Captain Joel Fox appealed his case to the Maricopa County Superior Court yesterday and asked for his $315,000 fine to be delayed until the appeal's outcome.
Fox wants the court to overturn the decision by Judge Thomas Shedden of the state Office of Administrative Hearings, cancel out his fine, and order the county to pay his legal fees.
Followers of this case won't find much new in his arguments [see below]. Fox is still basically claiming he and the shy boys behind the mysterious $105,000 Republican Party donation are getting screwed.
It's almost like he's trying to pull a Jedi mind trick: The $105,000 wasn't a contribution. The SCA is not a political committee. These aren't the droids you're looking for...
We can't imagine why a judge wouldn't be interested in getting to the bottom of the mystery before he lets Fox off the hook. Then again, maybe Fox will be allowed to whisper the names of the donors in the judge's ear, like Fox wanted to do with the elections department staff.
The attorney hired by the county to represent its side, Jeffrey Messing, and County Elections Director Karen Osborne declined to comment on the pending "complaint for judicial review of administrative decision."
Unless the court moves fast on the stay of the fine, Fox better get out his checkbook.
**