Super Fans, Mascot Mania, and All-Stars: Suns and Nuggets Get Ready to Rumble, Fight Night: How Phoenix Became a Hotbed for Mixed Martial Arts Champions, New Attainable Not Necessarily Affordable Housing Coming to Downtown Phoenix, Katie Hobbs Gets Singed After Unwrapping Tamale-tastrophe, I Love the Rivalry: Fans Soak Up U.S.-Mexico Soccer Showdown in the Valley. | Questions about the foundation also were raised in a 2015 federal lawsuitby attorneys from Perkins Coie and the American Civil Liberties Union. Join the New Times community and help support ", (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. Thank you for your inquiry, as you know we cannot confirm or deny the existence of investigations, said FBI Special Agent Matthew Reinsmoen. Lamb is at far right. Lamb was a fixture on the show, as well as a host of a spinoff, Live PD: Wanted, which focused on catching fugitives. "[30], Babeu ran for Arizona's 1st congressional district in the 2016 elections. The FBI is asking new questions about Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu and his offices use of seized criminal money. 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. Charismatic and ambitious, Mark Lamb embodies a new kind of Trump-era lawman. Former sheriffs Joe Arpaio and David Clarke, along with an estimated 138 currently serving sheriffs, are self-declared adherents of the philosophy, which evolved out of the white nationalist, anti-Semitic movement known as posse comitatus, meaning the power of the county. Lamb, although he spoke at a convention for constitutional sheriffs last year and says he appreciate[s] those guys standing up for the rule of law, the Constitution and freedom, doesnt call himself a constitutional sheriff. 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. Better get an attorney. A three-member committee made up of a detention officer, a sheriff's sergeant and a civilian review all requests for RICO funds. Lamb said a recent major request involved $50,000 to pay for computer equipment that will allow investigators to download large amounts of data from cell phones, laptops and other electronic devices without inhibiting use. Personal website. But his interpretation of the phrase generally implies opposition to whatever rules or laws he deems overly intrusive. Orozco says he complied but that Babeu and his attorney also wanted Orozco to sign a document that would bind him legally to keep silent about the relationship. LAMBERT: Babeus exit from the primary leaves Lake Havasu Republican Senator Ron Gould and 1st District Congressman Paul Gosar to fight it out for the GOP nomination. Earlier in March, Gaffney also barred this reporter from entering a press conference held by Sheriff Babeu in a public building. Doug Barrett for POLITICO. . Pinal County Sheriffs Office spokeswoman Navideh Forghani said Friday that the sheriff already has complied with the demand and has turned over the records. He led Barrett by just 145 votes. [31] On August 30, 2016, Babeu was declared the winner of the Republican primary. The state ethics committee investigated Lamb for intervening to stop the seizure of a Republican lobbyists land, for which the lobbyist was behind on paying property taxes, but the investigation was dropped after accusations of impartiality. Before its cancellation, Live PD was immensely popular, capturing more viewers than any other cable program on Friday and Saturday nights. The sheriff denies funding was a problem, saying he raised more money in his 4th District congressional bid than either of his opponents. 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. Sheriff Paul Babeu is the Sheriff of Pinal County in Arizona. Doug Barrett for POLITICO. . The man's allegations were first published Friday in the Phoenix New Times, an alternative weekly magazine. Senator Jon Kyl draft their "10-Point Border Security Plan". ", Babeu: "You have crossed the line. Senate. this is no good. 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. 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. In 2001, Babeu ran for a rematch against Barrett, but lost again. RICO seizures and spending by the Pinal County Sheriffs Office and County Attorneys office have been heavily criticized by several watchdog groups during the past year. Melissa Weiss-Riner, Orozco's attorney, confirms her client's account. Lavigne. Florence is the county seat. Senator John McCain, who called Babeu his friend. Stephen is a former staff writer and columnist at, Become a member to support the independent voice of Phoenix local news and culture. Babeu said that after the two had broken up, Jose committed crimes against him, including posting defamatory information online under Babeu's name. 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. As KJZZ's Dennis Lambert reports from Phoenix, Babeu will run for re-election as sheriff instead. Paul: No. Weve come to the range because shooting is Lambs favorite pastime. The FBI is asking new questions about Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu and his office's use of seized criminal money. Records showBabeu spent more than $53,000 to send 25 people to a weeklong conference in St. Louisat which he received a national award. PAUL BABEU: We were notified just recently that he had to make a decision today either to resign from chief deputy, to run, or to pull out of the race, today. 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 . Ultimately, many residents of Pinal County, which voted 58 percent for Trump in 2020, align politically with Lamb. Please dont. 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. The district's incumbent representative, Democrat Ann Kirkpatrick, did not seek re-election as she instead ran for the U.S. . On his person, Lamb has a 9mm Glock pistol, plus a long knife, a taser, handcuffs and extra ammunition. Orozco shared text messages between him and Babeu with New Times. "We never found proof of criminal activity," he said. By 2016, he had moved to Pinal County and decided to seek the sheriffs job, running as a Republican and, in his words, a constitutional conservative; he made a point of opposing abortion rights in his campaign, but he ran without the same cowboy image he has today. Explaining their use of RICO funds, Gaffney also said, Any request for RICO Funding by our office as you are aware has to be submitted in writing to either the County Attorneys Office if it is State RICO Funds.. [32] O'Halleran defeated Babeu, receiving 51% of the vote to Babeu's 44%. If you're the victim of fraud, waste or abuse, reach him at robert.anglen@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8694. Under Babeu and Voyles, Pinal County became the poster child for abuse of RICO funds, prompting lawsuits and legislative reforms. | Join the New Times community and help support Babeu pulled out of the 2012 race in the middle of the debacle and set his sights lower, vying for - and winning - re-election as sheriff. "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. That morning I came home, and I told my wife I was gonna be a cop, he concluded. 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." He was defeated in the general election by Democrat Tom O'Halleran. . It would be an inappropriate use of already-limited resources to prosecute Orozco for a misdemeanor. [7], In 1997, he ran for mayor of North Adams against incumbent Democrat John Barrett III. All rights reserved. In late January, ABC15 exposed a damning home video showing Babeu praising the abusive and inhumane treatment of special needs children at a boarding school he used to run. Doug Barrett for POLITICO. (According to Vale, however, Lamb has not officially endorsed Lake or any other candidate in the race.). Another man walking by said, The sheriff is a good dude. Everyone gathered for a picture, just one more. 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. See also: Babeu's Mexican Ex-Lover Says Sheriff's Attorney Threatened Him With Deportation Lambs first law enforcement job was with the Salt River Police Department in neighboring Maricopa County beginning in 2006. There were middle-aged women with salon-styled hair hoping to take their picture with him. 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. 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. Arizona police seized $200 million in personal property, but where did the money go? In public, Lamb commands attention. 4:00AM. Babeu isa Republican who made border security a top issue in his two losing attempts to win a seat in Congress. Building off his social media popularity he has more than 300,000 Facebook followers, high for a sheriff and his desire to elevate law enforcement, this past May he announced the launch of the American Sheriff Network, which for $4.99 month allows viewers to watch 10- to 20-minute segments showing sheriffs and their deputies as they respond to calls for service a mix of sheriff propaganda and reality television. Babeau said he intended to balance the department's budget by auctioning the equipment. Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu's campaign launched a counterattack late Monday on a key source for a story broadcast Sunday by a Phoenix TV station. Another patron of the diner walked by. ", She adds that federal immigration-enforcement agents have better things to do than "take care of Babeu's boyfriends. He was Pinal County's first Republican sheriff. 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. 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. Arizona's forfeiture laws direct proceeds into the coffers of the prosecutors and law-enforcement agencies involved in seizing the items. ", A couple of minutes later, Babeu followed with: "And you say you have loved me? [20], In 2011 and 2012, the Pinal County Sheriff's Office collected $7 million worth of surplus military equipment. This 6-month-long detailed search led to the termination of Arpaio's top two deputies. See additional photos from text-messages between Sheriff Babeu and his ex-lover. | As we left the gun range during my visit to Pinal County and stopped by a gas station to hydrate, we again ran into more fans of Lambs. All of Lambs activities outside Pinal County raise the question of whether he is making money off this work. Pinal County Supervisor Jeff Serdy, who owns what he describes as a very high-volume gun shop in the area, told me, You could not ask for a better advocate for the Second Amendment than Sheriff Lamb. The back of Lambs black Chevy Silverado 2500 HD contains his workaday weaponry, including an AR-15 SBR. and help keep the future of New Times, Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our, Babeu's Mexican Ex-Lover Says Sheriff's Attorney Threatened Him With Deportation, Babeu's Suspicious Past as School's Headmaster, Babeu Turns Distortion of Truth Into an Art Form, Babeu Sticks It to Taxpayers and a Volunteer Rescue Team. Republican Mark Lamb succeeded Babeu as sheriff.[34][35]. Lamb fires his service pistol, a Glock 34. The Goldwater Institute, a conservative watchdog group, raised concerns about the foundationin 2017 and sought records to determine if Babeu was using it to bypass campaign-finance laws and promote his 2016 congressional campaign. Voyles said any suggestion that he and Babeu did something unethical or illegal is unfounded.. Make a one-time donation today for as little as $1. How a city councilman from New England became a darling of Republicans nationwide. Yet he styles himself as the American Sheriff a moniker around which he has spent the past several years trying to build a national brand as a fervent defender of law enforcement. This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions. The terms were not disclosed. independent local journalism in Phoenix. (FAIR has dismissed the characterization, calling the SPLC a partisan attack dog.) Earlier this summer, Lamb gathered some two dozen other sheriffs for a Protect America Now rally along the border in Arizona, where he declared, We are standing up for the Constitution, our oath and the rights of the people.. They contended the foundation operated as a pass-through for funds for Babeu and Voyles. Congress. 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. Both could face federal criminal charges. When I asked Vale whether Lamb made a salary from the American Sheriff Network, he said Lamb was a partner of a Virginia LLC that produces the content but declined to give any other details. Babeu was tapping RICO funds to pay for Sheriff's Office travel as early as 2011. 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. (State records show, and Vale confirmed, that Lambs 2020 campaign provided a $10,000 loan to the group in August of last year.) 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. It was the month after the insurrection, with Joe Biden in the White House and Democrats in the majority in Congress, that Lamb announced the launch of Protect America Now, his new coalition of currently serving sheriffs Lamb calls them patriots with a stated mission of educating Americans about how our Sheriffs and the law enforcement community are standing for our Constitution and law and order. Its mostly a messaging operation: The group runs ads and has written letters to the Biden administration. They contended the foundation operated as a pass-through for funds for Babeu and Voyles. Attorneys for Babeu, Voyles and his former chief of staff, Dwight Fujimoto, accused Volkmer of making false claims. We dont go to a shooting range as much as an open, sandy field that Lamb says belongs to a friend of his. Get the latest updates in news, food, music and culture, and receive special offers direct to your inbox. The Show highlights the creative builders, makers and designers that are sharing their talents with Arizonans. The sheriff at the time, Paul Babeu, had faced a series of scandals, including an affair with a man who alleged Babeu had threatened to deport him if he exposed their relationship. If you didn't know better, you might think Babeu is still sheriff, based on his website. The new FBI interviews are the latest issue to hit Babeu as he attempts a second run for 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". Paul Babeu was the tenth of eleven children born into the family. Time on the screen says 5:02 p.m. . Babeu had previously deniedany knowledge or awareness of the abuse. 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. [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. When their relationship soured, Orozco claimed Babeu had threatened to have him deported unless he signed a contract swearing him to secrecy. No, no. Outside his day job in Pinal County, Lamb, shown here at a cafe in Florence, Ariz., is involved with a new nonprofit coalition of sheriffs and a streaming network highlighting the work sheriffs do as they respond to calls for service. KJZZ is a service of Rio Salado College, and Maricopa Community Colleges See also: Babeu Sticks It to Taxpayers and a Volunteer Rescue Team. 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. (There is not, according to multiple courts; an audit in Arizona also reaffirmed Bidens victory there.) . In cases where money is distributed in advance, recipients must show it was used for the specific request. Congressman and have endorsed one of his rivals for the GOP primary in Arizona's First. [1][6], Babeu served as headmaster and later as executive director the DeSisto School in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, a school for troubled youths, from 1999 to 2001. Its not clear if the FBI has opened an official case. [1] Babeu has spoken of being molested for several years as a child by at least two Catholic priests, including Richard R. Forfeiture laws, in general, created a multimillion-dollar "slush fund available to (law enforcement) with little or no oversight," the lawsuit said. 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. He faced Democrat Tom O'Halleran in the general election. The former U.S. serviceman turned law enforcement officer, who by all accounts has lived an exemplary life, has a blaringly obvious blindside. Photos by Doug Barrett/@400northcreative for Politico Magazine. For example, nearly $88,000 went to programs designed to boost morale or provide recreation for the Sheriff's Office such as golf outings or tickets to sporting events and banquets. ", DeRose wrote: "If you are serious about an amicable resolution to this, it is critical that no further offensive actions against my client be taken in the meantime. 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. 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.. 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. February 2, 2017 He says he commented anonymously that the sheriff was not who people thought he was. Babeu, who subsequently came out as gay, denied making threats, and a state attorney general investigation later cleared him of any criminal wrongdoing, concluding that the allegations were not supported by the facts. In 2016, Babeu ran for Congress; he lost, but the sheriff spot was left open for Lamb, who defeated Babeus anointed successor in the primary and took the general election. and help keep the future of New Times, Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our. Ive never had a desire to run for Senate or Congress, Lamb told me at the caf in Florence, before adding, Im a patriot at heart. The groups website lists seven additional sheriffs at least five of whom have been accused of some form of misconduct as advisory committee members. Lately, Lamb has been supporting the campaign of Kari Lake, a Trump-endorsed former Fox anchor running for Arizonas open governors seat in 2022. Questions about the foundation also were raised in a 2015 federal lawsuit by attorneys from Perkins Coie and the American Civil Liberties Union. And he still believes there was, as he put it to me, a significant amount of concerning information about the integrity of the election. Unless like today. The 34-year-old from central Mexico charges that the sheriff's lawyer warned against mentioning the affair with Babeu. Lamb insists he has never said Biden did not win the election. A federal grand jury is investigating how the Pinal County Sheriffs Office handled profits from seized property under former Sheriff Paul Babeu. Phoenix's independent source of 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. 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. Sources said agents also are interested in whether Babeu and other staff used any RICO funds or other public resources for campaign purposes since Babeu is currently running for Congress. Babeu heads a department of 700 and has worked to cut the budget, reorganize leadership, and reduce the response time from his department. 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. Babeu's Twitter page still presents him as a sheriff. Voyles maintained that he implemented proper controls to ensure RICO funds were not misspent and pointed to audits conducted by the county, the Arizona Attorney Generals Office and the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission. More recently, he was a consultant on Kanye Wests quixotic 2020 presidential campaign. Doug Barrett for POLITICO. I believe in letting people live the way that they feel like they need to live., To spend time with Lamb is to realize just how far a lawman can drift from the law itself and how little people seem to care, as long as he says the right stuff on TV. . FBI agents conducted an informal search of the Pinal County Sheriff's Office in March, taking items related to Babeu and his administration. 2023 www.azcentral.com. Paul Babeu was a 2016 Republican candidate who sought election to the U.S. House to represent the 1st Congressional District of Arizona. 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. He says lawyer Chris DeRose demanded he sign an agreement that he would never breathe a word about the affair.
Couples Come Dine With Me Kate And James, Hackney Council Repairs, Average Age Of House Of Representatives 117th Congress, Articles W