Few would be surprised to know that Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s office is lying about about its negotiations with the federal government over accusations of widespread racial profiling by deputies.Both Arpaio and his ally, County Attorney Bill Montgomery, have accused the U.S. Department of Justice of lying about the…
On a sunny, late-winter day in the southeast Arizona desert, a dozen people gathered on a dusty piece of land off Interstate 10 to celebrate the “ground-breaking” of a major green-energy project. Excitement was in the air as the Asian representatives of Matinee Energy, a relatively unknown firm, made its…
This has been a week of good news for Mary Rose Wilcox. She’s either received a settlement award of $1 million from Maricopa County, for which she serves as one of five County Supervisors, or she’s close to a settlement. The county’s not saying which just yet. The rumors of…
Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio and former County Attorney Andrew Thomas were blasted in a court ruling on Monday, the day before Thomas found himself disbarred. As we pointed out earlier today, the 247-page opinion by the state Supreme Court panel that disbarred Thomas made it clear that Arpaio had…
If the state Supreme Court had a disciplinary panel for sheriffs, Joe Arpaio would in all likelihood be stripped of his ability to practice law enforcement.Yet Arpaio continues to skate toward potential re-election despite his role in many of the same actions that got his former ally, ex-Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas,…
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 confirm.The county’s spokeswoman, Cari Gerchick, says that Mary Rose Wilcox…
Several former and current Maricopa County officials received settlements in their lawsuits against Maricopa County last night — but the county isn’t giving up the amounts. No news release for this one — and it’s not hard to understand why. The issue of payoffs is sensitive because public money will fund…
Andrew Thomas, former Maricopa County Attorney, was disbarred this morning by the three-member disciplinary panel of the Arizona State Supreme Court. So was his former deputy, Lisa Aubuchon. Former Deputy County Attorney Rachel Alexander’s law license was suspended for six months and one day. The disciplinary panel dismissed a few…
Andrew Thomas, former Maricopa County Attorney, violated several ethical rules, a state Supreme Court panel has found. William O’Neil, State Disciplinary Judge, now is reading the summary of the panel’s conclusions. Some charges are getting upheld, others are being dismissed. Thomas and his former deputy, Lisa Aubuchon, face disbarment. This is looking bad for…
Mary Rose Wilcox, Maricopa County Supervisor, settled with county in her lawsuit for an undisclosed amount.UPDATE: The county has not yet settled with Wilcox, spokeswoman Cari Gerchick reports. See our blog post about the other settlements that occurred last night.Back to original post, now rendered somewhat moot:Wilcox just walked in…
Former Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas is about to learn whether or not he has an Arizona law license. Thomas and his former deputies, Lisa Aubuchon and Rachel Alexander are facing punishment on a range of alleged ethical violations, which you can read about in previous New Times coverage. We’re…
The makers of a new documentary have teamed up with Cannabis Science, Inc., a Colorado firm, to promote the idea that marijuana can cure many types of cancer. “Chronic Future – Killing Cancer,” a 76-minute film by local guys Henry Miller and Corey Pritchard, is scheduled to premiere tomorrow (Thursday)…
Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery today released letters that show his defense of Sheriff Joe Arpaio from what he calls a “reckless” Justice Department.One of the letters, by deputy assistant Attorney General Roy Austin, also states that the feds have discovered new evidence that Arpaio’s office botched sex-crimes investigations.The April…
Arizona Governor Jan Brewer signed a bill yesterday that bans the use or possession of medical marijuana on college campuses, other schools campuses and childcare facilities.Opponents, including Joe Yuhas of the Arizona Medical Marijuana Association, predict the new law will end up being contested in court because it violates the…
Negotiations between Sheriff Joe Arpaio and the U.S. Justice Department over racial-profiling allegations have stalled because of Arpaio’s refusal to let a federal “monitor” check out his office.The feds announced in December that the Maricopa County Sheriff was behind the worst case of racial profiling in U.S. history, and the…
Young Champions, a Valley-based youth organization that teaches kids karate, cheerleading, and other activites, wants you to know it’s back in action following a horrific 2009 arson fire. Tomorrow, (March 31), the company will host a grand-opening celebration for its new Scottsdale office at 16451 North 90th Street. The event…
It was a wonderful night in downtown Scottsdale on February 24 — until these guys showed up.Video posted on YouTube, and found by one of our condor-eyed readers this morning, shows the horrors of a gnarly, multi-fighter brawl in the 4200 block of North Drinkwater Boulevard. Behind the brawlers, the…
Matinee Energy, the Tucson mystery company with ties to two controversial brothers, has plans to build a large-scale, 120-megawatt solar-power plant in Benson.But even if the firm manages to complete the project, which claims a construction budget “up to the maximum of $444 million,” it isn’t clear who would purchase…
The findings of the Arizona Supreme Court’s Disciplinary Panel into alleged ethical violations by former Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas will be announced during an April 10 hearing.The three-member discipline panel led by State Bar Disciplinary Judge William O’Neil will take place at 9 a.m. on April 10 in the…
Judd Herberger, son of the late Valley philanthropists, was sentenced today to four months in state prison for a felony DUI he received last year in Scottsdale. The 70-year-old businessman had been driving drunk despite the fact that his driver’s license had been revoked after his extreme DUI conviction from the…
Judd Herberger, the son of late Valley philanthropists Kax and Robert Herberger, will be sentenced tomorrow on a felony DUI charge.Court records don’t show how much time he’ll get, but Herberger, 70, was booked into jail after he pleaded guilty on February 23 to aggravated DUI, a class 4 felony…
The former Pima County Superior Court judge nominated by President Obama to be Arizona U.S. Attorney once wrote in a ruling that Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio “misused the power of his office.” It should be interesting to see if John Leonardo acts on his beliefs, if he’s confirmed by…
