County wants Thomas to investigate sheriff’s group
Wednesday, September 2, 2009, 11:10am MST
Phoenix Business Journal - by Mike Sunnucks
The Maricopa County Elections Department wants county prosecutors to investigate the Sheriff’s Command Association.
County officials hand delivered a letter asking Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas, an ally of Sheriff Joe Arpaio, to investigate the SCA to see if it violated state election laws. County Election Director Karen Osbourne and County Recorder Helen Purcell made the formal request Wednesday.
The SCA also is under scrutiny from the Arizona Attorney General’s office. SCA is headed by Joel Fox, a captain in the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office. Fox claims SCA was not created to provide direct support for Arpaio, but to respond to criticism and negative media coverage of the MCSO.
SCA contributors include real estate developer Steve Ellman, a transportation business owned by Courtesy Chevrolet dealership executives William Gruwell and Mike Fitzgerald, and Freeport McMoran Copper & Gold Inc. Vice Chairman B.M. Rankin.
SCA had given money to the Arizona Republican Party, which ran negative ads against Democrats Dan Saban and Tim Nelson who unsuccessfully challenged Arpaio and Thomas in the 2008 election. That money was later refunded by the state GOP, and Fox said he gave contributions back to the donors.
County officials say business contributions to the SCA as well as its contributions to the state GOP may violate state election laws.
Arpaio says he has no links to SCA.
County officials hand delivered a letter asking Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas, an ally of Sheriff Joe Arpaio, to investigate the SCA to see if it violated state election laws. County Election Director Karen Osbourne and County Recorder Helen Purcell made the formal request Wednesday.
The SCA also is under scrutiny from the Arizona Attorney General’s office. SCA is headed by Joel Fox, a captain in the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office. Fox claims SCA was not created to provide direct support for Arpaio, but to respond to criticism and negative media coverage of the MCSO.
SCA contributors include real estate developer Steve Ellman, a transportation business owned by Courtesy Chevrolet dealership executives William Gruwell and Mike Fitzgerald, and Freeport McMoran Copper & Gold Inc. Vice Chairman B.M. Rankin.
SCA had given money to the Arizona Republican Party, which ran negative ads against Democrats Dan Saban and Tim Nelson who unsuccessfully challenged Arpaio and Thomas in the 2008 election. That money was later refunded by the state GOP, and Fox said he gave contributions back to the donors.
County officials say business contributions to the SCA as well as its contributions to the state GOP may violate state election laws.
Arpaio says he has no links to SCA.
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