Legal Commentary

Sheriff Joe Arpaio Claims Investigation is Politically Based

By Jeralyn

Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who is the subject of three investigations for civil rights violations resulting from his policies involving the pursuit undocumented immigrants, is complaining the investigations are politically motivated.

In his letter, [Arapaio attorney] Driscoll said that a civil rights probe of the Arpaio operation began in early March, weeks after four influential Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee called for an investigation into alleged discrimination and possible constitutional violations in arrests and in police searches and seizures.

The investigation appeared on a list of accomplishments the Justice Department prepared for reporters in April, after the Obama administration had been in office 100 days. Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. has said that reinvigorating the enforcement of civil rights laws is a high priority.

Another of his complaints: [More...]

Arpaio's attorneys also accused the Justice and Homeland Security departments of violating legal ethics rules by working together to gather documents and witness statements without appropriate notice to the Maricopa County sheriff's unit, although the attorneys said they were told the probes would "operate completely independent of each other." They asked that the Justice Department's office of professional responsibility, which investigates legal ethics allegations, investigate the matter.

Full post as published by TalkLeft on May 30, 2009 (boomark / email).