Don Stapley

More Fallout From Sheriff Arpaio and Andrew Thomas Corruption: Potential Multi-Million-Dollar Settlement Going to Developer Conley Wolfswinkel and Family

The costs keep climbing for the corrupt acts of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio and former County Attorney Andrew Thomas. Late last month, the Board of Supervisors agreed to pay $1.27 million to a former judge smeared with bogus criminal charges, plus another $250,000 to former county Schools Su ... More >>

Mark Goldman, Lawyer Friend of Sheriff Joe Arpaio and Andrew Thomas Who "Researched" Don Stapley, Seeks Votes in State Bar Election

Mark Goldman, the wealthy lawyer buddy of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio and disgraced former County Attorney Andrew Thomas, is seeking votes in a State Bar of Arizona election.He's one of eight candidates vying for the Maricopa County District position on the State Bar's Board of Governors, whi ... More >>

Andrew Thomas Wusses Out of Disbarment Appeal; Judge May Order County to Pay Mary Rose Wilcox; Conley Wolfswinkel Wins Again

Here's a quick rundown on Maricopa County news today:* Andrew Peyton Thomas, former Maricopa County Attorney, failed politician and author of right-wing books, won't appeal a state Supreme Court Disciplinary Panel's decision to cancel his law license. We've cut-and-pasted his wussyish comments about ... More >>

Andy Thomas Needs a Perp Walk With His Papi, Sheriff Joe Arpaio

Barbara Mundell, Retired Judge, and Susan Schuerman (Supervisor Don Stapley's Secretary) Each Get $500,000 in Settlements From County

Barbara Mundell, the now-retired Maricopa Superior Court Judge targeted in an unethical investigation by county lawmen, received $500,000 from the county to settle a lawsuit.Susan Schuerman, the executive assistant for Supervisor Don Stapley, also received a $500,000 settlement, county officials con ... More >>

Jennifer Schuerman, Daughter of County Supervisor Don Stapley's Secretary, to Appear on Dr. Drew Show Today to Discuss Stroke Recovery

​Jennifer Schuerman, the daughter of Maricopa County Supervisor Don Stapley's secretary, will appear on the Dr. Drew "Lifechangers" Show today to talk about her recovery after a stroke.Schuerman was celebrating her 21st birthday in Las Vegas when an undiagnosed hole in her heart allowed a blood cl ... More >>

Maricopa County Officials File Amended Claims Against County and Sheriff Arpaio; Streamlined to Comply With Judge's Order

Current and former Maricopa County officials have filed new, streamlined complaints against the county and Sheriff Joe Arpaio to comply with a judge's order. Filing anew are: County Supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox and her husband, Earl; County Supervisor Don Stapley; retired Superior Court Judges Barba ... More >>

Lisa Aubuchon Displays Bizarre Thinking in State Bar Discipline Hearing

Lisa Aubuchon, former deputy county attorney, testifies yesterday in the State Bar disciplinary proceedings. She stands to lose her law license after allegedly fudging the attempted prosecutions of county officials.​Lisa Aubuchon lives in an alternative universe.True, we may have watched too many ... More >>

Thomas Defends Shoddy Conspiracy Case; Struggles to Explain Why "Biased" Judge Ruled in His Favor

Andrew Thomas explains his thought processes behind his aggressive prosecutions of county officials.​Former Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas said in a disciplinary hearing against him today that he doesn't know why a judge he thought was "biased" made a major ruling in Thomas' favor.Thomas h ... More >>

Andrew Thomas: County Supervisors and Judges Were "Openly Thumbing Their Nose at the Law"

Andrew Thomas said he had no animosity toward County Supervisor Don Stapley, who he had charged in December 2008 with 118 counts related to Stapley's alleged failure to disclose some business deals on officials forms.​Andrew Thomas certainly seems to believe his own theories as he defends himself ... More >>

Attorney Mark Goldman's Testimony in Andrew Thomas Hearings Contradicts 2010 Statements to New Times

Mark Goldman, seen here in a screen shot from today's hearing in former Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas' disciplinary proceeding, appears to have gotten his memory back.​Valley attorney Mark Goldman must have taken a memory pill since we last talked to him.   In today's testimony ... More >>

Andrew Thomas and Lisa Aubuchon's Defense in Disbarment Hearing Looks Weak in Opening Statements

Image: Ray SternAndrew Thomas wasn't at today's State Bar disciplinary hearing -- which was probably a good thing for his ego.​ Did a cabal of county supervisors, judges, lawyers and others work together to block legit police investigations into allegations of public corruption?Or did a poli ... More >>

Russell Pearce Challenger Jerry Lewis Formally Announces Candidacy in LD 18 Recall Race

Southwest Pictures, LLCJerry Lewis announces, as Supervisor Don Stapley (far right) looks on As Eddie Albert liked to say in The Longest Yard (the original, not the Adam Sandler remake), "His-to-ry."That's what Arizona witnessed this morning in Mesa in the garden room of the Victorian-style Wright H ... More >>

Andrew Thomas Submits Grand Jury Transcripts From Stapley and Wilcox Cases in Bar Discipline Case; Documents Sealed

Image: Courtroom pool cameraAndrew Thomas, former Maricopa County Attorney, is preparing for his upcoming hearing this fall before the State Bar's Presiding Disciplinary Judge. He could lose his law license.​ In preparation for his upcoming discipline hearing this fall, former Maricopa County ... More >>

Andrew Thomas' Apparent Defense for Upcoming Bar Hearing: A (Taxpayer Funded) Trial for Don Stapley

Andrew Thomas -- and his former stache.​As disgraced former Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas continues to piss away taxpayer money preparing for his upcoming state Bar ethics hearing, his apparent defense is becoming more clear: attack Maricopa County Supervisor Don Stapley.County sources te ... More >>

Bill Montgomery, Maricopa County Attorney, Binds Himself to Arpaio/Thomas Scandal Through Lawyer Mark Goldman's Fundraiser

Image: www.youtube.comBill Montgomery still stands with the powerful politician who endorsed him, Sheriff Joe Arpaio, despite an unfolding scandal.​ Ssshhh... Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery seem to be on a secret mission. He's scheduled to appear at a fundraiser tomorrow for himself ... More >>

Joe Arpaio Not Out of Loop According To Latest Attorney General Docs

Arpaio out of the loop? Not a chanceWell, here's some fresh proof that Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu's Munnell memo report is a complete whitewash, and that Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio was, is and always will be in complete control of his agency. While he's still sheriff, that is.Today Ariz ... More >>

The ATF Agent Who Put the Mahon Brothers in the Hoosegow; Plus, Why the MCSO Has Something Else to Worry About

Don Stapley, Mary Rose Wilcox Call for FBI Investigation of Chief Deputy David Hendershott; Ask Feds to Consider Taking Over Sheriff's Office

  Images: Ray Stern Don Stapley and Mary Rose Wilcox want the FBI, not Pinal Sheriff Paul Babeu, to review new allegations of corruption in Sheriff Joe Arpaio's office.​Maricopa County Supervisors Don Stapley and Mary Rose Wilcox have asked the feds to consider taking control of the S ... More >>

Sheriff Arpaio's Office: Evidence of Crimes By County Officials Must Be Reviewed Before Claims are Paid; Supervisor Andrew Kunasek Faces Criminal Probe

Andrew Kunasek is third of five County Supervisors to come under criminal investigation by the Sheriff's Office​ The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office is demanding that county risk managers review "evidence" of criminal acts by county officials before settling any claims by those officials. The ... More >>

County Roundup: Arpaio Ordered to Attend Contempt Hearing; Stapley's Assistant Prepares to Sue County and More

www.kpho.comSheriff Arpaio's spokeswoman Lisa Allen was among those who testified last week before a grand jury looking into potential abuses by her boss​ Will the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors "contempt hearing" planned for May 24 really be the first step in the jailing of Sheriff Joe ... More >>

Bill Montgomery, Arpaio-Backed Candidate for County Attorney, Highly Critical of Sheriff and Andrew Thomas

Bill Montgomery, candidate for Maricopa County Attorney, was recorded without his knowledge during a meeting with County Supervisor Don Stapley​ Bill Montgomery, the candidate for Maricopa County Attorney backed by Sheriff Joe Arpaio, strongly questions Sheriff Joe Arpaio's mental fi ... More >>

Bill Montgomery, Potential Candidate for County Attorney, Caught Dissing Sheriff Arpaio on Tape, County Says

Image: www.montgomery2010.comBill Montgomery, an exploratory candidate for Maricopa County Attorney, reportedly told Supervisor Don Stapley that hanging out with Sheriff Arpaio was like being at a "nursing home."​ Bill Montgomery, a potential candidate for Maricopa County Attorney backed by Sh ... 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

Andrew Thomas, Sheila Polk Testify in Hearing to Disqualify the Maricopa County Attorney from Prosecuting Mary Rose Wilcox Case

Andrew Thomas yesterday took the stand to defend his office's handling of the case against Supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox.​In a hearing yesterday that stretched to more than four hours, both Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas and Yavapai County Attorney Sheila Polk shared their perspectives ... More >>

Don Stapley's New Criminal Defense Attorney Used to Do What Andy Thomas Never Did -- Prosecute Major Crimes

Supervisor Don Stapley, one of two Maricopa County supes under criminal indictment, has hired a new defense attorney to defend him against the latest set of charges he faces from County Attorney Andrew Thomas. ​His name is Kurt Altman (pictured), and he earned his stripe ... More >>

Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon Is Paying His Girlfriend, Elissa Mullany, Big Bucks

Judge Donahoe Criminal Case Assigned to Pinal County Judge; Stapley and Wilcox Cases Assigned to Pima County Judge

The presiding judge of the Maricopa County Superior Court has assigned the criminal cases of Judge Gary Donahoe and County Supervisors Don Stapley and Mary Rose Wilcox to judges in other counties. ​Presiding Judge Barbara Mundell, (left) who is herself a target of the broad -- and vague -- ra ... More >>

Mary Rose Wilcox's Indictment: The Truth Behind Those 36 "Felonies"

​ Prosecutors working for Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas persuaded a grand jury to indict Mary Rose Wilcox, the lone Democrat on the county Board of Supervisors, on 36 felony counts. But they should have a much harder time getting those charges to stick in court. That's ... More >>

Chuck Coughlin, Governor Brewer's Campaign Strategist, Tied to Demand Letter to Thomas on Stapley Case

A couple of weeks ago, we heard about a demand letter received by the Maricopa County Attorney's Office from a local lawyer, Leonard Aragon, concerning the attempted prosecution of County Supervisor Don Stapley.Aragon insisted in his November 2 missive that County Attorney Andrew Thomas repay the mo ... More >>

Feedback from the Issue of Thursday, October 22, 2009

Don Stapley Criminal Case Won't Go Back to Grand Jury, Judge Decides

Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Kenneth Fields ruled today that the criminal case against County Supervisor Don Stapley won't get sent back to a grand jury for reconsideration. Stapley's lawyers still have a chance on Tuesday to convince Fields to dismiss the 114 felony counts of failing to di ... More >>

Andrew Thomas Spanked By Appeals Court

  That was fast. Two days ago, Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas fired off a Hail Mary to the Court of Appeals, complaining that superior court judges are biased against him and asking the higher court to intervene. Today a three-justice appellate panel dismissed Thomas' petition ... More >>

The Three US Airways Attendants Have Been Vindicated, So Why Doesn’t the Company Have Their Back?

Judge Wants Explanation for Leaked File in Stapley Case (Sheriff Gave it to East Valley Tribune)

  Don Stapley wasn't there, but his case triggered a heated argument in court this morning.Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Larry Grant upbraided the Maricopa County Attorney's Office this morning for allowing the Sheriff's Office to give a sealed deposition to a newspaper repor ... More >>

Sheriff Joe Arpaio's Deputies Harass Members of Don Stapley Legal Expense Trust Fund

Members of a trust fund set up to help pay legal expenses of embattled County Supervisor Don Stapley are being systematically harassed by deputies. Mark Flatten, (one of the few remaining reporters at the gutted East Valley Tribune), broke the latest chapter in the Stapley saga this mornin ... More >>

Jan. 22 In Blogs: Obama Inauguration, Willie Nelson, One Dollar Subs and More

We understand that in the 24-hour news cycle it can be difficult to keep up. Worry not! We have the solution. Check back on Valley Fever every evening for highlights from each of New Times' blogs. Today's entries: Valley Fever: Arizona State University Journalism Professor Estimates Only About 800, ... More >>

Feedback from the Issue of Thursday, January 15, 2009

Stapley Case Update: Andrew Thomas Disses Us, Confuses Self With Dennis Wilenchik

  It's true: We've had an ongoing chuckle at the expense of Lisa Aubuchon, the hapless prosecutor assigned to the Don Stapley case. But Aubuchon's most recent filing in this case isn't so much funny as pathetic. For one thing, she disses us. (Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas' offic ... More >>

Feedback from the Issue of Thursday, December 25, 2008

Don Stapley Case: Andrew Thomas Wages Battle Through Media on Claim of Biased Judge

As noted in our recent blog post, Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas' office was told recently to provide the Superior Court by Monday with evidence that a judge is too biased against Thomas to hear the case of criminally indicted County Supervisor Don Stapley. Thomas c ... More >>

Sonoran Alliance Anonymous Blogger Criticizes, Praises New Times Coverage of Don Stapley

In looking at Sonoran Alliance blog post about Andrew Thomas running for state attorney general, we couldn't help but notice another post by our mostly anonymous friends -- this one about New Times.  It seems that "Pat," whoever that is, believes that New Times contradicts itself about i ... More >>

Don Stapley Case: Court Rejects Motion to Change Judge; Prosecutor Denied "Unusual Request" for Judge Interview

A Maricopa County Superior Court judge today rejected a bid by County Attorney Andrew Thomas to change a judge in the politically loaded criminal case of County Supervisor Don Stapley. Thomas (pictured) feels retired Judge Kenneth Fields, assigned to the Stapley case, is biased agai ... More >>

Dave Hendershott, Maricopa Sheriff's Office Chief, Accused of Possible Improper Influence Peddling in Stapley Case

Dave Hendershott, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio's right-hand man, may have improperly tried to influence county Superior Court staff in the case against Supervisor Don Stapley, a letter sent to Hendershott today from the court's attorney states. The accusation comes ... More >>

Ethics, Morals and Sex Ads, Oh My!

Letters from the week of May 16, 2002

Crack Addicts, Political Shenanigans and Indian Relics

Only in Phoenix is this a formula for a real estate hustle

Suite and Low

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

Continental Divide

A development proposed for a north Valley slope has residents accusing the county of "collusion"

The Warehouse Tape

County supervisors erase any notion of compromising to preserve historic buildings