The amount was the largest to any single group over the three years, the audit said. Lamb fires his service pistol, a Glock 34. 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. 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. Super Fans, Mascot Mania, and All-Stars: Suns and Nuggets Get Ready to Rumble, Katie Hobbs Gets Singed After Unwrapping Tamale-tastrophe, Fight Night: How Phoenix Became a Hotbed for Mixed Martial Arts Champions, 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. Get the latest updates in news, food, music and culture, and receive special offers direct to your inbox. They said he accused them of criminal conduct. He graduated from the Arizona Law Enforcement Academy as the #1 overall police recruit and was voted by his fellow officers as the class exemplary officer. The Goldwater Institute, a conservative watchdog group, raised concerns about the foundation last year and sought records to determine if Babeu was using it to bypass campaign-finance laws and promote his 2016 congressional campaign. Earlier in March, Gaffney also barred this reporter from entering a press conference held by Sheriff Babeu in a public building. 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. He faced Democrat Tom O'Halleran in the general election. Help us fight for you and support local journalism.Subscribe to azcentral.com today. We dont go to a shooting range as much as an open, sandy field that Lamb says belongs to a friend of his. [27], Babeu dropped his congressional bid on May 11, 2012; instead he sought re-election as sheriff. and help keep the future of New Times, Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our. [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. Of 43 groups that did provide one, documentation was incomplete, the audit found. 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. Babeu's statement said that "Border Patrol agents were shot at by drug smugglers last month on the Tohono O'odham Reservation south of Pinal County," but it's unclear whether the shooting involved . Two weeks before, in mid-June, the temperature was a newsworthy 110-plus degrees. Babeu isa Republican who made border security a top issue in his two losing attempts to win a seat in Congress. Of the total amount awarded to the foundation over the three years, $230,000 was initiated by Babeu or one of his employees, the audit found. The decision by the AG's Office doesn't mean Babeu and Voyles have been cleared of wrongdoing. "[18] Babeu also helped U.S. The latest of the alleged threats were made through Babeu's personal attorney, who's also running the sheriff's campaign for Congress in District 4, the ex-lover says. A Fitting Finish to Paul Babeu's No Good, Very Bad Year He was Pinal County's first Republican sheriff. Arizona's forfeiture laws direct proceeds into the coffers of the prosecutors and law-enforcement agencies involved in seizing the items. RICO refers to the anti-racketeering laws that give authorities wide latitudeto seize assets in criminal cases even if charges are not filed and then fund operations with the proceeds. State auditors found Babeu and Voyles failed to follow procedures and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on unauthorized purchases. Phoenix's independent source of Compared with climbing on roofs all day to pick up bird poop, he says, law enforcement seemed safer. Cochise County uses RICO funds for scholarships, Governor signs bill to tighten rules on asset seizures by law enforcement. He opposes all limitations on the Second Amendment. Babeu first mentioned the alleged crimes on Saturday, when he held a press conference to discuss Jose's allegations. Paul Babeu - Wikipedia Perhaps Paul Babeu, the Arizona sheriff and former Romney campaign manager, should spend more time studying the Republican Party's approach to gay rights. ", Orozco responded: "Good threats. 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. This 6-month-long detailed search led to the termination of Arpaio's top two deputies. Congressional hopeful Paul Babeu briefly joined the growing list of Republicans nationally who renounced their support for Donald Trump's presidential campaign in a tweet that disappeared an. 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). Lamb, 49, has jurisdiction over only Arizonas third most populous county, a stretch of desert wedged between Phoenix and Tucson thats home to about 500,000 people. "[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. Babeu could not be reached for comment on Wednesday. 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. "What we're focused on is making sure we're as transparent as possible," he said. Next door in Pinal County, Lamb embraced Arpaios anti-immigrant bent; before long he appeared, sure enough, on Fox News to talk about the border crisis (though Pinal County is not on the U.S.-Mexico border), and deployed officers and equipment to help federal authorities with immigration enforcement. Thats illegal. Lamb is at far right. Sheriffs in almost every state operate independently with limited oversight, giving them the freedom to engage in political advocacy and appear in the media. Requests are often limited to reimbursements and often require proof of expenses. He started his service as a private and rose through the ranks to major in the Arizona Army National Guard. But now Reveles is among those Pinal County residents who say Lambs involvement in politics and entertainment has gone too far, distracting him from the job he was elected to do and perhaps even influencing how he does it. Ultimately, many residents of Pinal County, which voted 58 percent for Trump in 2020, align politically with Lamb. CLARIFICATION: This article has been updated to include the results of an into allegations made against Sheriff Paul Babeu. 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. Paul Babeu, Lando Voyles seek apology, retraction from new Pinal County Arizona's forfeiture laws direct proceeds into the coffers of the prosecutors and law-enforcement agencies involved in seizing the items. Babeu was born on February 3, 1969, in North Adams, Massachusetts, to Raymond and Helen Babeu. independent local journalism in Phoenix. That morning I came home, and I told my wife I was gonna be a cop, he concluded. RAW VIDEO: Watch Babeu talk DeSisto punishments - KNXV Make a one-time donation today for as little as $1. [28] He was re-elected by a large margin on November 6, 2012. In the weeks following the videos release, it was discovered Babeu also filed to run in the wrong congressional district and his financial disclosure forms were late. A Republican, he was elected in 2010 to represent the neighboring 1st congressional district . See also: Babeu Sticks It to Taxpayers and a Volunteer Rescue Team. The FBI issued a subpoena last year to the Arizona Public Safety Foundation, which for years operated out of the Sheriff's Office and was staffed by sheriff's deputies. In an email, he wrote that Lamb is a Constitutional Sheriff and is one of the best sheriffs in America. Lamb, for his part, says he respects Mack and has a good relationship with CSPOA. But he emphasized to me that Protect America Now and CSPOA are different groups, and said he also does not support any form of white supremacy. [11][12], Babeu joined the Massachusetts National Guard as a 21-year-old. 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 . ", The following day, on September 7, De-Rose sent an e-mail directly to Orozco ordering him to "cease and desist. The grand jury probe is a criminal investigation, according to a letterfrom Elizabeth Strange,the acting U.S. attorney for Arizona. Paul Babeu, Pinal County Sheriff, Lambasted by Newly-Retired PCSO Orozco shared text messages between him and Babeu with New Times. . 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.". 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. "At a minimum, it seems that by funneling money to a private group which buys things for him and his department Babeu is able to avoid procurement laws and other transparency regulations which usually apply to government purchasing," the lawsuit stated. And I will serve the people where I can.. [8] In the general election, Barrett won re-election and defeated Babeu 53%-47%,[1] a difference of just 353 votes, in an election with an unusually high turnout rate of 75% among registered voters. He says lawyer Chris DeRose demanded he sign an agreement that he would never breathe a word about the affair. Another man walking by said, The sheriff is a good dude. Everyone gathered for a picture, just one more. local news and culture, Monica Alonzo 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. [6], At the end of this term in 1996, Babeu ran for a seat in the Massachusetts Senate based in Berkshire, Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin. The hosts called him. local news and culture. . After filing for bankruptcy in 2003, Lamb decided to start again in Arizona, he writes in his book, where he moved with his five kids and his wife, Janel who today has her own book, The Sheriffs Wife, and often appears with her husband at public events. 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. Voyles said any suggestion that he and Babeu did something unethical or illegal is unfounded.. Paul Babeu was the tenth of eleven children born into the family. Paul Babeu, Arizona Sheriff, Allegedly Threatened Gay - HuffPost Lamb says he was always interested in guns but didnt plan for a law enforcement career. He said requests did not appear to be made for specific dollar amounts and no system appeared to be in place to review where the money went. They just happen to support President Trump a lot. Orozco says he created and maintained Babeu's campaign websites, his Facebook page, and his Twitter account. Lamb loves it. Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu on gay marriage: "You can't legislate [26] Babeu stepped down as co-chair of Mitt Romney's presidential campaign in Arizona, but received the continued support of U.S. Shutterstock. Gaffney points to Karns' past support of Babeu, including a letter he wrote recommending Babeu for the National Sheriff of the Year Award, and an e-mail commending Babeu for his leadership and stance on arming school administrators in response to the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre. [16] Babeu led the third largest sheriff's office in Arizona with 700 full-time employees. In a speech, Lamb talked about issues with the vote and blamed the state and federal governments. He won the Republican nomination against Peter Abair. The sheriff didn't dispute the authenticity of any text messages or photos appearing with this article.). The FBI is asking new questions about Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu and his offices use of seized criminal money. He has called vaccine mandates garbage and spoke at a recent anti-vaccine rally in Phoenix, where he told supporters, Were going to find out what kind of patriots you are. for 1+3, enter 4. Doug Barrett for POLITICO. He said none of the audits found problems. This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions. Karns' scathing message . Kennedy pointed to the provision about private gain, as well as one requiring equal protection of all citizens, without allowing personal opinion, party affiliations, or consideration of the status of others to alter or lessen this standard of treatment., Asked to respond, Vale said Lamb keeps a strict division between his work as the Pinal County sheriff and his image as the American Sheriff. Vale added, All of his activities, both as sheriff and in his private time, are vetted through the [Pinal] County attorney. The attorney, Kent Volkmer, told me Lamb has consulted with him, including on Protect America Now and the American Sheriff Network, but said he does not review every single appearance Lamb makes outside his capacity as sheriff. 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. "If what [Babeu's attorney] says is correct [about Orozco's being illegal], either the sheriff had a long relationship with someone he knew was undocumented, while all the time being Mr. Bluster about the border and using it for political gain," or he threatened to deport someone he just broke up with, Merritt says. He lost in the general election to Democrat Andrea F. Nuciforo, Jr. Congress. 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". Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. [6], In 2002, he moved to Arizona to pursue a law enforcement career as a police officer for the city of Chandler, Arizona. "We never found proof of criminal activity," he said. Join the New Times community and help support "He wanted his legal rights protected. Before its cancellation, Live PD was immensely popular, capturing more viewers than any other cable program on Friday and Saturday nights. Sheriff Paul Babeu of Pinal County Arizona has emerged as a Republican face for tougher US-Mexico border security. 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. All rights reserved. (A federal judge later found Arpaio in criminal contempt of a court order to stop racially profiling Latino residents, but Trump later pardoned him.) While Lamb has gotten more and more scrutiny in Arizona, he has mostly brushed it off. Newly elected Pinal County Attorney Kent Volkmer said he also has asked the Arizona auditor general to review Pinal County's asset-forfeiture records to determine if monies were properly used. In public, Lamb commands attention. The groups website lists seven additional sheriffs at least five of whom have been accused of some form of misconduct as advisory committee members. He also argues the mob that overtook the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 was more heavily policed than the Black Lives Matter movement. KJZZ is a service of Rio Salado College, and Maricopa Community Colleges Records showBabeu spent more than $53,000 to send 25 people to a weeklong conference in St. Louisat which he received a national award. Get the latest updates in news, food, music and culture, and receive special offers direct to your inbox. The lawsuit accused Babeu and Voyles of exploiting Arizona's forfeiture laws, which provide little to no oversight on spending, plaintiff's attorneys said. Ariz. sheriff says he's gay after misconduct claims But Jose Orozco refused. [1] In 1992, Babeu was elected to a four-year term as a Berkshire County, Massachusetts, commissioner. We'll be in touch if we look into your question. Doug Barrett for POLITICO. Paul Babeu says "drugs and stuff like that." Note: The following comments begin 1:00 into the clip. The Show highlights the creative builders, makers and designers that are sharing their talents with Arizonans. 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. Sheriff Paul Babeu is a decorated lawman, Iraq war veteran, and a corruption fighter. In July, the American Civil Liberties Union and international law firm Perkins Coie jointly filed a lawsuitagainst the Pinal County Sheriffs Office and the Pinal County Attorneys Office. Lamb is a frequent talking head on Fox News and Newsmax, where he derides President Joe Bidens and Vice President Kamala Harris handling of immigration, and he has spoken at political events like a Turning Point Action summit a few months ago in Phoenix, where he quoted Shakespeare and Thomas Paine (Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered) and promised, The sheriffs are going to hold the line., Sheriff Mark Lamb has jurisdiction over Pinal County, a stretch of desert wedged between Phoenix and Tucson thats home to about 500,000 people. The trailer for the new network features lots of shots of Lamb, his profile against a desert sunset as the camera pans slowly over the shadows of cacti. 6:00AM. Phoenix's independent source of E.g. Make a one-time donation today for as little as $1. The foundation used RICO funds from Pinal County to help support Sheriff's Office activities and functions. Phoenix's independent source of Pinal County Sheriffs Office Director of Administration Tim Gaffney sent ABC15 a written statement denying that there is any open investigation into their office. . Paul Raymond Babeu (pronounced BAB-you; [1] born February 3, 1969) is an American law enforcement officer, politician and member of the Republican Party who was sheriff of Pinal County, Arizona, from January 1, 2009, to January 1, 2017. Make a one-time donation today for as little as $1. independent local journalism in Phoenix. 6:31PM. Contact. In 2001, Babeu ran for a rematch against Barrett, but lost again. It could be the Justin cowboy hat he wears pulled low over his eyes and his penchant for Western shirts and a tactical vest in lieu of a uniform. 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. [21] After an Arizona Republic newspaper report, the Defense Logistics Agency directed Babeu "to retrieve vehicles and other equipment his office distributed to non-police organizations".[22]. Career as Pinal County Sheriff and runs for higher office, 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Arizona District 4, 2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Arizona District 1, "Sheriff-elect Babeu won't finish year with Chandler police", "Babeu says he was victim of priest abuse", "Arizona sheriff Paul Babeu, originally from Western Mass., resigns from Mitt Romney's Arizona campaign after misconduct allegations by former lover", The Republican (Springfield, Massachusetts), "MA State Senate Berkshire, Hampden, Hampshire & Franklin Race", "It's official: Barrett and Babeu will square off again in race for mayor of North Adams", "Babeu kicks off his campaign with event at the Holiday Inn", "Legal trouble dogged Mass. But on Nov. 12, he appeared on One American News Network and said the enthusiasm he saw for Trump in Arizona does not compute with the election results. [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. 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. . The new FBI interviews are the latest issue to hit Babeu as he attempts a second run for Congress. Babeu's and Voyles use of RICO funds has been questioned for years in lawsuits and investigations. (There is not, according to multiple courts; an audit in Arizona also reaffirmed Bidens victory there.) 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. In a written statement, he wrote "The investigation determined that Babeu did not commit any criminal violations and further concluded that, although Orozco conducted himself in a manner that may constitute a violation of the law, there was no reasonable likelihood of conviction on anything more than a misdemeanor charge. The Anti-Defamation League recently released a report calling CSPOA an anti-government extremist group and citing public appearances Mack has made with white supremacist individuals or groups. The message: Sheriffs are here to protect your freedom including freedom from your own democratically elected government. Out of five Pinal County supervisors, only one, Serdy, a Republican, would comment on the record about Lamb, telling me over the phone, As long as the job is being done, then we support [his other work]. Lamb argues his outside activities help him bring in new recruits. 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. The article also has been updated to remove information about the immigration status of the man who made the allegations. Babeu said that after the two had broken up, Jose committed crimes against him, including posting defamatory information online under Babeu's name. When reached Tuesday, a spokesman declined to comment. Senate. Senator John McCain, who called Babeu his friend. They are watching a movie . It will also create "a 'forever' atmosphere of constant nagging-fear, constant tension, and constant stress, worrying if today is the day Paul terminates me," he writes. DeRose said gossip about Babeu would focus attention on Orozco, attention that could result in his deportation, Orozco says. 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.". With an action figure-style charisma and a growing media platform, Lamb sees it as his mission to educate the American public about the role of the sheriff, which he described to me as to protect people from the bad guys, and I always say the sheriff is also there to protect the people from government overreach. As much as he glorifies law enforcement, though, Lamb is selective about which laws he chooses to enforce. 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. has expressed sympathy for the Jan. 6 rioters, spoke at a recent anti-vaccine rally in Phoenix, along with an estimated 138 currently serving sheriffs, unabashed member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, defeated Babeus anointed successor in the primary, promised he would focus on building relationships within the county, has appeared with the Federation for American Immigration Reform, 650 employees and a $39 million annual budget, with a stated mission of educating Americans, The Arizona Republic investigated his charity, The state ethics committee investigated Lamb, A local newspaper also accused him of having an affair, a design sold by the right-wing shock jocks the Hodgetwins. Thank you for your inquiry, as you know we cannot confirm or deny the existence of investigations, said FBI Special Agent Matthew Reinsmoen. See also: Babeu Turns Distortion of Truth Into an Art Form You can actually effect change as the sheriff, he says. 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. [24], A spokesman for Babeu denied the allegations and described them as "sensationalist". . | Im already hurt me . 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. 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. Make a one-time donation today for as little as $1. 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. 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. 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."
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