Become a member to support the independent voice of Phoenix Babeu said Henry was left with three options: resign as chief deputy to run as a sheriff's candidate, withdraw his candidacy for sheriff or transfer to a non-leadership position within the sheriff . Lamb says the network takes its inspiration from Live PD, an A&E show that ran from 2016 until 2020, when it was canceled after deputies in Williamson County, Texas, were caught on camera tasing a man named Javier Ambler, and ultimately killing him. Records show Babeu spent more than $53,000 to send 25 people to a weeklong conference in St. Louis at which he received a national award. "I will likely get the compensation back that your actions are costing my family, unfortunately not from you personally, but from the poor taxpayers of Pinal County who will likely continue to suffer such actions due to what you continue to do," Karns writes to Babeu. The hosts called him. The relationship soured, and Orozco believes that Babeu sent DeRose after him. Burghart, the researcher of far-right movements, sees Protect America Now and the coalition it is building as a dangerous force, arguing the group represents the next step for the constitutional sheriff movement and its elevation of the power of sheriffs. . Doug Barrett for POLITICO. There have been reports Babeu's fundraising efforts took a hit in the wake of the controversy surrounding his announcement earlier this year that he is gay. Karns, however, would have faced a nearly $15,000 pay cut. 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. The decision comes months after state auditors found Babeu and Voyles mismanaged more than $2 million in so-called racketeering, or RICO,funds. Jessica Pishko is a writer and a lawyer who is working on a book about sheriffs. Become a member to support the independent voice of Phoenix [29], On August 31, 2012, the Arizona solicitor general exonerated Babeu after an investigation. The audit found that for 39 of 82 awards reviewed, the county could not provide an application or written proposal from the organization that received the money. About 1,000 Trump supporters had descended on the state Capitol; one group of them brought a guillotine. Attorneys for Babeu, Voyles and his former chief of staff, Dwight Fujimoto, accused Volkmer of making false claims. PHOENIX - Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu comes out and admits he's gay on Saturday a day after he's accused of a major scandal. Under Babeu and Voyles, Pinal County became the poster child for abuse of RICO funds, prompting lawsuits and legislative reforms. Robert Tsai, a constitutional law professor at Boston University, told me he sees Protect America Now as political in nature an effort to leverage sheriffs in mainstream Republican politics, while also branding [sheriffs] for future political careers. Lamb says Protect America Now is not a political organization, but that its efforts are viewed as political sometimes. Yet Protect America Now, a 501(c)4, was founded in June 2020 by a group that includes Nathan Sproul, an Arizona-based Republican strategist. Protect America Nows 69 member sheriffs, who come from states including California, New Mexico, Virginia and South Dakota, also appear on right-leaning media to advocate for smaller government in all areas except immigration. | Photos by Doug Barrett/@400northcreative for Politico Magazine. Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu today ended his bid for Congress. The pandemic has given Lamb, like much of the GOP, a new pet cause. He withdrew from the race prior to the primary. And he still believes there was, as he put it to me, a significant amount of concerning information about the integrity of the election. . 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. The vast rural district, which includes Flagstaff, suburbs of Tucson and the Navajo Reservation, is one of the largest in the country. He won the Republican nomination against Peter Abair. Outside his day job in Pinal County, Lamb, shown here at a cafe in Florence, Ariz., is involved with a new nonprofit coalition of sheriffs and a streaming network highlighting the work sheriffs do as they respond to calls for service. In 2017, the FBI launched a probe into RICO expenditures in Pinal County and conducted an informal search of the Pinal County Sheriff's Office. Lamb says he was always interested in guns but didnt plan for a law enforcement career. Doug Ducey in 2017 signed a lawto increase oversight ofRICO expenditures and give people a better ability to challengeforfeiture laws. 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. Phoenix's independent source of DENNIS LAMBERT: The sheriff says he's running for re-election to continue the programs he began four years ago, and because of problems with the candidacy of the man he wanted to replace him, his Chief Deputy Steve Henry. 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. Thats illegal. There was an older Latino man named Randy wearing a snap-pocket shirt who had recently retired from a wild horse-and-burro program at the nearby prison and asked Lamb if he knew any cowboys. Orozco shared text messages between him and Babeu with New Times. 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. [3][4], Babeu holds an associate degree in law enforcement from the Arizona Law Enforcement Academy. The poor record-keeping noted by auditors was also a key factor preventing the AG's officefrom filing charges against Babeu and Voyles, Anderson said. 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. Gov. Of 43 groups that did provide one, documentation was incomplete, the audit found. Shutterstock. Requests are often limited to reimbursements and often require proof of expenses. | 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. The decision by the AG's Office doesn't mean Babeu and Voyles have been cleared of wrongdoing. | RICO refers to anti-racketeering laws that give authorities wide latitude to seize assets in criminal cases even if charges are not filed and then fund operations with the proceeds. Babeu made that announcement after reports surfaced that he had tried to have a former boyfriend deported. Visit his site and learn more today! The law requires prosecutors to get approval from county boards of supervisors before using RICO funds. If approved, the change effectively would strip those affected PCSO employees, primarily PCSO lieutenants, of their ability to appeal to a review board any decision Babeu made to discipline or terminate them. Karns tells Babeu that his proposal ensures that if command staff doesn't "bow and accede" to his "every wish and desire, they face termination." 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. The search was followed byan investigation by a federalgrand jury, which issued a subpoena for records evidencing misuse of county, state or federal RICO funds by Pinal County Sheriffs Office employees.. ", Orozco responded: "Good threats. [20], In 2011 and 2012, the Pinal County Sheriff's Office collected $7 million worth of surplus military equipment. See also: Babeu Turns Distortion of Truth Into an Art Form Babeu was born on February 3, 1969, in North Adams, Massachusetts, to Raymond and Helen Babeu. He said his own review of RICO funds indicated past requests were made in round numbers and did not require itemization. Compared with climbing on roofs all day to pick up bird poop, he says, law enforcement seemed safer. The audit also found that $151,645 of the community outreachmonies awarded to the foundation went to unauthorized uses benefiting the County Attorney or Sheriff's Office programs. [32] O'Halleran defeated Babeu, receiving 51% of the vote to Babeu's 44%. 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. [5], Babeu was awarded two Life Saving Medals in the performance of his duties as a patrolman in Chandler. But Orozco suspected Babeu was lying. Any money left over must be returned. Doug Barrett for POLITICO. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Article It could be one of the most competitive House seats in. When the coronavirus pandemic hit, he publicly resisted Arizonas mask mandates and stay-at-home orders before catching Covid himself last year, which he discovered when he was denied entry to the White House for a meeting with Trump. The lawsuit accused Babeu and Voyles of exploiting Arizona's forfeiture laws, which provide little to no oversight on spending, plaintiff's attorneys said. Your contact infoWe'll be in touch if we look into your question. The subpoena, obtained by The Arizona Republic through a public records request, was issued in the spring and ordered Lamb to provide the RICO documents before September. Please dont. | Make a one-time donation today for as little as $1. Records showBabeu spent more than $53,000 to send 25 people to a weeklong conference in St. Louisat which he received a national award. The grand jury probe is a criminal investigation, according to a letterfrom Elizabeth Strange,the acting U.S. attorney for Arizona. . Were going to find out who is willing to die for freedom. He also makes direct appeals to citizens, an effort that looks more dangerous after former President Donald Trump riled up supporters on Jan. 6. He was Pinal County's first Republican sheriff.[2]. Unless like today. ", She adds that federal immigration-enforcement agents have better things to do than "take care of Babeu's boyfriends. Get the latest updates in news, food, music and culture, and receive special offers direct to your inbox. Karns' scathing message -- addressed to 661 employees -- appears to be sparked by Babeu's request before the Board of Supervisors to reclassify command staff from "covered" employees to "at-will" workers. Babeu was born on February 3, 1969, in North Adams, Massachusetts, to Raymond and Helen Babeu. and help keep the future of New Times, Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our, Babeu's Mexican Ex-Lover Says Sheriff's Attorney Threatened Him With Deportation, Babeu's Suspicious Past as School's Headmaster, Babeu Turns Distortion of Truth Into an Art Form, Babeu Sticks It to Taxpayers and a Volunteer Rescue Team. Copyright 2023 KJZZ/Rio Salado College/MCCCD. In addition, in 77 of the 82 awards reviewed, the county could not provide a memorandum of understanding showing how the money would be used by the group receiving the award. He was Pinal County's first Republican sheriff. Make a one-time donation today for as little as $1. On his person, Lamb has a 9mm Glock pistol, plus a long knife, a taser, handcuffs and extra ammunition. Make a one-time donation today for as little as $1.
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