PHOENIX (AP) - The investigation and possible prosecution of
metropolitan Phoenix Sheriff Joe Arpaio will be handled by the U.S.
Justice Department after federal prosecutors in Arizona asked to be
removed because of unspecified conflicts of interest, according to a
court filing made public.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for Arizona said in its brief filing Friday
in U.S. District Court in Phoenix that the case has been assigned to
the Justice Department's criminal division, public integrity section.
The filing cited "existing conflicts of interest or the appearance of
conflicts of interest pertaining to the matter" for Arizona's federal
prosecutors, but it did not provide details.
Snow
also said there was probable cause to believe Arpaio intentionally
failed to turn over records that he had promised, under oath, to give
to a court official.
Mel McDonald, an attorney for Arpaio, said he was disappointed by the
decision.
"It's their call," McDonald said. "If they have a conflict ... I'm not
one to second-guess that decision."
U.S. District Judge Murray Snow ruled last Friday that another judge
should decide if Arpaio and others should be held in criminal
contempt-of-court for ignoring court orders in a racial profiling case.
Snow also said there was probable cause to believe Arpaio intentionally
failed to turn over records that he had promised, under oath, to give
to a court official.
The records were from a secret investigation that Arpaio's foes say
focused on Snow in an attempt to discredit him.
Arpaio, a Republican who is running for a seventh term this year, has
vigorously insisted that he didn't investigate Snow and instead said
the probe was focused on widespread identity theft.
[More,
if you can stand it]
