State Bar already seems to be caving: Sarah Fenske's article on the Maricopa County Attorney's legal shenanigans to cover his own ass was excellent ("Andrew Thomas' War," June 26). The brazen extent to which this ambitious little prick will go consistently blows my mind!
That Thomas would ask for a protective order to seal not only discredited lawyer Dennis Wilenchik's response but the entire freakin' file cannot be justified. (By the way, can somebody tell me why Wilenchik is still in the county's employ in civil matters when he screwed up so brilliantly in the criminal arena?)
What I want to know is this: Will the Arizona Supreme Court cave in to this legal crap aimed solely at either getting the State Bar of Arizona complaints against Thomas dropped or getting them delayed until after the November election?
What the Supreme Court must do is move swiftly and deny Thomas' claim so that we can find out the truth before voters put this jerk back in the County Attorney's chair.
Reading between the lines, it looks as if the State Bar of Arizona is already caving in to Andy's bullying. No wonder fast-and-loose lawyers like Wilenchik are allowed to run amuck in our state!
Norm Williams, Phoenix
Ernest Calderon is a sell-out: Oh, so Ernest Calderon said what he said because he's getting paid off by Andrew Thomas with public funds? Now isn't that just perfect!
I wondered why a Latino lawyer, and distinguished state Bar president, would support this scumbag, and now I know. Calderon doesn't mind selling out his own kind to work for this Latino-hater as long as he gets his pockets stuffed with greenbacks for his trouble. Your article says he even was paid to write the affidavit in support of Thomas to the state Supreme Court.
Calderon, you're nothing but a whore. You should be ashamed of yourself for backing somebody who, though he may be married to a Latina, has done nothing but bash our people since his arrival on the Maricopa County political scene.
Thomas' racism appeals to the trailer trash and old white people who flock to the polls to vote for anybody they think will keep Hispanics beaten down. We're truly the N-words in this place.
Samuel Valdez, Phoenix
It wouldn't surprise us, either: What do you mean we can't see what Dennis Wilenchik said about the man who made him a special prosecutor in the New Times case?! It would be very interesting to see whether he reveals that Thomas knew full well what was going on with Wilenchik's attempt at influencing a judge, etc.
But we will never know whether Thomas is lying unless the Arizona Bar grows a spine! It wouldn't surprise me to see it turn tail and drop the entire investigation of Thomas and Wilenchik.
M.L. Martinez, Phoenix
Andy would've been tossed by now: We have had enough of the corruption in [this] county and the state of Arizona. Enough of the staged media-circus witch hunts, media convictions, hatred, and bigotry that Sheriff Joe Arpaio, Thomas, and their legislative sidekick, Russell Pearce, have created and perpetuated.
Multimillion-dollar lawsuits (a blank check for Arpaio and Thomas at taxpayer expense) are simply unacceptable and outrageous! The average person can no longer afford to pay his own legal fees, much less those of abusive elected officials.
We need a road map to sort through the litigation that Arpaio and Thomas have taken in their effort to tie up the county and state.
They should know that we are conservatives who vote, and abuse of power against the people must be stopped.
If lawyers were held to the same standard as doctors, nurses, teachers, coaches, principals, or superintendents, Andrew Thomas would lose his job immediately, with questions asked later.
Thomas is in the highest position of public trust in the county and can no longer be trusted. Not only are his prosecutors inexperienced, so is Thomas.
Those who have enabled him and remained silent are complicit. The law should be used against Thomas and those who enabled them. Enough is enough in this reign of terror.
Name withheld
Pulitzer for Sarah?: Sarah Fenske's displayed outstanding public service and courage by shedding light on the inner workings of the County Attorney's Office, the Arizona Bar, and the courts. She should win a Pulitzer Prize for her coverage and attention to this very disturbing situation in the county and state.
Name withheld
WITHERED OL' JOE
Chowing down on Joe's B.S. sandwiches: It certainly was a bad couple of weeks for Joe Arpaio. He was made a fool on so many fronts. It isn't surprising that he looked "withered" to The Bird ("Mr. Pitiful," Stephen Lemons, July 3).
How many times can this guy [act like] the stupid asshole he is and not suffer politically? The problem is, right-wingers, rednecks, and old people don't read New Times. Many in this group (who make up the majority of voters around here, I'm afraid) either can't read past fourth-grade level or their eyesight is so bad that they can't see the print in your paper.
All they do is watch TV, and all TV stations do, save for Joe Dana on Channel 12, is eat Joe's bullshit for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They're afraid that, if they didn't, he would stop feeding them the B.S. sandwiches they need for their easy little stories.
I hold out hope that Joe will be defeated, but it will happen only if the people who oppose him (who number more and more!) get off their asses, register to vote, and get out of bed to go to the polls!
Hal Chester, Phoenix
Joe knows a debate would hurt him: I've been reading your articles about "Douchebag" Arpaio for about four years. I think the only way to really defeat him would be to get him to debate Democratic challenger Dan Saban.
Right now, Arpaio is pretty much saying he doesn't have to debate Saban. The real reason, of course, is that he would be defeated.
Arpaio is insane. He needs to be thrown out with the trash in 2008, so all the people who have suffered can have justice.
Andrew Creighton, Tempe
Kudos to Joe Dana: I hadn't heard about the Joe Dana ordeal mentioned in The Bird, but I'm starting to love that guy. He's really sticking it to ol' Joker. About time.
Sheriff's Office officials just assume everyone will take their word on things. And, if not, they play the spin card, which usually has more holes in it than a sieve. Much like Joe's brain these days.
Joe's tirades are sounding more and more like a little kid in the sandbox, who's kicking, flailing, and screaming, "It's my party and I'll cry if I want to."
David Saint, Phoenix
Focus on Joe's deputies: The time has come to take the spotlight off Joe Arpaio. The time has come to focus on the individual deputies who carry out his orders. These men and women, brave enough to risk their lives, aren't evil.
It unfortunately seems that deputies have fear of losing their jobs because, I assume, they have family to support (in most cases). Ironically, aliens are breaking the law for the same reason — to have a safe and secure place for their families to live.
Sheriff Joe has been vilified in New Times, and maybe rightfully so. However, he's a politician. The activists who take time out of their lives to protest Joe forget that he's a human soul (possibly because he's in love with TV cameras).
I'm not a politician, just a novice philosopher, so I don't know the right way to reform immigration. But I can see that these crime "sweeps" aren't it.
Brett Quadin, Phoenix
Shameful, indeed: We talk about fighting off tyrants in other countries, but the crimes against humanity are in our own country. In our own county.
America is about tolerance, openness, new ideas, and freedom for all. This land of opportunity is being destroyed by hatred and bigotry. The situation is threatening the future of our children.
What's going on in Maricopa County with Joe Arpaio and Andrew Thomas is shameful!
Rose Vickers, Phoenix
H.A. wants a simple explanation, that's all: What bothers many American citizens, myself included, is that most of us have tried our best to obey the laws, including the laws of national border sovereignty. Coming into this country illegally isn't kosher, and everyone who does it knows that going in.
It's a tragedy and a miscarriage of justice when families are ripped apart, when one member gets deported and the others have escaped detection ("The Accused," The Bird, July 3). However, that is neither an excuse nor even an explanation for why they so flagrantly violated American border laws to begin with.
I think that sympathy for illegal immigrants would increase dramatically if they explained why they found simple immigration laws so difficult to obey in the first place. The explanation might be as simple and blunt as, "We're sorry we violated your laws. We never wanted to do anything unlawful. But you must understand that only a fool would want to live in the corrupt, poverty-ridden cesspool that Mexico has become."
H.A. Semmens, Tempe
Not the pencil-dick's real name, obviously: Hey, all you little liberal, faggot pieces of shit, especially you little white cunts (traitors to your race) who support illegal immigration: You are in the minority, and all of us out here who want the wetbacks out are waiting for you pussies to make a move.
You see, we are law-abiding citizens, and can't make the first move. But we are looking forward to smashing your faces in when the shit hits the fan. Oh, yeah, can't wait.
All you see in the feedback section of your paper is little fags like you, because let's face it, New Times is a little, faggot-loving rag. But don't deceive yourselves; you are in the minority, and we will kick your ass! I hate faggot crybabies.
John Holmes, Phoenix
More threats from the same anon coward: Paul Sheffield, you are a fucking piece of shit pussy little faggot ("Who else can they victimize?" Letters, July 3)! It's not only the "nativists" who want these mojados out of this country, it's people who have respect for the Constitution and rule of law.
It's not only mojados who need to be shown the door — little spineless pussies like you need to be thrown out, also.
It's little cowards like you who are throwing gas on the fire regarding illegal aliens. We nativists just want the immigration laws enforced, unlike little turds like you, who want all Mexicans to come up here and take over. Well, go fuck yourself! We aren't going to let that happen. No fucking way!
Since Joe Arpaio is the only one with the balls to enforce the law, he will win in November, and all you pea-brained little bitches will just have to cry, cry, cry.
I'm inclined to believe you are the inbred punk who probably had two daddies pounding your little ass nightly, and you're just mad at life because of it.
I wish you punk-ass little cunts had the balls to start the war, because I'm looking forward to it with great anticipation. Bring it on!
Name withheld
Wake up, Arizona!: Regarding "Mr. Pitiful," great work by Stephen Lemons in getting the truth out about Arpaio and his authoritative personality. Sixteen years in power is way too long. It's time for him to go.
His supporters give us the creeps. It's time to get into the 21st century. Arizona, wake up! It's time to get rid of the reign of terror we have been enduring for too long. Out with corruption and abuse of power. Out with Arpaio, Andrew Thomas, and Russell Pearce (a former sheriff's deputy), who's Arpaio and Thomas' legislative protector.
Thanks for the stories on these politicians. It helps the public to put together the jigsaw puzzle.
Name withheld
