County Attorney Andrew Thomas have socked... More >> -
The Dirty on Nik Richie, Post-it Note Ninjas, and SCA-Gate — All Within This Owl’s Talons
From the beak of The Bird to the ear of Stephen LemonsNovember 27, 2008HOO' DA MAN? Okay, this naughty nightingale will come clean with you bird brains. Once in a long while, this wily... More >> -
The Bird Claws at State Democrats and Likens the GOP's SCA-gate to the Granddaddy of Political Scandals
From the beak of The Bird to the ear of Stephen LemonsNovember 13, 2008LOCAL LOSERS A bucket of warm spit. That's the phrase Franklin D. Roosevelt's veep, John Nance "Cactus Jack" Garner once... More >> -
ICE’s Matthew Allen and Dennis DeConcini Get Ripped Apart by the Taloned Terror
From the beak of The Bird to the ear of Stephen LemonsNovember 06, 2008MR. DISINGENUOUS This ornery oriole's given up on expecting candor from the new head of U.S. Immigration and Customs... More >> -
New Times Endorses Dan Saban and Tim Nelson
By Michael LaceyOctober 30, 2008The most visible hammer of ethnic cleansing in greater Phoenix — which has swept 50,000 Mexicans from our community... More >> -
Are Joe Arpaio and His MCSO's Fiscally Wasteful and Inhumane Antics Finally Catching Up With Him?
By Ray SternOctober 23, 2008In any other place, the publicity Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio has received recently would be seen as, well,... More >> -
The Not-So-Pious Partridge Calls Phoenix’s Catholic Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted a Wimp on Immigration
From the beak of The Bird to the ear of Stephen LemonsSeptember 25, 2008BAAAAD SHEPHERD Allow this avian to wow Christian and heathen alike with a little preachifyin', thus demonstrating that... More >> -
The relentless raptor sinks his beak into the tyranny of Sheriff Joe Arpaio and County Attorney Andrew Thomas
From the beak of The Bird to the ear of Stephen LemonsSeptember 18, 2008POLICE STATE Landscapers and lawyers. Cops and candle makers. Reporters and corn vendors. Undocumented immigrants and... More >> -
The Bird joins the anti-Arpaio siege at Wells Fargo, postmortems the Pearce- Gibbons race, and knocks Napolitano for defending Sarah Palin
From the beak of The Bird to the ear of Stephen LemonsSeptember 11, 2008FORTRESS ARPAIO More like Don Quixote than César Chávez, pro-immigrant activist Salvador Reza is laying... More >> -
Joe Arpaio’s men fail to justify criminally charging New Times reporter Ray Stern in a public records dispute
By Michael LaceyAugust 28, 2008When I read our lawyer's interviews with the deputies in Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio's most notorious division, I... More >> -
The Bird tsks at Phoenix Magazine, revisits Guadalupe’s recalls and takes one more swipe at Russell “White Pride” Pearce
From the beak of The Bird to the ear of Stephen LemonsAugust 28, 2008READY DEBACLE Right about now, Mesa neo-Nazi J.T. Ready must be feeling like John Edwards' mistress, or Shaq's estranged... More >> -
Excerpts from interviews and other documents re: State of Arizona v. Ray Stern
August 28, 2008John Thomas Graham Interview Jeff Gentry Interview Scott Freeman Interview Beverly Goodman... More >> -
This pious partridge asks for blessings for Darrell Ankarlo, Candy Thomas, and all the other corrupt politicos in Sand Land
From the beak of The Bird to the ear of Stephen LemonsAugust 07, 2008PENGUIN PRAYER This week, Bird lovers, the Taloned Tallywacker begins his column with prayer. Please bow your... More >> -
The Bird shelters Pima County Legal Defender Isabel Garcia from the flak she’s received for hoisting an Arpaio piñata head
From the beak of The Bird to the ear of Stephen LemonsJuly 24, 2008PUNCHING PEARCE It's the most loaded query in PHX politics lately: "So, when did you stop beating your wife?" Truly,... More >> -
Mesa Police Chief George Gascón stares down Sheriff Joe Arpaio
By Ray SternJuly 10, 2008The police chief had stolen the spotlight, and the sheriff was furious. It was a scorching hot day in late June, and... More >> -
The Bird revels in Sheriff Joe's decline, slams Mark Spencer's false hysteria, and explains why "illegals" ain't criminals
From the beak of The Bird to the ear of Stephen LemonsJuly 03, 2008MR. PITIFUL Why, The Bird's never seen Sheriff Joe Arpaio lookin' so used up and beat as he appeared at the Barnes... More >> -
County Attorney Andrew Thomas fights to seal Wilenchik's State Bar secrets
By Sarah FenskeJune 26, 2008Andrew Thomas is in trouble. Facing a series of probes from the State Bar of Arizona, the county attorney has resorted... More >> -
Sheriff Joe buffaloes readers with bogus yarns in his book Joe's Law
By Stephen LemonsJune 26, 2008It was all love from the mostly alter kocker crowd of Sheriff Joe supporters at the Barnes & Noble near Pima and... More >> -
Sheriff Joe’s goons bring new heights of absurdity to Phoenix City Hall
By Sarah FenskeJune 19, 2008I still don't know what the stupidest part was. Was it the Maricopa County sheriff's officer waving a public... More >> -
The Bird needles Crispin Glover over his alleged meltdown at Chandler Cinemas
From the beak of The Bird to the ear of Stephen LemonsJune 12, 2008XTRA CRISPY So the Bird was out for First Friday recently when it ran into Andrea Beesley-Brown, a.k.a. the Midnite... More >> -
Guadalupe made it clear that Joe Arpaio’s attacking anyone with brown skin
By Stephen LemonsMay 29, 2008With spirited protesters and helmeted deputies on horseback, the night of April 3 in Guadalupe was like some historical... More >> -
Light rail may not start on time — and Arpaio’s investigation of AG Goddard may never finish
By Sarah FenskeMay 22, 2008Construction has nearly finished on most of the Valley's inaugural 20-mile light-rail track. Thank God. But that doesn't... More >> -
The Bird on Mayor Phil and why the Fonz can't tell the world, "Fuck the police"
From the beak of The Bird to the ear of Stephen LemonsApril 24, 2008FIGHTIN' PHIL The last place this pugnacious penguin figured he'd ever be was sitting across a table from Mayor Phil... More >> -
Lacey, Larkin receive award
April 10, 2008New Times founders Michael Lacey and Jim Larkin received the President's Award from the Valley chapter of the... More >> -
The Bird tackles AZ's new immigration czar, Matthew Allen, while Guadalupe revolts against the MCSO's iron grip
From the beak of The Bird to the ear of Stephen LemonsApril 10, 2008ICEMAN BLOWETH So you're the new Immigration and Customs Enforcement honcho in town, replacing a rico suave ICE chief by... More >> -
The Bird covers the waterfront on Sheriff Arpaio’s racial profiling patrols and demands freedom for First Friday bohos
From the beak of The Bird to the ear of Stephen LemonsApril 03, 2008DEEZ NUTZ Someone must've spiked Mayor Phil Gordon's Froot Loops with testosterone. How else to explain the previously... More >> -
Head on a skewer: Joe Arpaio was so obsessed with getting a hard-charging New Times writer prosecuted that he badgered Andy Thomas into making a fool of himself
By Paul RubinMarch 20, 2008On May 2, 2005, a prosecutor and an investigator at the Maricopa County Attorney's Office asked senior staffers to review... More >> -
New Times files a prelude to a lawsuit against Sheriff Joe Arpaio, County Attorney Andy Thomas and a discredited ex-special prosecutor on behalf of its readers and the Constitution
By Stephen LemonsFebruary 21, 2008New Times submitted a formal Notice of Claim on Wednesday, February 20, against the public officials responsible for a... More >> -
The Bird wonders why Sheriff Joe Arpaio put a U.S. citizen behind bars for simply appearing Mexican
From the beak of The Bird to the ear of Stephen LemonsJanuary 31, 2008NO HOLDS BARRED What ICE doesn't know won't hurt it. That's the Sheriff's Office policy regarding immigration "holds"... More >> -
The Bird wonders just what Joe Arpaio's top dog is doing down in Honduras
From the beak of The Bird to the ear of Stephen LemonsJanuary 24, 2008JABBA IN PARADISE This incredulous avian kept rubbing its peepers in disbelief. Was that really Sheriff Joe Arpaio's... More >> -
Cyberspace Invaders
County law enforcement's seeking more and more Web site information to mount investigations against private citizens
By Bill JensenDecember 20, 2007Maricopa County law enforcement officials are increasingly turning to the Internet to target private individuals they... More >> -
Information Blockade
The sheriff's made a career of stonewalling critical media — the public's right to know be damned
By Ray SternDecember 13, 2007Maricopa County law enforcement violated the constitutional rights of this newspaper and its readers in October, going so... More >> -
Kentucky-Fried Joe
The comedic kestrel makes the Joe Show in Sun City West, shares a few Joe jokes of his own, and grills state Representative Russell Pearce about his links to white supremacists
From the beak of The Bird to the ear of Stephen LemonsDecember 06, 2007You know it's bad when Nickel Bag Joe doesn't sell out in Sun City West. Yep, The Bird made the trek to the mythical land... More >> -
Enemies List
Paranoia aside, Sheriff Joe Arpaio and County Attorney Andrew Thomas just may be targeting you
By Sarah FenskeNovember 29, 2007Unless you live under a rock, you know Sheriff Joe Arpaio: He's the aging lawman with a doughy face you see on TV,... More >> -
Do Svidanya, Joe
The vexed vulture swoops down on mean ol' Sheriff Joe, then sides with a nativist (for a change) against the mothers of MADD
From the beak of The Bird to the ear of Stephen LemonsOctober 18, 2007It's official. The former Soviet Union's freer, kinder, and safer for the indigent and the sick than Maricopa County.... More >> -
Pitiless P-Town
The cranky cockatoo slams callous P-towners, pecks away at (sigh . . .) another bogus "plot" to off Sheriff Joe, and profiles the "Mexican Mutant"
From the beak of The Bird to the ear of Stephen LemonsOctober 11, 2007Someone cue Gene Pitney: It ain't pretty, a town without pity. And Phoenix has been that town for the family of Carol... More >> -
Vick-timization
Backstabbing in Buckeye, DMX's doggy woes, and nativist grandstanding over Officer Erfle's murder p.o. P-town's prickly pelican
From the beak of The Bird to the ear of Stephen LemonsSeptember 27, 2007This witty warbler has been observing with jaundiced peepers the Vick-timization of part-time AZ denizen DMX, a.k.a. ... More >> -
Below the Belt
Lawyer Dennis Wilenchik's spearheading Joe Arpaio's attempt to smear his chief political rival
By Paul RubinSeptember 20, 2007It came as little surprise to most people in the know that Buckeye Police Chief Dan Saban lost his recent defamation... More >> -
Redneck Touchdown
The belligerent buzzard performs a postmortem on the latest immigration battles, denounces attorney Dennis Wilenchik's hypocrisy, and chases after Mayor Phil "Goober" Gordon
From the beak of The Bird to the ear of Stephen LemonsJuly 05, 2007They're partyin' in the trailer parks. Pass out the free Skoal and Old Milwaukee. The knuckledragger Know Nothings,... More >> -
King of Pain
Sheriff Joe crowns himself anti-corruption kingfish and J.T. Ready looks for race friends on Newsaxon.com
From the beak of The Bird to the ear of Stephen LemonsApril 26, 2007KING OF PAIN This cantankerous coot's cranium's been throbbin' with irony-overload watching Sheriff "Nickel Bag" Joe... More >> -
How Convenient!
The Bird asks Pinal County: Want to get somebody deserving indicted? Try Joe Arpaio underling David Hendershott, for destroying evidence
From the beak of The Bird to the ear of Stephen LemonsFebruary 01, 2007Sex, lies and audiotape: This plumed penman reckons that could've been the subhead for Paul Rubin's New Times cover story... More >> -
Boob's Tube
Here's how publicity hound Joe Arpaio used a TV station to try to destroy rival Dan Saban with a bogus rape claim
By Paul RubinJanuary 25, 2007On the early evening of April 7, 2004, an Apache Junction resident named Ruby Norman shot an e-mail over to Sheriff Joe... More >> -
Westcor Weenies
This raucous raven demands: Is Westcor taking a cue from the Jim Crow South, or is io's closing really about a lame-o lease dispute?
From the beak of The Bird to the ear of Stephen LemonsJanuary 11, 2007If Biltmore Fashion Park's lookin' paler than normal — whiter even than the line at a NASCAR concession stand —... More >> -
Joe Strikes Back
This vigilant vulture crafts a Christmas card to Sheriff Joe, as the Pinal County Attorney's Office threatens to seek a felony indictment against New Times
From the beak of The Bird to the ear of Stephen LemonsDecember 21, 2006It's been obvious to The Bird for a long time that Sheriff Joe Arpaio despises New Times. Why else would he violate the... More >> -
Reality Check
Let's get this straight: Lots of voters think Janet Napolitano's a closeted lesbian, but she's against Prop 107 and gay marriage?!
From the beak of The Bird to the ear of Stephen LemonsNovember 02, 2006This brazen beak-bearer can't wrap its head feathers around why Zona press weenies are so scared of discussing whether... More >> -
Bully Pulpit
County Attorney Andy Thomas has not only steered a lot of business to his old law firm, he has hired his old boss to harass Sheriff Joe Arpaio's chief political rival
By John DoughertyJune 29, 2006Evidence is mounting that Sheriff Joe Arpaio and Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas are working together to undermine... More >> -
Judging Andy
With leaders like Andrew Thomas, Joe Arpaio and Bishop Olmsted around, who says Arizona's a cruel place to live?!
From the beak of The Bird to the ear of Robrt L. PelaMarch 23, 2006This just in from the How Stupid Is Andy Thomas Department: Everybody's favorite local race-baiter had a pile of angry... More >> -
Mexican Busting
The plumed wonder examines the racial politics of Andy Thomas, then swoops over Sharon Stonewaller and Tent City, where Shaq and a local actor were inside the razor wire
From the beak of The Bird to the ear of Robrt L. PelaJanuary 19, 2006Letting a couple of cops off the hook after they beat the hell out of a Mexican national isn't enough for County Attorney... More >> -
J. Edgar Arpaio
Sheriff Joe's fashioning himself after the late FBI director, only (we think) without the women's underwear
By John DoughertyOctober 06, 2005I really wanted to see Joe Arpaio get roasted on October 1, during an event to raise money for the Maricopa County... More >> -
Bird in Hand
U.S. Attorney Paul Charlton has a rare opportunity to investigate Sheriff Joke. Will he do it?
By John DoughertyAugust 18, 2005In the weeks leading up to last September's Republican primary election for sheriff, challenger Dan Saban predicted that... More >> -
Histrionics Lesson
Again, a judge bends over and allows Sheriff Joe Arpaio to sneer at Arizona's public records law
By John DoughertyAugust 11, 2005Superior Court Judge Michael D. Jones should be proud of himself. He has made it virtually impossible for the public to... More >> -
Enemies List
Arpaio haters, perceived and otherwise, beware! Looks like Joe's up to his old tricks
By John DoughertyApril 28, 2005Recent events lead me to believe that Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio may again be abusing his police powers for... More >> -
Litmus Test
County Attorney Andy Thomas must prove he can protect our constitutional rights
By John DoughertyFebruary 17, 2005Last fall, I uncovered serious problems with the Maricopa County Department of Elections' handling of a September primary... More >> -
Recall Joe!
That's what a group led by the well-connected family of one of Arpaio's own injured deputies is working to see happen
By John DoughertyFebruary 10, 2005Yeah, he won still another term in the November general election, but there's reason for hope that Maricopa County... More >> -
Dangerous Dance
Ominous storm clouds threaten to trample the Constitution and turn our republic into a theocracy.
John DoughertyNovember 11, 2004For the roughly 735,000 Arizonans and 56 million Americans who got trampled by the November 2 election, the challenge now... More >> -
Pariah Joe
Dan Saban turns over materials to the FBI showing alleged improprieties by Arpaio and the MCSO.
By John DoughertyOctober 21, 2004Let's face it, Joe Arpaio's going to win re-election November 2 to his fourth term as Maricopa County sheriff. He has no... More >> -
We Sue the Coward of the County
Arpaio's ditsy chief flack Lisa Allen MacPherson tells us to take her boss to court, so . . .
By Rick BarrsSeptember 30, 2004Notorious former Los Angeles police chief Daryl Gates must have 50 IQ points on Joe Arpaio. Don't get me wrong, Gates... More >> -
Say No to Joe
Voters have the best chance ever of kicking Outlaw Joe to the curb on September 7.
By John DoughertySeptember 02, 2004Voters have a golden opportunity to throw 72-year-old Sheriff Joe Arpaio out of office in the September 7 Republican... More >> -
Jailgate Explodes
A new poll shows Outlaw Joe Arpaio's popularity plummeting among county Republicans
By John DoughertyAugust 26, 2004Public support for Outlaw Joe is eroding at an astonishing rate as the September 7 Republican primary nears, with more... More >> -
Special Treatment
Is justice for sale? Ask privileged characters like Jerry Colangelo
John DoughertyAugust 19, 2004We all know how Joe Arpaio serves up justice to average schmucks. He proudly shows no mercy. He subjects them to the... More >> -
Paranoia Reigns
Pissed at Joe's insanity, Senator John McCain makes it official: He endorses Saban.
By John DoughertyAugust 12, 2004If hundreds of angry phone calls and e-mails in response to my commentary on a harebrained MCSO raid in Ahwatukee are any... More >> -
Outlaw Joe
One of Arpaio's own deputies testifies about how the MCSO smeared Dan Saban.
By John DoughertyJuly 22, 2004From here on out, 72-year-old Joe Arpaio isn't the Maricopa County sheriff in my book. He's an outlaw waiting to be... More >> -
Arpaio's Running Scared
The powerful Professional Fire Fighters of Arizona and Senator John McCain want Sheriff Joke gone
By John DoughertyJuly 15, 2004Hey Joe, why are you hiding from me? Are you scared? Seems "the toughest sheriff in America" should have nothing to... More >> -
In the Crosshairs
County lawmen boffing hookers isn't Sheriff Joe's only problem. Fed up with his thuggery, Arpaio's own political party has targeted him for defeat
By John DoughertyJune 24, 2004Linda Saville leans across the table in a downtown Phoenix restaurant and recites the pledge she made at the moment her... More >> -
False Positive
Is Joe Arpaio up to his same old dirty tricks? This time, a man's life may be at stake.
By Robert NelsonFebruary 19, 2004Jim Cozzolino wasn't afraid of serving jail time. He was just afraid of where he'd be serving that jail time. Two... More >> -
The Trial
Existential nightmare? Nah, just Joe Arpaio destroying a political enemy
By Robert NelsonDecember 25, 2003I've been here too many times before to muster much outrage or amazement. Watching Joe Arpaio's guys dismantle a little... More >> -
Spiked
Sheriff Arpaio's popularity spikes
August 07, 2003Sheriff Gets Poll Axed When W. Steven Martin announced that he'd try to unseat Maricopa County's longest-running... More >> -
Heir Apparent
The Joe Show has finally met its match in W. Steven Martin
By Robert NelsonJune 12, 2003I was ecstatic when the press release arrived on my desk two weeks ago. It meant I didn't have to run for sheriff of... More >> -
Gag of an Order
New Times really hit a nerve this time. Sheriff Joe wants a federal judge to shut us up.
By Robert NelsonMarch 06, 2003In a legal maneuver apparently designed to honor yours truly while offering up a barrel of fish for shooting, stunningly... More >> -
Unlikely Unabomber
One of Arpaio's grandest busts faces a serious legal challenge
By John DoughertyDecember 19, 2002A lawyer for a man accused of plotting to kill Sheriff Joe Arpaio will use the entrapment defense to challenge what was... More >> -
Diary of a Madman, Part 2
Joe Arpaio really has become a dangerous man
By Robert NelsonNovember 14, 2002Last week I told you the story of how Sheriff Joe Arpaio and his chief deputy, David Hendershott, settled a political... More >> -
Trick or Threat
On Halloween, Joe Arpaio and his men set a new low for police harassment
By Robert NelsonNovember 07, 2002Like a serial killer, Joe Arpaio is getting cockier and dumber with each hit. This time, Arpaio cited Joe Arizona, the... More >> -
Goon Squad
Sheriff Joe Arpaio has a documented history of abusing his power to destroy enemies. Now he's at it again.
By Robert NelsonSeptember 19, 2002Cops call it "building the jacket." If you've got a guy you want to ruin, you start throwing crazy allegations at him or... More >> -
Garden Parties
Campaign funds from the big house, tales from the greenhouse
As told to Patti EplerApril 04, 2002Check, PleaseThe Spike was intrigued by recent campaign finance disclosure records filed by Jan Brewer, the departed... More >> -
Artless Redesign
The 51 may soon become just another crappy little freeway
As told to Patti EplerFebruary 21, 2002Squaw Peak PotfallsThe Spike almost hates to break this news since there's a good chance the uproar will again drown out... More >> -
Pay Back
Promoter David Hans Schmidt mouthed off to the cops, the county attorney and Sheriff Joe. He believes it landed him back in jail.
By Robert NelsonAugust 23, 2001In late June, David Hans Schmidt placed a birthday card on the grave of his infant son Ben, who died eight years ago at... More >> -
Web Feat
Judge grants Arpaio injunction against threats
By Robert NelsonMarch 15, 2001Joe Arpaio has been trying to shut Jim Cozzolino up for the last two years. Last week, the sheriff finally found a way to... More >> -
Muck My Day
Sheriff candidate fears dirty politics
By Robert NelsonSeptember 21, 2000In late 1998, former Maricopa County Sheriff's Office Lieutenant Robert Wetherell, who had led Sheriff Joe Arpaio's... More >> -
Posse Galore
Staking out Maricopa County's wildest political race -- to unseat Sheriff Joe Arpaio
By Robert NelsonAugust 24, 2000All the goofball publicity antics of "America's Toughest Sheriff" would be really funny, all the strange, mean, paranoid... More >> -
Soft Cell
Special handling for a federal prosecutor's drunken-driving case sparks controversy in sheriff's ranks
By Robert NelsonAugust 03, 2000The county jail at Dysart and Bell roads in Surprise hadn't seen an inmate since 1994. Sheriff Joe Arpaio closed the... More >> -
Per Verse
By David HolthouseOctober 14, 1999Haikus are the bonsai trees of observation. They've been a way of writing for at least 3,000 years. Old school. Free... More >> -
Chain Reaction
Why some inmates dig the pauper-planting female chain gang
By Paolo Vescia, Terry Greene SterlingSeptember 23, 1999SHERIFF JOE ARPAIO HAS INVITED critics and fans and, of course, reporters, to help him commemorate this week's third... More >> -
The Plot To Assassinate Arpaio
It was a diabolical scheme. Problem is, most of it was hatched by the Sheriff's Office.
By John DoughertyAugust 05, 1999The Trap On July 1, the day after sheriff's detectives Antone Jacobs and Phil Dougherty interviewed informant Burrows at... More >> -
Flashes
June 17, 1999Look, Ma, No Hands! Provoked by a heady blend of overwhelming demand and genetic tendencies toward shameless... More >> -
Moving Target
Vocal leader of deputy's group is candidate for dismissal
By Tony OrtegaJune 10, 1999In March, Maricopa County sheriff's deputy Steve Barnes came forward with damning news: several of Sheriff Joe Arpaio's... More >> -
Flashes
June 03, 1999Soldiers of Fortune Public Campaign, the D.C. interest group that brought Arizona last fall's successful "Clean... More >> -
Blowing His Cool
Sheriff Joe Arpaio is trying to fire another deputy who alleges wrongdoing in the sheriff's office
By Tony OrtegaMay 27, 1999Maricopa County sheriff's director David Hendershott ordered detention officer David Cool to produce a false memo... More >> -
The Jokemobile
May 13, 1999Convinced that cabals of international terrorists want him dead, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio has ordered and... More >> -
Flashes
April 29, 1999The Spider Mafia In case you missed the hilarity in an Arizona Republic story Sunday that was toned down so as not to... More >> -
Insider Account
One of sheriff's former henchmen tells of dubious tactics
By Tony OrtegaApril 29, 1999During Sheriff Joe Arpaio's tenure, several of his employees have come forward with damaging information about what... More >> -
Flashes
April 22, 1999Shoot to Thrill Sometimes a New Times piece is so engaging and provocative that it continues to grow in notoriety long... More >> -
Joe's Spies
Campaign worker of Arpaio political foe targeted in surveillance
By Tony OrtegaMarch 25, 1999For six months, Sheriff Joe Arpaio has ordered one of his employees to spy on a key member in the election campaign of... More >> -
Flashes
February 18, 1999En Garde, Bundgaard State Senator Scott Bundgaard--convicted felon, Freon fan and free-market freak--has apparently... More >> -
Flashes
From the week of February 11, 1999
February 11, 1999Jon's On You've got to hand it to U.S. Senator Jon Kyl. With the exception of the impeachment torch-bearers in the... More >> -
Flashes
December 10, 1998Sheriff Raff The remarkable affidavit of former sheriff's lieutenant Robert Wetherell continues to have repercussions... More >> -
America's Toughest Suspects
Is Sheriff Joe's pink underwear in Bureau's drawer?
By Tony OrtegaDecember 03, 1998Last week, the U.S. Attorney's Office said it will look into allegations that some of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe... More >> -
Affidavit Versus Goliath
A former lieutenant accuses top sheriff's officials of misconduct in firing of "dime dropper" deputy
By Tony OrtegaNovember 26, 1998New revelations in the case of a fired deputy are rippling through the ranks of the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office and... More >> -
Premature Articulation
Sheriff spokeswoman spoke too soon
By Tony OrtegaSeptember 17, 1998While several reporters listened in on a news conference call, Lisa Allen, spokeswoman for Sheriff Joe Arpaio, broke the... More >> -
Flashes
September 03, 1998Menu Can't Stand Faithful Flash fans know that Fife and Ann Symington have completed their first week of study at the... More >> -
Flashes
July 16, 1998What Hoots-puh Phoenix Fire Department whistle-blowers thought they'd seen the last of their prankster boss, former... More >> -
Shield of Dreams
Memo to Romley from Arpaio: You don't need no stinkin' badges!
By Amy Silverman, Paul RubinJuly 09, 1998The showdown started in high June. Facing off are the top guns of Maricopa County's two crime-fighting agencies. But... More >> -
Flashes
June 04, 1998Club 411? Try Club 9-1-1 "Pimp 'n' Ho night" was the advertised theme at Club 411 in Tempe on May 17. "Bust a Cap... More >> -
Flashes
April 30, 1998Braves New World Certain that the hoopla surrounding the debut of the Arizona Diamondbanks had sufficiently subsided,... More >> -
Flashes
April 16, 1998He's Not Joking Sheriff Joke Arpaio's crack PR staff can't get the Crime Avenger out of the publicity tailspin of the... More >> -
Flashes
November 27, 1997Getting Mad and Even Insiders at Sheriff Joke Arpaio's office tell the Flash that recent revelations about the... More >> -
Doubting Thomas
Tom Bearup helped elect Joe Arpaio and mold the myth of "America's Toughest Sheriff." Now the former executive in the Sheriff's Office is convinced he was wrong.
By Tony OrtegaNovember 06, 1997Tom Bearup was once one of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio's most trusted aides, a political operative who, until his... More >> -
Joe, Jane & John
By Barry GrahamOctober 30, 1997Early Saturday evening, and three New Times staffers are having a meeting. Tony Ortega, Chris Farnsworth and myself sit... More >> -
Flashes
October 23, 1997Pot to Kettle: "Black" Was the Flash the only Republic skimmer who found irony in Steve Wilson's October 15 column?... More >> -
Flashes
September 25, 1997So That's How She Got Her Job! A reader grateful that the Flash featured KPNX-TV Channel 12 anchor Jineane Ford's role... More >> -
Flashes
July 17, 1997Unbowed by Dowd John Dowd is a softy, a cupcake, a paunchy punkin with a heart of ambergris. A teddy bear. We knew it... More >> -
Say It Ain't Joe
By Jeremy VoasJune 12, 1997A recent article in the Arizona Business Gazette announced that Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio would address a... More >> -
Flashes
February 20, 1997U.S. Wants Fife Locked Up The word from sources inside state government is that Governor J. Fife Symington III is... More >> -
Flashes
February 13, 1997Sheriff Promotes Gambling The betting action was furious February 6 at downtown Phoenix's American Legion Post No. 1... More >> -
Flashes
December 26, 1996Why Ignorance Is Bliss On a recent Southwest Airlines flight, The Flash dug deeply into the seatback pocket and struck... More >> -
Flashes
December 19, 1996Another Poseur in the Posse With the city abuzz over the news of an impostor inside Sheriff Joke Arpaio's sanctum, The... More >> -
Flashes
December 12, 1996Those Amazing (Former) Suns While the Phoenix Suns are emerging from their torpor--Danny Ainge's pained pouts... More >> -
Young and Arrestless
Law enforcement neophyte narrowly fails to make ballot; will continue write-in campaign against Arpaio
By David HolthouseSeptember 19, 1996Tim Coomer woke up September 11, picked up his morning newspaper, and thought he'd scored a miracle. A short article... More >> -
First Pink Underwear, Now Pink Slip
Sheriff Arpaio intends to fire a patrol sergeant who allegedly talked to the press
By Tony OrtegaAugust 15, 1996Sergeant Mark Battilana found out last week that Sheriff Joe Arpaio intends to fire him. Battilana had been suspended... More >> -
Flashes
June 20, 1996Hey, Anyone Can Have an Off Decade The Flash has been accused of being an uncompassionate, callous guy--probably... More >> -
Arpaio Tries to Plug Leaks
Sheriff's Office suspends, transfers officers suspected of talking to New Times
By Tony OrtegaMay 23, 1996A recent New Times cover story relied on deputies' accounts and public records to document how a massive shift of... More >> -
Flashes
April 18, 1996Say You Ain't Slow, Joe So you're part of Sheriff Joe Arpaio's public relations dream team and you want to make up for... More >> -
Grave Misgivings
Why some people don't dig Sheriff Arpaio's chain-gang pauper burials
By Paul RubinApril 04, 1996A woman in a long dress sat quietly on a living-room couch as the clergymen debated how to cope with Sheriff Joe Arpaio's... More >> -
Flashes
March 21, 1996The Grave Truth About Sheriff Joe Several abiding mysteries flourish in the Sonoran Desert: 1. What became of the... More >> -
NEWS BLACKOUT
By John MecklinSeptember 21, 1995When I was a reporter not long ago, I often found myself in the same crowd of journalists as one particular television... More >> -
WHAT PART OF A HORSE'S ANATOMY IS JOE ARPAIO?
By Tom FitzpatrickNovember 24, 1993We are always thrilled by the sight of armed men on horseback. The Lone Ranger. Tom Mix. Clint Eastwood. We love them... More >>
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