Sheriff Paul Babeu: Arizona border hawk, rising conservative star Lamb said he wants to release RICO funds quarterlyand that he will require recipients to submit a breakdown of expenses, which will be reviewed by a committee before a request is approved. Lambs first law enforcement job was with the Salt River Police Department in neighboring Maricopa County beginning in 2006. Burghart says the distinction between the two groups might be more about style that Protect America Now is taking a slicker, more palatable approach, with a much better sense of PR than Mack and his crowd.. The source: Babeu's sister Lucy. "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. Instead, his pro-sheriff messaging with media savvy and Trump-y politics thrown in the mix seems designed for a wider audience. 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." The Cognitive Dissonance of Being Gay and Republican: Paul Babeu Speaks But Jose Orozco refused. 2023 www.azcentral.com. President Donald Trump, center, with Vice President Mike Pence, right, speaks during a meeting with sheriffs from around the country before leaving the White House for a trip to El Paso, Texas, in 2019. If hes re-elected as sheriff, Babeu says he plans to continue to battle drug trafficking in the county. 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. (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. 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. 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. FBI agents conducted an informal search of the Pinal County Sheriff's Office in March, taking items related to Babeu and his administration. The subpoena comes on the heels of an FBI probe of Babeu and former Pinal County Attorney Lando Voyles and whether they inappropriately used profits from seized property for personal and professional expenses. Grand jury investigates Paul Babeu's use of RICO funds as Pinal County The sheriff didn't dispute the authenticity of any text messages or photos appearing with this article.). The spokesman confirmed that Babeu would continue to run for U.S. The Arizona Republic investigated his charity, which aims to bridge the gap between law enforcement and communities, and found the group had misreported $18,000 in spending in fact, the charity didnt report any spending in 2018. [27], Babeu dropped his congressional bid on May 11, 2012; instead he sought re-election as sheriff. Reveles hoped Lamb would not turn out to be another Arpaio or Babeu. Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu today ended his bid for Congress. Arizona's forfeiture laws direct proceeds into the coffers of the prosecutors and law-enforcement agencies involved in seizing the items. More recently, he was a consultant on Kanye Wests quixotic 2020 presidential campaign. Lambs advocacy follows in the tradition of constitutional sheriffs, who for decades have propagated the idea refuted by constitutional experts that sheriffs are the supreme legal authority in America, above even the president and the Supreme Court, and that they can choose not to enforce any law they consider unconstitutional. (In response to the incident, Texas passed a state law that forbids law enforcement agencies from partnering with reality television shows.) | Karns, however, would have faced a nearly $15,000 pay cut. When reached Tuesday, a spokesman declined to comment. Republican Sheriff Paul Babeu, Outed as Gay by Ex-Lover, Running Again All rights reserved. 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. This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions. [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]. Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu denied claims he tried to threaten the man, a Mexican immigrant and a former campaign volunteer, with deportation if their past relationship was made public. 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. "[10] Babeu was not named in any allegation during the investigation by the state. 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. ", Antonio Bustamante, a criminal defense attorney and immigration activist, tells New Times that if the allegations against Babeu are true, "To use a position of authority. 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. 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. Babeu was born on February 3, 1969, in North Adams, Massachusetts, to Raymond and Helen Babeu. Babeu could not be reached for comment on Wednesday. During a July interview at a local caf here decked out in Old West paraphernalia, passersby interrupted to clasp hands heartily with him and chat. Contact. Lamb supported the stop the steal campaign in Arizona and has expressed sympathy for the Jan. 6 rioters. Paul Babeu's Mexican Ex-Lover Says Sheriff's Attorney Threatened Him Earlier in March, Gaffney also barred this reporter from entering a press conference held by Sheriff Babeu in a public building. According to sources with knowledge of the interviews, agents have asked about Sheriff Babeus use of a non-profit foundation run by some PCSO employees that received hundreds of thousands of dollars in funds that come from this seized criminal money. Babeu campaigned for the office of Pinal County Sheriff in 2008 and defeated Democratic incumbent Chris Vasquez, 54% to 46%. 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. In 2001, Babeu ran for a rematch against Barrett, but lost again. Shutterstock. Babeu camp attacks sister over new allegations (updated) 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. See also: Babeu Sticks It to Taxpayers and a Volunteer Rescue Team. Get the latest updates in news, food, music and culture, and receive special offers direct to your inbox. Babeu served as the Police Association president for the Chandler Police Department and on the board of directors for the Arizona Police Association.[5]. A group of kids gathered around Lambs truck for sheriff-branded stickers. Get the latest updates in news, food, music and culture, and receive special offers direct to your inbox. | AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta. Paul Babeu was the tenth of eleven children born into the family. Senator John McCain and U.S. 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. The decision comes months after state auditors found Babeu and Voyles mismanaged more than $2 million in so-called racketeering, or RICO,funds. Perhaps Paul Babeu, the Arizona sheriff and former Romney campaign manager, should spend more time studying the Republican Party's approach to gay rights. this is no good. Paul Babeu, Martha McSally struggle to respond to Donald Trump fallout Babeu was tapping RICO funds to pay for Sheriff's Office travel as early as 2011. Another $63,772 distributed from the foundation went to public service announcements for both offices. Time on the screen says 5:02 p.m. . 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. He was defeated in the general election by Democrat Tom O'Halleran. . 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." Arizona police seized $200 million in personal property, but where did the money go? ", (After this story was published online February 17, Babeu and DeRose denied Orozco and his lawyer's threat-of-deportation allegations, and under pressure the sheriff came out as a gay man and admitted that he'd had an affair with Orozco. | He says lawyer Chris DeRose demanded he sign an agreement that he would never breathe a word about the affair. Babeu was born on February 3, 1969, in North Adams, Massachusetts, to Raymond and Helen Babeu. private school led by Babeu", "Massachusetts Office of Child Care Services vs DeSisto School Inc and A. Michael Desisto", "Documents: Babeu ran private boarding school with history of physical abuse", "Pinal County 2008 General Election Results", "Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu Elected to Second Term as President of Arizona Sheriff's Association", "Paul Babeu named 2011 Sheriff of the Year", "Senators McCain and Kyl Announce Border Security Plan", "Joe Arpaio aide investigation finished by Babeu", "Pinal Sheriff's Office stockpiles, prepares to sell military equipment", "Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission", "Paul Babeu's Mexican Ex-Lover Says Sheriff's Attorney Threatened Him With Deportation (, "Babeu bombshell: Gay relationship & deportation threats, report says", "Arizona Sheriff Paul Babeu Angrily Denies Ex-Boyfriend's Accusations", "Will recent allegations damage Babeu's political future? Phoenix's independent source of The lawsuit accused Babeu and Voyles of exploiting Arizona's forfeiture laws, which provide little to no oversight on spending, plaintiff's attorneys said. independent local journalism in Phoenix. CLARIFICATION: This article has been updated to include the results of an into allegations made against Sheriff Paul Babeu. They just happen to support President Trump a lot. Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board, for TV commercials featuring that damning home video. independent local journalism in Phoenix. E.g. But in a solidly conservative part of Arizona, Lamb so far has had plenty of leeway for more and more activities outside the county. While Lamb has gotten more and more scrutiny in Arizona, he has mostly brushed it off. A Fitting Finish to Paul Babeu's No Good, Very Bad Year Any money left over must be returned. The groups website lists seven additional sheriffs at least five of whom have been accused of some form of misconduct as advisory committee members. Babeu heads a department of 700 and has worked to cut the budget, reorganize leadership, and reduce the response time from his department. ", The following day, on September 7, De-Rose sent an e-mail directly to Orozco ordering him to "cease and desist. 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.. See also: Babeu's Suspicious Past as School's Headmaster "We never found proof of criminal activity," he said. 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. Sheriff Paul Babeu is a decorated lawman, Iraq war veteran, and a corruption fighter. [20], In 2011 and 2012, the Pinal County Sheriff's Office collected $7 million worth of surplus military equipment. [1] In 1992, Babeu was elected to a four-year term as a Berkshire County, Massachusetts, commissioner. Babeu ran for Arizona's 4th congressional district in the 2012 elections to the United States House of Representatives but withdrew and came out as gay after a personal controversy. "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. Make a one-time donation today for as little as $1. He started his service as a private and rose through the ranks to major in the Arizona Army National Guard. His own sisters told people not to vote for him. Now he's a GOP Two weeks before, in mid-June, the temperature was a newsworthy 110-plus degrees. | Babeu made that announcement after reports surfaced that he had tried to have a former boyfriend deported. It would be an inappropriate use of already-limited resources to prosecute Orozco for a misdemeanor. 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. The FBI is asking new questions about Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu and his office's use of seized criminal money. 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.. 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. Paul Babeu, Lando Voyles seek apology, retraction from new Pinal County [13] He was the first Republican sheriff elected in the history of the county (founded in 1875). I dont think that Black Lives Matter is productive for the Blacks, Lamb also told me. He says he once wrote a comment on Chino Valley eNews (on which Babeu had an account), where gay men arrange sexual liaisons. Paul Babeu, Outed GOP Candidate, On Same-Sex Marriage: 'You Can't 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. "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. See also: Babeu's Mexican Ex-Lover Says Sheriff's Attorney Threatened Him With Deportation 6:31PM. 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. Wont work. [16] Babeu led the third largest sheriff's office in Arizona with 700 full-time employees. The status of both federal investigations was unknown. 4:00AM. They seemed unsurprised to see their sheriff talking to a reporter and flashing his TV-ready smile. The audit highlighted 31 awards, totaling $683,406 that went to the Arizona Public Safety Foundation. 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.
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