Pinal County Sheriff's Office Captain Jeffrey Karns, who retired today, lambasted Sheriff Paul Babeu in an e-mail he sent not only to Babeu, but to all PCSO staff. Privacy Policy | FCC Public File | Contest Rules Arizona police seized $200 million in personal property, but where did the money go? He sarcastically thanks Babeu for "notifying me that you were involuntarily forcing an 'at-will' position on mepunitively reducing my pay by approximately $15,000 [and] handing me as good a 'Constructive Termination' cause of action as I have ever seen.". He takes a hardline approach on immigration, for example, but when it comes to the government telling people to get vaccinated or declaring the 2020 election legitimate he fashions himself as more of a vigilante resister, with a heavy dose of anti-government, sometimes militant rhetoric. He asked the auditor general to recommend the best way to use those funds. Descended from a long line of Mormons and still an unabashed member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he grew up all over the world, he is fond of saying, including the Philippines, Panama and Argentina, where he did his Mormon mission. But his interpretation of the phrase generally implies opposition to whatever rules or laws he deems overly intrusive. Now, with the public's memory of the scandal fading. | All rights reserved. She says she spoke directly to the sheriff's lawyer, DeRose, about the Babeu camp's threats that Orozco could be deported if he "revealed the relationship." Karns, promoted to captain in 2002, writes that Babeu's move is about gaining for himself "total and complete control and support, operationally and politically.". Pinal County Sheriffs Office Director of Administration Tim Gaffney sent ABC15 a written statement denying that there is any open investigation into their office. and help keep the future of New Times, Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our. Babeu has been a national leader on the need to secure our border and stop illegal immigration and drug and human trafficking. There were middle-aged women with salon-styled hair hoping to take their picture with him. The grand jury probe is a criminal investigation, according to a letterfrom Elizabeth Strange,the acting U.S. attorney for Arizona. Lately, Lamb has been supporting the campaign of Kari Lake, a Trump-endorsed former Fox anchor running for Arizonas open governors seat in 2022. Once approved, the requests are sent to the county attorney's office for review by another committee. true. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Article It could be one of the most competitive House seats in. Lamb loves it. Thank you for your inquiry, as you know we cannot confirm or deny the existence of investigations, said FBI Special Agent Matthew Reinsmoen. Babeu was born on February 3, 1969, in North Adams, Massachusetts, to Raymond and Helen Babeu. 2023 www.azcentral.com. A Republican, he was elected in 2010 to represent the neighboring 1st congressional district . For questions about programming, membership or anything else about KJZZ, please visit kjzz.org/contact. They contended the foundation operated as a pass-through for funds for Babeu and Voyles. Babeu is vice president of the Arizona Sheriffs' Association[15] and was named the National Sheriff of the Year in 2011 by the National Sheriffs' Association. Join the New Times community and help support | He wears Wranglers, worn cowboy boots, a black shirt with rolled sleeves, a fully loaded tactical vest and a brown leather belt with Sheriff Lamb embossed across the back. | Lamb, who oversees a medium-sized sheriffs office with 650 employees and a $39 million annual budget, sums up his core beliefs, on everything from immigration to policing to guns, as supporting the rule of law. He repeated the phrase often during our conversations. See also: Babeu Sticks It to Taxpayers and a Volunteer Rescue Team. Yet he styles himself as the American Sheriff a moniker around which he has spent the past several years trying to build a national brand as a fervent defender of law enforcement. Any money left over must be returned. As KJZZ's Dennis Lambert reports from Phoenix, Babeu will run for re-election as sheriff instead. Records show Babeu spent more than $53,000 to send 25 people to a weeklong conference in St. Louis at which he . (FAIR has dismissed the characterization, calling the SPLC a partisan attack dog.) Earlier this summer, Lamb gathered some two dozen other sheriffs for a Protect America Now rally along the border in Arizona, where he declared, We are standing up for the Constitution, our oath and the rights of the people.. Lamb supported the stop the steal campaign in Arizona and has expressed sympathy for the Jan. 6 rioters. State auditors found Babeu and Voyles failed to follow procedures and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on unauthorized purchases. Get the latest updates in news, food, music and culture, and receive special offers direct to your inbox. I love America. The groups website lists seven additional sheriffs at least five of whom have been accused of some form of misconduct as advisory committee members. The 34-year-old from central Mexico charges that the sheriff's lawyer warned against mentioning the affair with Babeu. Congress. They seemed unsurprised to see their sheriff talking to a reporter and flashing his TV-ready smile. ABC15 has learned agents in the FBIs Phoenix Division have conducted interviews with several people in recent weeks to talk about so-called RICO funds used by the sheriffs office. About 1,000 Trump supporters had descended on the state Capitol; one group of them brought a guillotine. Become a member to support the independent voice of Phoenix The decision comes months after state auditors found Babeu and Voyles mismanaged more than $2 million in so-called racketeering, or RICO,funds. I dont know how loud we have to get before they start to listen to us and know that we will no longer tolerate them stripping our freedoms away, he said. A September 4, 2011, text from the sheriff reads: "You can never have business after this and you will harm me and many others in the process. Paul Babeu was a 2016 Republican candidate who sought election to the U.S. House to represent the 1st Congressional District of Arizona. For example, nearly $88,000 went to programs designed to boost morale or provide recreation for the Sheriff's Office such as golf outings or tickets to sporting events and banquets. He flashes a Hollywood smile as he talks about the shine on the badge. Many of the episodes are filmed in a low-budget style and feature Lamb as a guide, introducing viewers to other sheriffs in Nevada and Arizona. Auditors said Babeu and Voyles also sent$683,406 to a nonprofit called the Arizona Public Safety Foundationmanaged by members of the sheriff's staff, a potential violation ofconflict-of-interest laws. Sproul, who has a long history in GOP political consulting, was accused of voter fraud between 2004 and 2012, allegations he denied and for which he was not charged. Orozco claimed that Babeu had known that he was an illegal alien while they were lovers, at odds with Babeu's views on immigration policy. Pinal County Sheriff's Office Captain Jeffrey Karns, who retired today, lambasted Sheriff Paul Babeu in an e-mail he sent not only to Babeu, but to all PCSO staff. By 2016, he had moved to Pinal County and decided to seek the sheriffs job, running as a Republican and, in his words, a constitutional conservative; he made a point of opposing abortion rights in his campaign, but he ran without the same cowboy image he has today. Babeu's Twitter page still presents him as a sheriff. for 1+3, enter 4. A notice of claim -- a precursor to a lawsuit -- usually is filled with enough details to establish the basis for a lawsuit, and probably would reveal details about this fresh rift between Karns and Babeu, seemingly one-time allies. On October 23, 2011, Babeu announced the formation of an exploratory committee to run for U.S. Congress in what would become Arizona's newly redrawn 4th congressional district. Foundation Executive Director Joseph Trasser has declined to discuss the subpoena and in March said the FBI probe of Babeu and Voyles "is not our issue.". [1] Babeu was a 2012 Republican candidate who sought election to the U.S. House to represent the 4th Congressional District of Arizona. A spokesperson for the NSA told me that, while the code of ethics is the basis of an organizational creed, sheriffs generally rely on their state laws for legal guidance. Paul: No. . That morning I came home, and I told my wife I was gonna be a cop, he concluded. The subpoena seeks eight years of files, spreadsheets, accounting documents, emails and any other internal records concerning RICO funds from 2008 to 2016, when Babeu was in office. Voyles said any suggestion that he and Babeu did something unethical or illegal is unfounded.. Babeau said he intended to balance the department's budget by auctioning the equipment. Fight Night: How Phoenix Became a Hotbed for Mixed Martial Arts Champions, Super Fans, Mascot Mania, and All-Stars: Suns and Nuggets Get Ready to Rumble, Katie Hobbs Gets Singed After Unwrapping Tamale-tastrophe, New Attainable Not Necessarily Affordable Housing Coming to Downtown Phoenix, I Love the Rivalry: Fans Soak Up U.S.-Mexico Soccer Showdown in the Valley. "[18] He reported, "Pinal County contains an estimated 75-100 drug cartel cells and listening posts/observation posts, used to facilitate the illegal transportation of people and narcotics into the United States. Lamb says the new network is important because we just felt like it was important to give [sheriffs] their voice back. When I asked if Lamb was concerned about a repeat of what happened in Texas, Vale dismissed it saying that lots of things are out of [the sheriffs] control. One episode features deputies tasing new recruits as part of their training, and watching as they scream pain. [7], In 1997, he ran for mayor of North Adams against incumbent Democrat John Barrett III. Babeu campaigned for the office of Pinal County Sheriff in 2008 and defeated Democratic incumbent Chris Vasquez, 54% to 46%. Babeu didn't pay him for his online services, he claims. Under Babeu and Voyles, Pinal County became the poster child for abuse of RICO funds, prompting lawsuits and legislative reforms. LAMBERT: Babeu says the federal government was refusing to allow Henry to both supervise federal funds in the Pinal County Sheriffs Office and run for sheriff. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. This should go without saying.". Solve this simple math problem and enter the result. Doug Barrett for POLITICO. Babeu and Voyles mismanaged more than $2 million, the FBI launched a probe into RICO expenditures, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. 5542%. Thats illegal. If Fox calls, what are they going to do for me? But it didnt take long for him to begin leaning into national issues. Former sheriffs Joe Arpaio and David Clarke, along with an estimated 138 currently serving sheriffs, are self-declared adherents of the philosophy, which evolved out of the white nationalist, anti-Semitic movement known as posse comitatus, meaning the power of the county. Lamb, although he spoke at a convention for constitutional sheriffs last year and says he appreciate[s] those guys standing up for the rule of law, the Constitution and freedom, doesnt call himself a constitutional sheriff. I have to protect the families of my county, even in the absence of the federal government. Protect America Now is new enough that its tax filings have not yet been made public, but Vale told me Lamb does not get paid by the group, outside reimbursements for expenses. When their relationship soured, Orozco claimed Babeu had threatened to have him deported unless he signed a contract swearing him to secrecy. Babeu served as the Police Association president for the Chandler Police Department and on the board of directors for the Arizona Police Association.[5]. As KJZZs Dennis Lambert reports from Phoenix, Babeu will run for re-election as sheriff instead. Help us fight for you and support local journalism.Subscribe to azcentral.com today. [9] The school was in a long legal fight with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts over licensing, allegations of child abuse, a Commonwealth-imposed enrollment freeze, and accusations of failing to create a safe environment for its students. A staunch conservative, Republican Babeu has made his stance on illegal immigration known to the nation as he fights for stricter laws. Melissa Weiss-Riner, Orozco's attorney, confirms her client's account. Paul Anthony Gosar (/ o s r / GOH-sar; born November 27, 1958) is an American far-right politician and dentist who has represented Arizona's 9th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2023 and represented Arizona's 4th congressional district from 2013 to 2023. 4:00AM. He said the county has implemented a new system of checks and balances that require multiple levels of approval, explanations of how recipients intend to use moneyand receipts documenting expenses. The National Sheriffs Association, of which Lamb is a member, has a model code of ethics for sheriffs that prohibits using the office for private gain, among other things. Charismatic and ambitious, Mark Lamb embodies a new kind of Trump-era lawman. Lamb is at far right. Lamb, 49, has jurisdiction over only Arizona's third most populous county, a stretch of desert. [5][17], Babeu has been an outspoken critic of the federal government on the issue of illegal immigration. During his tenure he served a tour in Iraq and spent 17 months deployed in Arizona as a commander with Operation Jump Start (Southwest Border Mission). Make a one-time donation today for as little as $1. And I will serve the people where I can.. independent local journalism in Phoenix. 2023 www.azcentral.com. Reveles hoped Lamb would not turn out to be another Arpaio or Babeu. Orozco: "Dont threat me. | Time on the screen says 5:02 p.m. . Building off his social media popularity he has more than 300,000 Facebook followers, high for a sheriff and his desire to elevate law enforcement, this past May he announced the launch of the American Sheriff Network, which for $4.99 month allows viewers to watch 10- to 20-minute segments showing sheriffs and their deputies as they respond to calls for service a mix of sheriff propaganda and reality television. Better get an attorney. The Arizona Attorney General's Office said Wednesday it would not prosecute former Sheriff Paul Babeu and former County Attorney Lando Voyles for what it described as "eyebrow-raising". Orozco says he created and maintained Babeu's campaign websites, his Facebook page, and his Twitter account. Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board, for TV commercials featuring that damning home video. We'll be in touch if we look into your question. Paul Raymond Babeu (pronounced BAB-you; born February 3, 1969) is an American politician and member of the Republican Party who was sheriff of Pinal County, Arizona, from January 1, 2008, to January 1, 2017. Doug Barrett for POLITICO. Former Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu and County Attorney Lando Voyles said they have been maligned and subjected to "disparaging statements" over their handling of profits from seized. He started his service as a private and rose through the ranks to major in the Arizona Army National Guard. February 2, 2017 ", DeRose wrote: "If you are serious about an amicable resolution to this, it is critical that no further offensive actions against my client be taken in the meantime. Because sheriffs are not usually term-limited, Lamb can stay in office as long as he gets reelected, or until he decides to run for another office, as many other sheriffs have though Lamb says he is happy where he is. Today, our Chief Deputy directly contacted a top level supervisor within the Federal Bureau of Investigations who confirmed their office does not have any open investigation on our office but rather there is an open investigation against another Sheriffs Office in Arizona, Gaffney wrote. Become a member to support the independent voice of Phoenix The decision by the AG's Office doesn't mean Babeu and Voyles have been cleared of wrongdoing. Ive never had a desire to run for Senate or Congress, Lamb told me at the caf in Florence, before adding, Im a patriot at heart. Newly elected Sheriff Mark Lamb was ordered by subpoena to deliver records to the grand jury evidencing misuse of county, state or federal RICO funds by Pinal County Sheriffs Office employees.. The Pinal County Sheriff's Office website, which still lists Karns as leader of the Sheriff's Office Patrol Division, says of the captain: Although the board hasn't considered the matter, Karns' e-mail states that a member of Babeu's "executive staff relayed the message" to him that once he became an at-will employee, he would face termination. Babeu and Voyles this month demanded an apology from Volkmer, saying he unfairly maligned them and subjected them to disparaging statements over the use of RICO funds. From 2006 to 2007, Babeu spent 17 months as commander of Task Force Yuma supervising 700 soldiers, where they supported the United States Border Patrol to achieve operational control and reduce illegal immigration. As we left the gun range during my visit to Pinal County and stopped by a gas station to hydrate, we again ran into more fans of Lambs. To date, the movements largest formal organization is the Constitutional Sheriffs and Police Officers Association, formed in 2011 by former sheriff Richard Mack, who told me the association has attracted more than 700 sheriffs to its events and trainings. KJZZ is a service of Rio Salado College, and Maricopa Community Colleges Unless like today. Lamb often invokes the importance of the rule of law but says of the Jan. 6 rioters, I guarantee you those people are very loving, Christian people. Join the New Times community and help support From November 8 onward, Babeu was like a man racing against the hourglass, appearing numerous times on Fox Business, Fox News and Fox 10 Phoenix, attired in his tan uniform. He opposes all limitations on the Second Amendment. See additional photos from text-messages between Sheriff Babeu and his ex-lover. including yourself & your family. It was the month after the insurrection, with Joe Biden in the White House and Democrats in the majority in Congress, that Lamb announced the launch of Protect America Now, his new coalition of currently serving sheriffs Lamb calls them patriots with a stated mission of educating Americans about how our Sheriffs and the law enforcement community are standing for our Constitution and law and order. Its mostly a messaging operation: The group runs ads and has written letters to the Biden administration. Republican Mark Lamb succeeded Babeu as sheriff.[34][35]. ", Orozco responded: "Good threats. Make a one-time donation today for as little as $1. Orozco says he met Babeu in October 2006 on gay.com, a dating website. [13] He was the first Republican sheriff elected in the history of the county (founded in 1875). Sheriff Paul Babeu, President of the Arizona Sheriff's Association and the National Sheriff of the Year, is Arizona's youngest Sheriff and leads the third largest Sheriff's Office in the state with 700 full-time employees. Jessica Pishko is a writer and a lawyer who is working on a book about sheriffs. The relationship soured, and Orozco believes that Babeu sent DeRose after him. Lamb, who was elected in 2017, said money stopped flowing to theArizona Public Safety Foundation, which recently ceased operation. . Forfeiture laws, in general, created a multimillion-dollar "slush fund available to (law enforcement) with little or no oversight," the lawsuit said. Babeu was tapping RICO funds to pay for Sheriff's Office travel as early as 2011. The case was settled in April 2018, according to court records. . The sheriff denies funding was a problem, saying he raised more money in his 4th District congressional bid than either of his opponents. Arizona's forfeiture laws direct proceeds into the coffers of the prosecutors and law-enforcement agencies involved in seizing the items. I asked Sean Kennedy, a professor at Loyola Law School who is on the oversight commission for the Los Angeles County sheriff, about Lambs involvement with Protect America Now and other outside activities, and he said he believes Lambs behavior violates the NSAs code. Two top former law-enforcement officials in Pinal County won't face state criminal charges over their questionable use of profitsfrom property seized during arrests and investigations. When I asked Lamb whether the storming of the Capitol on Jan. 6 was an example of people violating the very rule of law he professes to cherish, he replied, Just because somebody was there doesnt necessarily mean theyre guilty, then added, I guarantee you [the rioters] are very loving, Christian people. Lamb was a fixture on the show, as well as a host of a spinoff, Live PD: Wanted, which focused on catching fugitives. Lamb won office the same year Sheriff Arpaio was defeated in Maricopa. A federal grand jury is investigating how the Pinal County Sheriffs Office handled profits from seized property under former Sheriff Paul Babeu. (Asked about the report, Mack said CSPOA denounce[s] all racism and violence.), Mack said Lamb is not an official CSPOA member, but he clearly sees Lamb as one of his own. Ex-Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu hearts the shiny badge and spiffy uniform of his erstwhile office so much that he seems loath to relinquish it online. Lamb, too, is on the advisory committee, but hes also the groups most prominent public representative. Make a one-time donation today for as little as $1. Informed of the situation, Nancy-Jo Merritt, a longtime Phoenix immigration attorney, says a threat of deportation would be indicative of an "atmosphere that's been created politically in this state, so that if you get angry at someone who is Hispanic, you immediately jump down to the level of threatening to deport him. Contact. | Senate. He barely seems to sweat. Through Protect America Now, which was founded by a Republican strategist and two businesspeople working with Lamb and counterparts nationwide, he is marshalling dozens of other elected sheriffs and citizen supporters around these ideas building an army as the group puts it. Babeu could not be reached for comment on Wednesday. Sheriff Paul Babeu of Pinal County Arizona has emerged as a Republican face for tougher US-Mexico border security. (According to Vale, however, Lamb has not officially endorsed Lake or any other candidate in the race.). Forfeiture money paid for Voyles' personal security system, retirement contributions of employees in his office and fundraising for the Sheriff's Office, according to the lawsuit. independent local journalism in Phoenix. Babeu, who subsequently came out as gay, denied making threats, and a state attorney general investigation later cleared him of any criminal wrongdoing, concluding that the allegations were not supported by the facts. In 2016, Babeu ran for Congress; he lost, but the sheriff spot was left open for Lamb, who defeated Babeus anointed successor in the primary and took the general election. 6:00AM. [10] Babeu stated that he had never been the target of an investigation or lawsuit and "was recognized for helping restore financial stability of the school. They just happen to support President Trump a lot. . . and help keep the future of New Times, Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our. The audit highlighted 31 awards, totaling $683,406 that went to the Arizona Public Safety Foundation. The county also enjoys relatively low levels of crime. January 8, 2013 . While some Pinal County residents say Lambs involvement in politics and entertainment has gone too far, the county voted overwhelmingly to reelect him last year. All rights reserved. (In response to the incident, Texas passed a state law that forbids law enforcement agencies from partnering with reality television shows.) Super Fans, Mascot Mania, and All-Stars: Suns and Nuggets Get Ready to Rumble, Fight Night: How Phoenix Became a Hotbed for Mixed Martial Arts Champions, New Attainable Not Necessarily Affordable Housing Coming to Downtown Phoenix, Katie Hobbs Gets Singed After Unwrapping Tamale-tastrophe, I Love the Rivalry: Fans Soak Up U.S.-Mexico Soccer Showdown in the Valley. 6:31PM. Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu who became the face of Arizona border security nationally after he started stridently opposing illegal immigration threatened his Mexican ex-lover with. See also: Babeu's Mexican Ex-Lover Says Sheriff's Attorney Threatened Him With Deportation You brother will also be contacted. "It is truly puzzling why Captain Karns overreacted to an organizational change that has yet to take place, and I can only surmise that some other issue is in play that made him lash out," Gaffney says in his statement. Local activist Roberto Reveles, who through the ACLU of Arizona has organized against racial profiling and other anti-immigrant policies in the state, has known Lamb since his earliest days as sheriff. Orozco says he complied but that Babeu and his attorney also wanted Orozco to sign a document that would bind him legally to keep silent about the relationship. Devin Burghart, who runs the Institute for Research and Education on Human Rights, which analyzes far-right social movements, says understanding sheriffs like Lamb is important in the long-term fight for democracy. Researcher Cloee Cooper said Lambs highly politicized approach to his job is ultimately undermining a safe and just society. Asked about how supporters might interpret his anti-government messaging, Lamb told me, Im a very pro-freedom person.
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