Here's a new one.
Deputy County Manager Sandi Wilson has filed a notice of claim against Sheriff Joe Arpaio and former County Attorney Andrew Thomas. But she's not asking for big bucks.
She simply wants a written apology.
Wilson, a 17-year county employee who supervises the budgeting process, was named in the sheriff and county attorney's bizarre racketeering lawsuit, alleging that county officials, administrators, and judges were part of a criminal enterprise designed to deny Thomas his license to practice law and -- drum roll -- build a new downtown courthouse.
Thomas' office dropped the lawsuit without ever proving any part of the conspiracy.
In her claim, filed by attorney Michael Manning, Wilson stresses that she's filing reluctantly.
"Having been named a defendant in a lawsuit charging her with criminal conduct and racketeering, her reputation has been sullied, her authority may now be questioned, and the propriety of her actions too cynically viewed," Manning writes. "Sandi worries that with [the retirement of County Manager David Smith], there may no longer be a place in county government for her and the taint of the past months will prevent her from finding another commensurate position."
So ... an apology.
Wilson is asking for one, in writing, from Arpaio, Thomas, Hendershott, and Aubuchon.
"Each apology may be a simple statement that their racketeering suit and claimed criminal investigation was without basis and that each is sorry for the role that he or she played in the damage to Sandi," Manning writes. "She simply wants to clear her good name for her sake and for her children's sake."
An apology. So simple, so cost effective, so apropro.
And yet, how much do you want to be these goons refuse?
How much do you want to bet they'd prefer to cost us millions?
In that case -- which we find sadly, and entirely, plausible -- Wilson will settle for $2 million.
