Arpaio Sued by Feds

[Nina~ 431]

PHOENIX – The U.S. Justice Department sued Sheriff Joe Arpaio on Thursday, saying the Arizona lawman refused for more than a year to turn over records in an investigation into allegations his department discriminates against Hispanics.

The lawsuit calls Arpaio and his office's defiance "unprecedented," and said the federal government has been trying since March 2009 to get officials to comply with its probe of alleged discrimination, unconstitutional searches and seizures, and jail policies that discriminate against people with limited English skills.

Arpaio had been given until Aug. 17 to hand over documents the federal government first asked for 15 months ago.

Arpaio called the Justice Department actions harrassment at a news conference Thursday morning in downtown Phoenix. His office has said it won't hand over additional documents because federal authorities haven't said exactly what they were investigating.

....

The lawsuit said the department is investigating police practices and jail policies but did not specify the documents sought in its dozens of requests. It was filed in U.S. District Court in Phoenix and names Arpaio, the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office and the county.

Arizona's new law — most of which a federal judge has put on hold — mirrors many of the policies Arpaio has put into place in the greater Phoenix area. Arpaio believes the inquiry is focused on his immigration sweeps, patrols where deputies flood an area of a city — in some cases heavily Latino areas — to seek out traffic violators and arrest other offenders.

Critics say his deputies pull people over for minor traffic infractions because of the color of their skin so they can ask them for their proof of citizenship.

Arpaio denies allegations of racial profiling, saying people are stopped if deputies have probable cause to believe they've committed crimes and that it's only afterward that deputies find many of them are illegal immigrants.

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[^_^ 5,021]

Arpaio's a thug in uniform. Wait, is that redundant?

[The_Dude 1,142]

Arpaio's a thug in uniform. Wait, is that redundant?

Arpaio is a douche, and not just for his racist #######. He has raided the offices of local PD's and district attorney's and seized computers and files and never faced any consequences.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I'm surprised he hasn't be indicted and jailed given his history. The people of Arizona seem to like a good story better than reality.

[mawilson 2,133]

Joe Arpaio is a true American hero who is not afraid to stand up to federal tyranny.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

I'm surprised he hasn't be indicted and jailed given his history.better than reality.

Perhaps because no one has yet to prove he has broken any law.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Perhaps because no one has yet to prove he has broken any law.

Yeah it took the Feds a while to get Capone too

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Yeah it took the Feds a while to get Capone too

I sure hope Sheriff Joe has been paying all his taxes...

[Danno 1,228]

Yeah it took the Feds a while to get Capone too

With this logic we are all guilty... it's just taking time to put a case together.

Joe Arpaio for President 2012!!!!

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

With this logic we are all guilty... it's just taking time to put a case together.

Joe Arpaio for President 2012!!!!

He's a crook who has been found personally liable for deaths and mistreatment in His custody.

[The_Dude 1,142]

With this logic we are all guilty... it's just taking time to put a case together.

Joe Arpaio for President 2012!!!!

You can put that one over your aging 1988 David Duke For President sticker.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

He's a crook who has been found personally liable for deaths and mistreatment in His custody.

perhaps they shouldn't have done something to get taken into custody in the first place?

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

perhaps they shouldn't have done something to get taken into custody in the first place?

Ah I see. Get arrested, deserve everything that happens to you. Nice.

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

The guy is dangerous. He seized the bloody County's computers.

[Atencio 43]

He's a crook who has been found personally liable for deaths and mistreatment in His custody.

You know what, think about what you just said. If that was even remotely true then the Feds would not be "suing" him. They would have already arrested him if as you say he was "personally" responsible for deaths.