At least the polls weren’t wrong on this one. Democrat Paul Penzone defeated incumbent Sheriff Joe Arpaio handily in Tuesday’s election with 55.2% of the vote. Penzone takes office in January.
The embattled sheriff Arpaio faces criminal contempt of court charges in the Melendres lawsuit, including possible jail time. Should he be convicted I think this election result may simplify sentencing of the 84-year-old Arpaio.
Good luck to Penzone in leading the Maricopa County Sheriff’s office to protect the entire community and cleaning up the office’s internal affairs processes.
What an amazing win for Penzone. The birth certificate investigation will be closed down quicker than you can say, Paul Penzone. The Kommandant and the Special Deputy, Carl Gallups will be doing a quick press conference to announce that they’ve run into another legal hurdle and they’ve stumbled. Their conference will consist of two words, “Never mind.”
Shurf Joe just lost his plea bargain ace in the hole.
At this point it makes no sense for Arpaio/Zullo to not release the universe shattering information before the new sheriff is sworn-in. After that wouldn’t it belong to the Sheriff’s office? Sheriff Penzone could bury so it would never see the light of day.
And if Joe doesn’t Penzone should release all of it.
That’s what I’m hoping will happen.
My guess is that by January all of it will have disappeared.
I’m sure that there are birthers who believe that President Trump (and it hurt to tupe that) will order an investigation, but that’s not going to happen. Trump got what it wanted out of being a birther and there is nothing more for him to gain from it.
Gallups just posted this to Facebook:
I’m guessing that “fire Zullo” isn’t at the very top of Penzone’s to-do list, but it is on the list.
Not that Gallups or Zullo cares but isn’t there a five year federal statute of limitations?
To first state the obvious, as no crime has been committed, there’s no need to worry about statute of limitations. Having said that, Zullo (and Gallups) believe the statute has not even started because the PDF is still displayed on the White House’s site.
one birther out of office and another one in the White House. Sour victory
LOL
So did someone go develop those mondale photos?
Soon. It’s clear across town. And, it’s only one photo.
Silly thought: when a citizen sues the head of a government department or someone like a state governor in relation to their office’s actions, the named defendant will be switched if a new person occupies the post while the case is active.
Imagine Sheriff Penzone’s dismay if he were told by a federal judge: “the Sheriff of Maricopa County has been found guilty of criminal contempt; you are now the Sheriff, pack your bags, you are going to prison”!
OK, OK, IANAL but I know that it doesn’t and can’t work like that for criminal charges against an individual. But the thought amused me!
Is it possible that with the new administration being much more friendly with Joe Arpaio, that charges might be dropped?
I was amazed with the way the rest of the country was apparently voting and the polls were so inaccurate that Arpaio lost as badly as he did. I think this can only be explained by the damage done to him by the Melendres case. The case exposed what a racist bumbling old fool Arapio is. To his enemies it confirmed the worst opinions that they had held about him. I think it made him look weak to his supporters.
I don’t for a minute buy the claims that Judge Snow was biased or out to get Arpaio out of office However, the effect of him doing his job as an impartial and competent judge was exactly that. .
You raise an important point: The new sheriff is still accountable to the court. The case (or the problems in the department) won’t suddenly disappear in January. Arpaio will remain in the case to receive his just desserts, but the new sheriff has lots of work to do.
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The shorter answer is no: If the new administration does not want to prosecute, the judge will appoint a special prosecutor.
Joe Arpaio was convicted, but prior to sentencing he was the beneficiary of President Trump’s first pardon.