Andy Kunasek

Dennis Gilman YouTubes the revolution; Macehualli drama; Wednesday's BOS meeting; and the wacko nativists' secret picnic.

Flashes

Flashes

The Warehouse Tape

County supervisors erase any notion of compromising to preserve historic buildings

Meet the New County, Same as the Old County

County supervisors erase any notion of compromising to preserve historic buildings

Chuck Coughlin Reveals Jan Brewer's Transition Team

Deputy Secretary of State Kevin Tyne will be soon-to-be Governor Jan Brewer's chief of staff, and Brewer has named a Who's Who list of familiar names from previous GOP administrations to her transition team, which will be led by (gulp - for those with long memories) Chuck Coughlin. Here's the team: ... More >>

Another Day in the Police State: Four Activists Arrested for Applauding at Supervisors Meeting

While the rest of the civilized world is preparing for Christmas, here in Maricopa County, the Board of Supervisors is in complete meltdown, and members of the public are being arrested for applauding. I kid you not. Following on the heels of Monday's arrest of several women in a peaceful ... More >>

Live from the Banana Republic: Video of People Being Arrested for Applauding

Ever wanna see someone get arrested for clapping? Well, here you go. As a community service, I give you your government in action, folks: the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors allowing sheriff's deputies to arbitrarily arrest people for applauding at a public meeting. Tell you the truth, after ... More >>

Arizona Civil Rights Advisory Board Asks BOS to Terminate Joe Arpaio's 287(g) Agreement with ICE

Though I won't be holding my breath for a snappy response from the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, the Arizona Civil Rights Advisory Board -- which is made up of volunteers appointed by the Governor -- has written BOS Chairman Andy Kunasek, asking that the Supervisors consider the immediate re ... More >>

County Supervisors Vote to Delay State Immigration Funds Intended for Arpaio

The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors voted today to decline $1.6 million in state funding designed to help Sheriff Joe Arpaio target illegal immigrants.Of all the tit-for-tat power plays going on in recent weeks, this one is a real shot through the hull. Suddenly, Arpaio's immigration enforcemen ... More >>

Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s Jails Lose National Accreditation

The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors voted today to decline $1.6 million in state funding designed to help Sheriff Joe Arpaio target illegal immigrants.Of all the tit-for-tat power plays going on in recent weeks, this one is a real shot through the hull. Suddenly, Arpaio's immigration enforcemen ... More >>

Money Shot

If Maricopa County supervisors wanted to go after Sheriff Joe Arpaio, they could. They could focus on his office's finances

Soiled Hands

It's no surprise that builders take shortcuts to make money. What might shock you: Government officials -- from regulators to legislators -- do little to stop them

Gutless Wonders

Here's an idea, county supes: Audit the freakin' sheriff's office for the first time ever!

County Connivers

Maricopa officials let the hospital system collapse financially, costing taxpayers $82 million-plus

Home for the Holidays

This PV pooch gives new meaning to the phrase "traveling companion"

Ticket to Raid

Their World Series tickets still unaccounted for, county supervisors try to shut out criticism

Suite and Low

United Way loses thousands as county pols snag its World Series seats

"This Has Wrecked My Career"

Jack Rose was a golden boy, a precocious businessman and political insider. Then he ran into a buzz saw at the Arizona Corporation Commission.

Joe Arpaio's 287(g) Stalled: Board of Supervisors Says It'll Sign After Feds Sign

courtesy of Dennis Gilman/HumanLeague002 Supervisor Don Stapley, who backed Wilcox's move to table the sheriff's new MOA today The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors passed the buck back to the feds on Sheriff Joe's new 287(g) jails agreement this morning, authorizing Supes Chair Max Wilson ... More >>

Joe Arpaio Foes Score: Acquitted Activists Win Legal Fees from County Attorney

photo by Dennis GilmanShe shoots, she scores! ACORN's Monica Sandschafer and her activist pals have won in court againCall it the cost of clapping. Five anti-Arpaio activists were awarded legal fees Monday by Justice of the Peace C. Steven McMurry in a case that involved four of them being arrested ... More >>

Don Stapley, Mary Rose Wilcox to Meet With Citizens' Group Tomorrow in Supervisors' Auditorium

Randy Parraz​Critics of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio will have the chance to air their grievances tomorrow before County Supervisors Don Stapley and Mary Rose Wilcox.Stapley and Wilcox, still fresh from their recent victories over attempts by Arpaio and County Attorney Andrew Thomas to ... More >>

Maricopa County Board of Supervisors has No Conflict in County Attorney Replacement Pick, Supes Say

Good to go: County Supervisors decide they have no conflict in deciding who will replace former County Attorney Andrew Thomas.​ We thought it was possible the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors had a conflict of interest in picking a new county attorney, with two of the five having be ... More >>

Sheriff Joe Arpaio's Poor Labor Practices Will Cost Maricopa County $2 Million

The Shurf just cost taxpayers another $2 million -- but there go his office's credit cards!​At a meeting this morning, county supervisors voted unanimously to curtail Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio's access to county credit cards -- putting a $200 per-purchase limit on cards issued to th ... More >>

County to David Hendershott: "Put the Evidence on the Line" Concerning Andy Kunasek Accusation

Dave Hendershott​ A lawyer for Maricopa County Supervisor Andy Kunasek chides a sheriff's official to put up or shut up on a new, vague accusation of wrongdoing made last week. The letter by attorney David Derickson also implies that the allegation by Chief Deputy David Hendershott of a theft ... More >>

Arpaio-Thomas Feud had Nothing to do With Sweep for Bugs, County Manager Says

County Manager David Smith says last year's sweep for bugs in county offices had nothing to do with its problems with Arpaio and Thomas.​Last year's sweep of Maricopa County offices for hidden bugs had nothing to do with the feud between county officials and the tag-team of Sheriff Joe Arpa ... More >>

David Hendershott's Investigation Into County Sweep for Bugs Looked, in True Paranoid Fashion, at RepublicReporter's Actions

  Image: azcentral.com When Yvonne Wingett, who covers Maricopa County for the Arizona Republic, called county officials about a Sheriff's Office investigation, detectives reportedly assumed she was acting like some sort of gang lookout.The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office has imp ... More >>

Andy Kunasek: Andrew Thomas' Lackeys Offered Political Deal in Criminal Probe

Andy Kunasek says prosecutors working for former Maricopa County Andrew Thomas used the threat of bogus criminal charges to extort a political favor from him​ Maricopa County Supervisor Andy Kunasek says in a letter released today that prosecutors working for former County Attorney Andrew Thom ... More >>

Andy Kunasek Releases One Page From Transcript of Talk With Lisa Aubuchon Related to Alleged

  County Supervisor Andy Kunasek accuses deputy county attorney Lisa Aubuchon, (above), of offering to resolve a trumped-up investigation in return for a political favor. ​Andy Kunasek released one page of a transcript to New Times today that he believes shows the attemp ... More >>

Joe Arpaio Spying on County Lawyers? Would Anyone Be Surprised?

Morten OddvikThe new sign over the door of MCSO offices? Seems appropriate...What's one to make of the recent back and forth between Maricopa County and sheriff's office lawyers regarding allegations of spying by the MCSO?The claims came to light in a recent item by Arizona Republic reporter Yvonne ... More >>

Kenneth Feinberg Too Busy With BP to Handle Maricopa County Claims Resolution; Well-Known Mediator was to Add "Trust" To Questionable Process

Image: WikipediaKenneth Feinberg, the country's pre-eminent dispute mediator, is too busy with the BP oil-spill claims to handle ​ Nationally recognized mediator Kenneth Feinberg won't handle the politically delicate claims by Maricopa County officials against the county after all. ... More >>

Maricopa County Supervisor Fulton Brock Passes on Chairmanship. Cites Family Matters as Reason

Maricopa County Supervisor Fulton Brock will not seek chairmanship.​Maricopa County Supervisor Fulton Brock, whose wife and daughter each face charges for having sexual relationships with the same underage boy, announced yesterday he is withdrawing his name from the running to become the next chai ... More >>

Don Stapley Wins Victory in 2008 Criminal Case; Appeals Court Rules Supervisor had No Financial Disclosure Requirement

Maricopa County Supervisor Don Stapley won his 2008 criminal case today in the state Court of Appeals.​ The Arizona Court of Appeals has agreed that Maricopa County Supervisor Don Stapley did not violate any financial disclosure law, ending a tainted criminal case against him. The ruling today ... More >>

Maricopa County Board of Supervisors Returns Control of Civil Ligitation to County Attorney's Office, Makes Nice With New Guy

Bill Montgomery -- a "good, ethical man" who won't bite the hand that feeds him.​With the enemies of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors on the defensive, responsibility for the county's civil lawsuits has been returned to the County Attorney's Office.The Supes had essentially fired for ... More >>

Will the $100 Million Hole Joe Arpaio Dug Kill Him in the 2012 Election?

Bill Montgomery -- a "good, ethical man" who won't bite the hand that feeds him.​With the enemies of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors on the defensive, responsibility for the county's civil lawsuits has been returned to the County Attorney's Office.The Supes had essentially fired for ... More >>

MCSO Commanders Dave Hendershott and Paul Chagolla Threatened Reporter for Doing Her Job, Says Report; Joe Arpaio's Response Unclear

Deputy Chief Paul Chagolla is alleged to have threatened a reporter with arrest, and put her baby in CPS custody, all because she did her job.​ Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio won't say whether one of his deputy chiefs, Paul Chagolla, deserves to be investigated for allegedly threatening ... More >>

Don Stapley Case Dropped by Gila County Prosecutor; Thomas and Aubuchon "Abdicated" Roles as Fair Prosecutors

  Don Stapley, county supervisor, is no longer under the threat of criminal prosecution.​Maricopa County Supervisor has escaped a second criminal case levelled at him by Sheriff Joe Arpaio and former County Attorney Andrew Thomas. Gila County Attorney Daisy Flores has decided not to&nb ... More >>

The Feds Have Evidence That Joe Arpaio Broke the Law -- When Will The Indictments Come?

  Don Stapley, county supervisor, is no longer under the threat of criminal prosecution.​Maricopa County Supervisor has escaped a second criminal case levelled at him by Sheriff Joe Arpaio and former County Attorney Andrew Thomas. Gila County Attorney Daisy Flores has decided not to&nb ... More >>

Three Maricopa County Employees Heading to Mediation on Monday for Possible Settlement of Multi-Million-Dollar Claims Vs. Sheriff Arpaio and Andrew Thomas

Sandi Wilson, Maricopa County deputy county manager, is among three county employees attending mediation for their claims in lawsuits against Sheriff Arpaio and former County Attorney Andy Thomas.​Three Maricopa County employees are heading to mediation talks on Monday with the possibility of sett ... More >>

Tom Liddy was Andrew Kunasek's Deep Throat; County Supervisor Describes Tip on Arpaio/Thomas Plot to Overthrow Board

Image: www.ij.orgTom Liddy, a Maricopa deputy county attorney and son of G. Gordon Liddy, tipped off County Supervisor Andy Kunasek to a plot to "destabilize" county government, Kunasek testified yesterday.​Tom Liddy, a deputy prosecutor who also happens to be son of infamous Watergate villain G. ... More >>

Former Chief Deputy Dave Hendershott Struggles to Explain Bad Conspiracy Theory in Testimony During Andrew Thomas Disbarment Hearings; Sheriff Arpaio May Take Stand on Wednesday , Court Says

Dave Hendershott, Sheriff Arpaio's disgraced former chief deputy, struggled to explain his grand conspiracy theories in the Andrew Thomas disciplinary proceedings today.​ Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio's former chief deputy, Dave Hendershott, wearing a bold red tie and suit jacket, testifi ... More >>

More Hypocrisy From Thomas: "Very Unusual" for a Judge to Attach Newspaper Article to Complaint -- Yet Two of Thomas' "Anti-Corruption" Cases Began That Way

Image: Court pool photoAndrew Thomas continues his testimony on Wednesday in the State Bar disciplinary proceeding against him.​Part Two of the morning testimony by former Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas brought out even more of Thomas' apparently hypocritical thought processes.We say hypoc ... More >>

Board of Supervisors Will Let Joe Arpaio Use His Pricey Inmate Transport Bus

New TimesJoe Arpaio can finally start using an expensive inmate transport bus he broke rules to purchase nearly three years ago.​Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio's expensive inmate transport bus can finally be put to use, the counties Board of Supervisors ruled this morning.Arpaio and the BOS ha ... More >>

Mary Rose Wilcox, Maricopa County Supervisor, to Announce Re-Election Plans on Monday

Mary Rose Wilcox​ Mary Rose Wilcox says she'll announce plans on Monday to run for re-election as Maricopa County's District 5 Supervisor.Name recognition shouldn't be a problem.When voters decide which Supervisors to elect in 2012, (all five seats are up for grabs), it's a safe bet they'll kn ... More >>

Loretta Barkell, Former Financial Officer Under Sheriff Joe Arpaio, Was Convinced Her Office Was Bugged

Image: Channel 12 News screen shotLoretta Barkell, seen here in a May interview with Channel 12 News, was convinced her superiors had bugged her office, newly released records show.​ Newly released records show a top Arpaio official was convinced her superiors had bugged her office.County obse ... More >>