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Motion Seeks Removal of Arpaio-Case Judge

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Photo Credit: WND A federal judge hearing the contempt of court case against Maricopa, Arizona, County Sheriff Joe Arpaio on Friday stayed further proceedings until a dispute over his involvement in the case is resolved.

Judge G. Murray Snow’s decision came after a second motion for his removal arrived in U.S. District Court. An earlier motion, filed by attorney Larry Klayman of Freedom Watch on behalf of a whistleblower who was drawn into the Arpaio case, Dennis Montgomery, was rejected both by Snow and the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals . . .

At the center of the effort to remove the judge from the case is a statement from a witness, Karen Morris Grissom, who told the sheriff the judge hates him. The witness explained to Arpaio that she was a childhood friend of the judge’s wife . . .

[Listen to an update from one of the attorneys involved in the case on the effort to eject the federal judge]

The latest effort to remove Snow came from A. Melvin McDonald and Michele Iafrate, who have been representing Arpaio in a case that stemmed from claims the sheriff failed to follow the court’s orders regarding his department’s policing procedures.

“No doubt, moving for the recusal or disqualification of any sitting judge is a serious matter,” their motion stated. “Under statute, case law, and judicial canons, the perception of judicial bias and the appearance of impropriety, punctuated by the material witness status of the presiding judge’s spouse, mandate the recusal and disqualification of the Honorable G. Murray Snow. (Read more from “Motion Seeks Removal of Arpaio-Case Judge” HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.

Strong Push to Yank Biased Judge From Sheriff Joe Case

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Photo Credit: WND

Photo Credit: WND

A federal judge is being asked to remove himself from a racial-profiling case against Sheriff Joe Arpaio because of “unethical misconduct and a conflict of interest” after the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday refused to take the extraordinary step of intervening and ordering his removal.

The appellate judges had been asked by a whistleblower, Dennis Montgomery, who was drawn into the case to step in and remove the “runaway jurist.”

But the case was returned to Judge G. Murray Snow’s court, where he is facing accusations that his wife blurted out in his own courtroom his intention to bring down Arpaio.

The filing with the federal appeals court cited the refusal of the judge to remove himself from the case, which alleges the Arizona sheriff’s office racially profiles Latinos. . .

The emergency petition filed with the 9th Circuit asked that Snow be disqualified “for alleged egregious and continuing ethical violations and extra-judicial bias and prejudice in the ongoing contempt proceedings.”

According to a statement released with the motion, “Judge Snow has unethically turned the case into a personal vindictive ‘witch-hunt’ to allegedly cover up his wife’s statements quoting the judge as intending to harm Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s chances for reelection in 2016 as sheriff of Maricopa County through the contempt proceedings which Judge Snow has been holding.” (Read more from “Strong Push to Yank Judge From Sheriff Joe Case” HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.

Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio Faces Ridiculous Contempt Hearing in Phoenix [+video]

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Photo Credit: LA Times

Photo Credit: LA Times

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio cut a wide swath even beyond his Arizona world where he was very big political fish. He became the voice for a type of tough justice that harkened back to the Wild West, when the lawman’s word was absolute and few worried about the rights of prisoners or immigrants.

On Tuesday, Arpaio faced what may be his most demanding and dangerous opponent: U.S. District Judge G. Murray Snow, who will decide whether the man who has called himself “America’s Toughest Sheriff,” should be held in contempt for deliberately ignoring court orders in a long-running civil rights case.

“He has been trying to get out of this desperately,” Alessandra Soler, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona, told the Los Angeles Times on Tuesday, the first of what is expected to be four days of hearings in Phoenix. “He has been hiding behind the badge, and that’s why it is very, very important to have a public trial.”

Arpaio has refused to comment on the current proceeding that could result in a fine and perhaps a criminal case down the road. The sheriff is on the witness list of about two dozen people, though he is not expected to testify until later in the week.

Snow will take testimony and will have to decide whether Arpaio and four top aides should be held in contempt for violating the judge’s order barring sheriff’s department policy on immigration patrols that were designed to enforce tough restrictions on anyone in the country illegally. (Read more from “Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio Faces Contempt Hearing in Phoenix” HERE)

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Watch: Man Arrested for Death Threats Against Sheriff Joe Arpaio

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By Christina O’Haver. A man was arrested in California Thursday morning in connection with death threats made against Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio.

Stephen Crow, 35, allegedly called the Maricopa Police Department Wednesday night and made threats against the sheriff.

He reportedly referred to Arpaio as a “racist” and “Hitler,” and said he was going to take over Maricopa County and kill the sheriff.

Investigators traced Crow’s cellphone to a Winnetka hotel, where he was taken into custody by Los Angeles police.

“Stephen Crow did come to the door of the hotel. He did admit to making the calls,” said MCSO Det. Brian Mackiewicz. “He was very proud that he threatened the sheriff and since then he’s been very uncooperative.” (Read more about the threats against Sheriff Joe Arpaio HERE)

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Sheriff Joe Arpaio Has Soft Heart for Pets

By Steve Dale. Sheriff Joe Arpaio, of Maricopa County, AZ, puts animals in jail — and he’s proud of it.

“I believed from the start that working with animals softens hardened criminal types,” says the man who proudly touts himself as the nation’s toughest sheriff, in a conversation at the Business of Saving Lives animal welfare conference Feb. 5-7,in San Diego, CA, hosted by the Helen Woodward Animal Center.

By law, animals in animal abuse and dogfighting cases are often required to be kept as evidence until a judge hears the case. At that point, in many communities, such animals are euthanized. Not in Arpaio’s jurisdiction. “These animals have done nothing wrong,” he says.

What’s more, as shelters and rescue groups struggle to find space when animals are confiscated from hoarders, Arpaio has literally opened the local jail for them, as well as animals held as evidence. Usually, their incarceration doesn’t last long, as most are adopted. While in jail, inmates help care for the dogs and cats inside, as well as horses living on the property. (Read more from this story HERE)

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Sheriff Joe Arpaio says Illegal Alien who Murdered Clerk Should Have Been Deported

By Fox 10 News Staff. The man accused of gunning down a valley convenience store worker over a pack of cigarettes remains in jail.

There are still questions about why he was free since he was facing a deportation hearing over a burglary conviction. . .

The victim, 21-year-old Grant Ronnebeck was working at the Quick Trip store on Stapley and Broadway when Apolinar Altimirano asked for a pack of cigarettes and threw down change. He then got angry because the clerk was taking too long counting the change, police say Altimirano shot the worker.

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio appeared on FOX News Channel and said this man should not have been free:

They’re supposed to check everyone that is booked into jail, if they are here illegally holds are placed, you cannot get back out until the case is adjudicated. It’s very simple, after that you then turn them over to ICE, and they should be deporting these people, not letting them back out onto the streets. So they can make all the excuses, it’s a breakdown, a serious situation facing our country and everybody can say everything is okay, and it’s not okay.

(Read more from this story HERE)

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Judge Orders Civil Contempt Hearing for Sheriff Joe Arpaio

By David Schwartz. Controversial Arizona lawman Joe Arpaio and his top lieutenants will face a civil contempt-of-court hearing in April for repeatedly ignoring judicial orders arising from a 2007 racial-profiling case, a federal judge ruled on Thursday.

U.S. District Court Judge Murray Snow ordered the evidentiary hearing to be conducted after determining there was sufficient evidence to move ahead with the proceeding that could result in penalties against Arpaio, four other individuals, and the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office.

“After an appropriate hearing, the Court will determine whether these individuals have committed contempt of court and the sanctions for any such violations,” Snow’s order read.

Arpaio, 82, who bills himself as “America’s Toughest Sheriff,” could face fines or jail time along with other current and former officials cited in the ruling. (Read more from this story HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.

Anti-Cop Pastor Trained with Sheriff Joe’s Office, Total Reversal

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A progressive pastor who has lead protests against law enforcement said “his attitude has changed” Wednesday after a local law enforcement agency invited him to a training scenario simulating life threatening situations.

Rev. Jarrett Maupin is a former Democratic congressional candidate who describes himself as a “Progressive Baptist Preacher,” a “Civil Rights Campaigner,” and a “Radical Political Activist” on his Twitter profile. He led a demonstration last month against the Phoenix Police Department after one of their officers shot an unarmed man.

But earlier this week, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office extended an invitation to Maupin to participate in an exercise where he would find himself in three simulated life threatening scenarios police officers could experience while on the job, KSAZ reported.

The first scenario featured a suspect by a vehicle in a parking lot. Maupin permitted the suspect to go behind the vehicle before he reemerged. The suspect discharged his firearm at Maupin, resulting in the civil right’s leader’s ‘death.’ He responded to a verbal disturbance between two males for his next scenario. “What’s going on today gentlemen? What are you doing?,” he asked both men. One of the suspects rushed Maupin, causing him to discharge his firearm at the suspect’s center mass. When KSAZ asked why he did that, he replied, “Hey, he rushed me.” (Read more about the anti-cop pastor HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.

Sheriff Joe: War on Police is Likely to Spread Throughout US

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Cop KillerBy Robert Wilde. [Sheriff Joe Arpaio] said that he believes the heightened rhetoric coming from politicians and community leaders about police brutality and racism “at least indirectly” caused the death of Officers Liu and Ramos on Saturday. The two NYPD officers were shot execution style by an assassin while they were eating their lunch in a patrol car.

Arpaio contends that there is no one more incendiary than Al Sharpton when it comes to race baiting. “We better tell him to chill out, knock it off, stop going to the White House sitting next to the president and talking about race,” he said. According to Arpaio there is a war against cops and he strongly believes our leaders and the media should be siding with the cops.

Critical of NYC Mayor Bill De Blasio for not supporting the police after the death of Eric Garner, the Maricopa County sheriff said, “If I was the Mayor [of NYC] right from the beginning I would have sided with the cops. At least give them the benefit of the doubt. That’s the least you can do.”

Arpaio pointed out that police officers report to the Mayor and they need to be supported. “It’s sickening what’s going on,” he lamented. “I was on a show in New York a couple of nights ago and at that time I said I’m afraid some cops are gonna get killed and fourteen hours later it happened. It’s sad for the families, sad for the NYPD, and I’m afraid it’s going to spread across the nation.”

Bannon asked Arpaio what was it that prompted his prediction: “Was it protesters chanting in the streets for hours at a time, What do we want? Dead Cops. When do we want them? Now. And then not have Mayor De Blasio and other senior non-police officials condemn that?” Read more from this story HERE.
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Cop Killer Was Tracking NYPD Using Online App

By Kerry Picket. NYPD Cop killer Ismaaiyl Brinsley was using a traffic app called Waze to track law enforcement’s movements, NYC Alerts tweeted on Monday. According to an available screenshot, Brinsley was tracking two officers who were almost 4 miles away from him in Staten Island at 10:44 PM EST since the beginning of December. Read more from this story HERE.
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Taxpayers Fund Legal Group With Role in Rap Video About Killing Police Officers

By Evan Gahr. The Obama administration’s Justice Department funneled at least $1.5 million in grants to a New York legal-aid group featured in a new rap video that depicts two young black men aiming handguns at a white police officer.

Some may find the lyrics eerily similar to the social media postings of the man accused of shooting and killing two New York City police officers execution-style in Brooklyn on Saturday.

The video for “Hands Up,” which also shows a white police officer gunning down a black motorist wearing a hoodie, contains lyrics suggesting revenge for much-publicized deaths of black men in confrontations with police.

Credited to rappers Uncle Murda and Maino, the video is subtitled “Eric Garner Tribute,” a reference to a black man who died while being pinned and restrained on a sidewalk by New York police officers.

The taxpayer money that went to the organization shown in the video, the Bronx Defenders, comes from a Justice Department program named for Edward Byrne, a New York Police Department officer who was shot dead at close range in 1988. Read more from this story HERE.

Sheriff Joe: 36% of Criminals Turned Over to ICE 'Keep Coming Back'

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Photo Credit: Ross D. FranklinMaricopa Co., AZ Sheriff Joe Arpaio reported that 36 percent of the criminals his sheriffs turned over to ICE “keep coming back” on Monday’s “Your World with Neil Cavuto” on the Fox News Channel.

“We turn them [illegal aliens who have committed crimes] over to ICE and they should be deported. 4,000 people, I think I mentioned a while back, on your show, that nobody seems to cover until now, 4,000 people in our jails for state crimes in the last eight months,” Arpaio said. “They’re here illegally. We turn them over to ICE and 36 percent keep coming back. Last month a guy came back 25 times. So what is this? Either the border is really unsecure, or they’re letting these guys out in the streets of Maricopa County. We got a big problem” he said. Arpaio added that releasing illegal aliens with criminal records was a “form of amnesty by the Obama administration.”

Read more from this story HERE.

Miller Endorsed by Joe Arpaio, 'World's Toughest Sheriff'

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JoeArpaio4377Joe Miller announced today that Maricopa County (Arizona) Sheriff Joe Arpaio, widely known for his tough stance on immigration law, has endorsed his campaign for US Senate.

“Joe Miller is a true Constitutional Conservative with a vision to protect our borders and restore America,” said Arpaio. “He is the only GOP candidate in Alaska’s US Senate race who is 100% against amnesty and who will boldly confront the lawlessness of the Obama Administration. Joe is a man of his word who is truly the candidate of ‘We the People.’ I proudly endorse Joe Miller for the United States Senate and ask for every Alaskan who loves liberty to vote for Joe.”

Known as “America’s Toughest Sheriff,” Joe Arpaio leads the nation’s third largest Sheriff’s office in the fourth largest county in the nation (with 3.8 million people). Sheriff Joe Arpaio has been reelected to six 4-year terms of office. His innovative policies to fight crime have earned media attention across the world. Sheriff Joe has succeeded because he says, “The public is my boss…so I serve the public.”

Sheriff Arpaio has also been unrelenting in his efforts to hold President Obama accountable for his abuse of executive power, failure to enforce the law, and lack of transparency.

“I am honored to have Sheriff Joe’s support,” said Miller. “Nobody is more keyed in to what we are facing with respect to the illegal alien crisis. He has been on the front lines of the fight for immigration law enforcement and border security for years and knows first hand what is at stake.”

Sheriff Joe to Obama: Deploy U.S. Military to Mexico

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Photo Credit: WNDPresident Obama should deploy the U.S. military across the Mexican border to work bilaterally to curb illegal immigration, declared Maricopa County, Arizona, Sheriff Joe Arpaio in a radio interview Sunday.

“If we are worried about the danger, then I would send the military across the border, work with their military bilaterally and get the job done,” said Arpaio. “That’s what I would do and we’d clean up this mess.”

“Of course, you have to get the Mexican president to OK it,” he added. “I would just go in there and have a few drinks with him and get the job done.”

Read more from this story HERE.

Judge Orders Monitor to be Appointed to Oversee Arizona Sheriff Arpaio

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Photo Credit: AP

Photo Credit: AP

A federal judge on Wednesday ordered the appointment of an independent monitor and a community advisory board to ensure that an Arizona sheriff is complying with constitutional requirements after finding his office engages in racial profiling.

U.S. District Judge Murray Snow found in May that the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office singled out Latinos and deputies unreasonably prolonged detentions.

It was the first finding by a court that the agency covering Arizona’s most populous county engages in racial profiling after a small group of Latinos sued the Arpaio for violating their constitutional rights, saying they were being detained simply because of their race.

Snow had delayed ordering remedies in the case to allow time for both parties to reach agreements, but disputes over key issues prevented consensus.

In his ruling Wednesday, Snow ordered that a monitor be appointed to oversee the agency’s re-training of deputies and ensure the Sheriff’s Office is complying with constitutional requirements. Snow also ordered the creation of a community advisory board aimed at helping restore the public’s confidence, among other remedies.

Read more from this story HERE.