An audio recording has surfaced of an Arizona sheriff playing his refusal to cooperate in a racial profiling investigation for laughs at a fundraiser for an anti-illegal immigration group in Texas. He ridicules politicians who sought the probe and displayed contempt toward federal authorities who were — and are still — investigating him on two fronts.

The dismissive comments in 2009by Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio came as the U.S. Justice Department had already launched a civil rights probe of his trademark immigration patrols and the FBI already was examining abuse-of-power allegations for the sheriff's investigations of political foes.

In the September 2009 speech in Houston, Arpaio boasted that he arrested hundreds of illegal immigrants after politicians and federal investigators started to pick apart his patrols. He said he wouldn't cooperate with the inquiry, but said he would tone down the patrols — if he was proven wrong.

"But I'm not. After they went after me, we arrested 500 more just for spite," the self-proclaimed "America's toughest sheriff" said, pausing for laughter and applause.

That refers only to a civil suit.

Hopefully they will file criminal charges as well.

Ruh-roh...

Joe sez he was just a joshin'... saying what he knows people want to hear when he speaks.

"These are not official, under-oath speeches," Arpaio said. "It's strictly a speech that when I'm talking to certain groups, they like to hear what I have to say, because they know I'm under the gun."

Ruh-roh...

AP Newsbreak: AZ sheriff played probe for laughs
Associated PressBy JACQUES BILLEAUD | Associated Press – 2 hrs 33 mins ago



Joe sez he was just a joshin'... saying what he knows people want to hear when he speaks.



much more at the link

"These are not official, under-oath speeches," Arpaio said. "It's strictly a speech that when I'm talking to certain groups, they like to hear what I have to say, because they know I'm under the gun."

snip.....

"We have already indicted one, so I am not their favorite guy," Arpaio said in Houston, drawing laughter. "The county has cut my budget $35 million just for spite. But I'm still locking them all up. I have ways to get the job done."

Paul Charlton, an attorney who represented Stapley and has listened to portions of Arpaio's speech, described the comment as "close to a confession as you may ever get."

snip.....

For his part, Arpaio said his only regret in making the speech was that he used the wrong figure for the number of illegal immigrants arrested after the civil rights inquiry began.

"It was wrong," Arpaio said. "It wasn't 500. It was thousands."

It may seem at times like the investigations into Sheriff Joe Arpaio are endless. In the past four years, he and some of his closest aides have been the subject of at least five investigations into accusations that they became corrupted by the power and perks of the office.

Throughout it all, his aides have fallen, but the Arizona lawman remains untouched. Two investigations cleared him outright, one stalled and was transferred to another agency and two more have dragged on as officials in Washington, D.C. decide whether to act. Meanwhile, Arpaio continues to taunt his pursuers.

More recently, a disciplinary panel in Arizona that was looking into allegations against one of Arpaio’s allies said there was evidence “beyond a reasonable doubt” to show that the sheriff participated in a federal crime in December 2009. Still, Arpaio, 79, remains a player in the Republican Party and continues to run for office, aiming for his sixth term as sheriff this year.

Understandably, it might be hard for a casual observer to keep all the investigations straight. TPM has compiled this guide to the many investigations and what resulted from them. It shows that Arpaio has been a target for years, but that he also has given political and financial help to some of the very people who cleared him or shelved investigations.

Thomas Lovejoy and County Reach Deal in Lawsuit Against Joe Arpaio

Hours before the notice of the settlement was filed, Wake ordered Arpaio to produce a financial statement in this case.

"IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that Defendant Arpaio produce to his counsel his most current financial statement reflecting his personal, individual, and community assets and liabilities, no later than noon on Monday, April 16, 2012," the order states. "Failure of Defendant Arpaio to comply with this order will result in sanctions against Defendant Arpaio to be paid personally."

Ruben Navarrette: Could the laugh be on Arizona's Sheriff Joe?

Here's the rest of the story, and it explains why Arpaio isn't afraid of the Obama administration. Both are partners in this endeavor. The Justice Department may be investigating Arpaio. But, in another part of the Cabinet, the Department of Homeland Security is enabling him. Immigration officials are taking full advantage of Arpaio's approach to rounding up illegal immigrants. Once these people are in custody, they're handed over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement where they're added to the monthly deportation figures that the administration touts to show critics that it's tough on illegal immigration.

And this part of the story isn't the least bit amusing.

BY DEVLIN BARRETT

The Justice Department plans to file a civil-rights lawsuit Thursday against Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County, Ariz., over alleged mistreatment of Hispanics, according to two people familiar with the matter.

The lawsuit marks an escalation of a long-running battle between the department's Civil Rights Division and Mr. Arpaio over his ...

snip.....

Based on the foregoing, please be advised that in accordance with the notice requirements set forth in DOJ's Title VI regulations, 42 C.F.R. § 108(d)(3), it is the intention of the Department of Justice to file a civil action against Maricopa County, the Maricopa County Sheriffs Office, and Sheriff Joseph M. Arpaio in order to remedy the serious Constitutional and federal law violations, including noncompliance with Title VI, as noted in our December 15, 2012 Findings Letter.

The Department of Justice sent letters notifying Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery and Sheriff Joe Arpaio's lawyers that the DoJ's suing the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office "in order to remedy the serious Constitutional and federal law violations" the department found in its investigation.

In the letters, Assistant Attorney General Thomas Perez keeps it brief, saying the DoJ intends to file the civil lawsuit since the department can't seem to get the MCSO's cooperation through "voluntary means."

snip.....

Montgomery had previously demanded that the DoJ turn over evidence of its claims of racial profiling by the Sheriff's Office, although Austin wrote that he and his colleagues have "repeatedly explained" to Montgomery that they're not turning over information unless it's in federal court.

Now that the DoJ lawsuit has turned the lawsuit from a threat into an intent, Arpaio's released his apparent response -- a booklet telling MCSO employees not to be racist, and claiming that they're really cleaning up their act over there.

snip.....

The rest of the booklet is a code of conduct of sorts for MCSO employees, touting "bias-free law enforcement," "an unwavering commitment to the protection of Constitutional rights for all," and the "need to reinforce public trust" with that bias-free enforcement.

snip.....

In short, it's a booklet on what the Sheriff's Office ought to be, and it's a couple decades late for Arpaio.

And if this is actually an attempt to counter the DoJ's intentions of a lawsuit, well, good luck.

"Improve the methods used to capture statistics relating to traffic stops, searches and arrests"

The Justice Department finally filed suit against Sheriff Joe Arpaio and his Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office on Thursday, accusing the Arizona official of engaging “in a pattern or practice of unlawful discriminatory police conduct directed at Latinos in Maricopa County.”

Federal authorities allege that Arpaio and his office have unconstitutionally and unlawfully targeted Latinos during traffic stops and during crime suppression operations. DOJ alleges that MCSO unlawfully detained Latino drivers and passengers and conducted unconstitutional searches and seizures in addition to illegally targeting Latino workers during worksite raids.

DOJ’s suit, filed in the District of Arizona, accuses jail officials of referring to Latinos as “wetbacks,” “Mexican bitches,” and “stupid Mexicans.” The suit says Arpaio “voiced his biased opinion of Latinos and Latino culture” in a book he coauthored in 2008.

[...]

This isn’t the first time the Justice Department has sued Arpaio’s office for alleged civil rights abuses. In 1997, the federal government accused the agency of a pattern of using excessive force on inmates in Maricopa County jails. While the lawsuit ended in a settlement, some of Arpaio’s critics now say the agreement was largely unenforced and resulted in little lasting change.

6. This Complaint sets out three categories of unlawful conduct: (1) a pattern or practice of discriminatory and otherwise unconstitutional law enforcement actions against Latinos in Maricopa County; (2) discriminatory jail practices against Latino prisoners with limited English language skills; and (3) a pattern or practice of retaliatory actions against perceived critics of MCSO activities.

A defiant Sheriff Joe Arpaio is preparing to tell President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder later today there is “no way” he will turn over the management of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office to the Justice Department despite the threat of a federal lawsuit.

“Clean your own house, Eric Holder, before you come trying to clean mine,” Arpaio said today in a telephone interview with WND.

[...]

“This is a coordinated effort directed from the White House to deflect attention from Eric Holder’s failure to cooperate in the congressional investigation into Fast and Furious,” he said.

Arpaio also told WND he will not abandon his volunteer team’s investigation into Obama’s eligibility for the Arizona presidential ballot.

Arpaio also told WND he will not abandon his volunteer team’s investigation into Obama’s eligibility for the Arizona presidential ballot.

I continue to be baffled as to why the taxpayers of Maricopa County put up with this worthless POS.

I read through the complaint last night and what the MCSO has done is despicable. However, I was not clear what the consequences would be if the USA prevails. It appears to me the that they are just saying they to stop profiling and other bad behavior. What is to prevent Arpaio from saying OK we promise to be good from now on and just carry one business as usual? The only other penalty I see is loss of federal funding. I guess to simplify it my question is "Where's the beef?" If Arpaio is found in violation of the laws mentioned would that open him up to individual civil suits for damages? Could a judge order that the Justice Department take over operation of the MSCO?