Cold Case Posse disbanded

Following a statement of his strong commitment to the posse system, the new sheriff of Maricopa County, Arizona, Paul Penzone, said in a news conference that he will identify those that do not meet the mission of the organization, and in particular the “Cold Case Posse is  disbanded.” Penzone indicated that the member(s) of that group will be notified.

I don’t think politically motivated sham investigations outside of its jurisdiction should be the mission of anything associated with law enforcement. Good riddance to bad rubbish.

Questions have surrounded the CCP since it became involved in Arpaio’s birth certificate investigation, particularly regarding financial oversight. The Posse is a 501(c)(3) but it reports its activities to no one, not the IRS and not the Sheriff’s Office. How much was spent on con men and junkets has not been accounted for publicly. One news report mentioned a $40,000 number attributed to the Sheriff’s Office, and $10,000 came out in an email disclosed during the Melendres case. Those came before Zullo’s relationship with the Italian forensic laboratory. In an official filing, the CCP stated:

Maricopa County Arizona is definitely a governmental unit and since we are it affiliates again that requirement of filing said form does not apply to us.

However, when I contacted the Sheriff’s Office to obtain the oversight records, they said:

The Sheriff’s Office is in no way involved in the day to day financial dealings of any posse that works under the authority of the Sheriff. … They conduct their own fundraising and handle their own financial matters completely separate from the Sheriff’s Office.

Thanks, Paul, for a nice going-away present. I wish you and the people of Maricopa County the best going forward.

The Cold Case Posse as a corporation apart from the Sheriff’s Office still exists as long as they continue to file the paperwork with the State of Arizona. Their web site shut down some time before November 15 last year, but the MCSOCCP.org domain was inexplicably renewed until December 9, 2017. [Update: Renewed through 12/9/2018] [Update: currently set to expire Feb 24, 2019.] [Update: Expired]

H/t to CarlOrcas.

About Dr. Conspiracy

I'm not a real doctor, but I have a master's degree.
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27 Responses to Cold Case Posse disbanded

  1. I thought Penzone was sending a message when he said they were sending formal notifications to the Cold Case Posse members that they no longer represented the department in any way.

    64 months and nothing. What a failure in the best Birther tradition.

  2. And, I’m still the forger.

  3. Great minds think alike Doc.

    Case Closed on Cold Case Posse

  4. Of course you are Nancy.

    Nancy Owens, The Obama Forger:
    And, I’m still the forger.

  5. It didn’t play out for Volin like the Monica Lewinsky investigation did. Why don’t ya’ll tell the truth for a change.

    Reality Check:
    Of course you are Nancy.

  6. alg says:

    It may be time now for someone to file a public records request with the MCSO for documents related to the birth certificate “investigation” that they may have in their possession. Perhaps if we’re lucky there’s a copy of the Reed Hayes report to be found in their leftover files. If they somehow do have a copy – perhaps Zullo gave a copy to Arpaio – it is technically a disclosable public record. And, since there is no longer any birth certificate “investigation” there is no cause for the MCSO not to provide a copy upon request.

  7. I tried that once with the CCP financial records, and got an official reply that the CCP operated independently. I really doubt that Zullo was careless enough to leave behind evidence available to the public.

    alg: It may be time now for someone to file a public records request with the MCSO for documents related to the birth certificate “investigation” that they may have in their possession.

  8. alg says:

    Dr. Conspiracy:
    I tried that once with the CCP financial records, and got an official reply that the CCP operated independently. I really doubt that Zullo was careless enough to leave behind evidence available to the public.

    That may well be. But it surprises me that the MCSO would haven’t any associated records in their possession. Any and all of the communications and materials that were passed through the MCSO offices from the CCP, including those for the preparation and use at the several “press conferences” would all be disclosable public records that MCSO would have held a legal obligation to retain and make available upon public request. The MCSO may not have ever been given copies of the CCP financial records, but it is inconceivable to me that Arpaio and Zullo’s handlers at MCSO would not have received some birth certificate “investigation” documentation from the CCP. It’s hard for me to believe that Zullo would have been that smart and calculating, without getting some very special and particular advice in order to keep at least some of this stuff from landing in MCSO’s hands.

    Very curious.

  9. Andrew Vrba, PmG says:

    Birthers get two bitchslaps today: The CCP is dead, and Obama completed his second term.

  10. Don’t forget that Trump had to disavow Birtherism to eke out a narrow win.

    Andrew Vrba, PmG:
    Birthers get two bitchslaps today: The CCP is dead, and Obama completed his second term.

  11. He never disavowed birtherism. If I recall correctly, he said Obama was born in America. The birth certificates are still fake.

    Reality Check:
    Don’t forget that Trump had to disavow Birtherism to eke out a narrow win.

  12. Joey says:

    Nancy Owens, The Obama Forger:
    He never disavowed birtherism. If I recall correctly, he said Obama was born in America. The birth certificates are still fake.

    You’re forgetting the rest of Trump’s statement: “Hillary Clinton started the birther movement, I FINISHED it.”

  13. bob says:

    The posse being disbanded didn’t stop Gallups from doing his circa 2012 routine on Freedom Friday today, “Very, very important people” “have” “the investigation materials.”

    Obama no longer being the president has not stopped the “any day now” mantra.

  14. Hmpf. I didn’t get a copy. I’m going to wait a while and ask my Congressman if he got a copy.

    bob: “Very, very important people” “have” “the investigation materials.”

  15. Andrew Vrba, PmG says:

    How is the Birther movement different than a bowel movement? They’re both BMs, but the latter actually accomplishes something!

  16. Curious George says:

    alg:

    “…but it is inconceivable to me that Arpaio and Zullo’s handlers at MCSO would not have received some birth certificate “investigation” documentation from the CCP.”

    If there was no real “investigation” there would be no documentation associated with the “investigation” for Zullo’s handlers at the MCSO to receive. According to one media source, there wasn’t even an official case number assigned by the MCSO to the so called birth certificate investigation, which gives even more credence to the fact that there was no real investigation.

  17. bob says:

    If anything, I think Arpaio was familiar enough with open-records laws to use Zullo as a human private server. That is, Zullo could orally brief Arpaio, but Zullo could retain the documents far away from prying eyes.

  18. There really was quite a bit of “documentation.” I think most of it is printed web pages. There is even a photograph:

    http://www.obamaconspiracy.org/2016/03/zullo-finally-shows-his-evidence/

    Curious George: If there was no real “investigation” there would be no documentation associated with the “investigation” for Zullo’s handlers

  19. Curious George says:

    Dr. Conspiracy:
    There really was quite a bit of “documentation.” I think most of it is printed web pages. There is even a photograph:

    http://www.obamaconspiracy.org/2016/03/zullo-finally-shows-his-evidence/

    But no “real” documentation related to an MCSO case number.

  20. I had not seen that version. Thanks, it is a hoot! I added it to the Bookmarks page.

    Curious George: A classic from the past…

  21. Curious George says:

    Dr. Conspiracy:
    I had not seen that version. Thanks, it is a hoot! I added it to the Bookmarks page.

    I hadn’t seen this You-Tube until today. It’s really well done.

  22. Pete says:

    Andrew Vrba, PmG: How is the Birther movement different than a bowel movement? They’re both BMs, but the latter actually accomplishes something!

    I fail to see the difference.

    They both produced the same thing.

  23. Andrew Vrba, PmG says:

    Pete: I fail to see the difference.

    They both produced the same thing.

    Yeah, but the latter actually produced a tangible result.

  24. Pete says:

    Rereading a bit of this, the Cold Case Posse organization should be investigated by the state for failing to meet the legal requirements of such an organization.

    Personally, I’d love to see their financial records.

  25. Do you think that will ever happen?

    Pete:
    Rereading a bit of this, the Cold Case Posse organization should be investigated by the state for failing to meet the legal requirements of such an organization.

    Personally, I’d love to see their financial records.

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