The terms were not disclosed. Make a one-time donation today for as little as $1. Now in his second term, Shaun Babeu will be up for re-election in 2018. He was Pinal County's first Republican sheriff.[2]. All rights reserved. A Republican, he was elected in 2010 to represent the neighboring 1st congressional district . Burghart says the distinction between the two groups might be more about style that Protect America Now is taking a slicker, more palatable approach, with a much better sense of PR than Mack and his crowd.. (Asked about the report, Mack said CSPOA denounce[s] all racism and violence.), Mack said Lamb is not an official CSPOA member, but he clearly sees Lamb as one of his own. What started with an online invitation from Babeu for the two to get together, he says, turned into not only a personal relationship but a professional one. Solve this simple math problem and enter the result. Gaffney did not identify the other Sheriffs Office or the FBIs top level supervisor. Time on the screen says 5:02 p.m. . Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu just won a primary for a competitive congressional seat in Arizona. The foundation used RICO funds from Pinal County to help support Sheriff's Office activities and functions. The district's incumbent representative, Democrat Ann Kirkpatrick, did not seek re-election as she instead ran for the U.S. But in a solidly conservative part of Arizona, Lamb so far has had plenty of leeway for more and more activities outside the county. The FBI is asking new questions about Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu and his offices use of seized criminal money. 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. They just happen to support President Trump a lot. When I asked about the roughly 140 law enforcement officers who had been injured or killed while on duty at the Capitol doing a job Lamb also professes to cherish he demurred, saying he hadnt been there and couldnt say what was or wasnt true. Paul Babeu's Mexican Ex-Lover Says Sheriff's Attorney Threatened Him The hosts called him. Pinal CountySheriff Mark Lamb said Wednesday that RICO funds no longer serve as a slush fund. Sproul, who has a long history in GOP political consulting, was accused of voter fraud between 2004 and 2012, allegations he denied and for which he was not charged. Babeu is vice president of the Arizona Sheriffs' Association[15] and was named the National Sheriff of the Year in 2011 by the National Sheriffs' Association. Paul Babeu, Martha McSally struggle to respond to Donald Trump fallout Babeu was tapping RICO funds to pay for Sheriff's Office travel as early as 2011. You can actually effect change as the sheriff, he says. ", Babeu: "You have crossed the line. 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. Babeu's Twitter page still presents him as a sheriff. E.g. Compared with climbing on roofs all day to pick up bird poop, he says, law enforcement seemed safer. local news and culture. I love America. Orozco admits that he lashed out on news websites featuring stories about Babeu. 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. Babeu didn't pay him for his online services, he claims. Lamb, who was elected in 2017, said money stopped flowing to theArizona Public Safety Foundation, which recently ceased operation. and make legal threats opens a Pandora's box of ethics issues for any law enforcement person or any elected person. Questions about the foundation also were raised in a 2015 federal lawsuitby attorneys from Perkins Coie and the American Civil Liberties Union. ", (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. Two weeks before, in mid-June, the temperature was a newsworthy 110-plus degrees. Once approved, the requests are sent to the county attorney's office for review by another committee. . See also: Babeu Sticks It to Taxpayers and a Volunteer Rescue Team. Lamb says the network takes its inspiration from Live PD, an A&E show that ran from 2016 until 2020, when it was canceled after deputies in Williamson County, Texas, were caught on camera tasing a man named Javier Ambler, and ultimately killing him. The message: Sheriffs are here to protect your freedom including freedom from your own democratically elected government. Questions about the foundation also were raised in a 2015 federal lawsuit by attorneys from Perkins Coie and the American Civil Liberties Union. The latest of the alleged threats were made through Babeu's personal attorney, who's also running the sheriff's campaign for Congress in District 4, the ex-lover says. The pandemic has given Lamb, like much of the GOP, a new pet cause. Auditors said the pair funneled money to community groups without proper oversight and sometimes without paperwork detailing how the money would be spent. Today its closer to 100, and a faint whisp of cloud floats in the sky, daring itself to cover the blazing sun. ", A couple of minutes later, Babeu followed with: "And you say you have loved me? Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu announces run for Congress "I will likely get the compensation back that your actions are costing my family, unfortunately not from you personally, but from the poor taxpayers of Pinal County who will likely continue to suffer such actions due to what you continue to do," Karns writes to Babeu. Orozco claimed his statements are documented in copies of email and SMS correspondence between Orozco and Babeu. Babeu isa Republican who made border security a top issue in his two losing attempts to win a seat in Congress. The audit found that for 39 of 82 awards reviewed, the county could not provide an application or written proposal from the organization that received the money. 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. and help keep the future of New Times, Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our. The lawsuit claimed the county agencies were misusing RICO funds and funneling money through the Arizona Public Safety Foundation. He flashes a Hollywood smile as he talks about the shine on the badge. Many of the episodes are filmed in a low-budget style and feature Lamb as a guide, introducing viewers to other sheriffs in Nevada and Arizona. The audit said those expenditures effectively bypassed the county's purchasing procedures, which require various levels of approval. A September 4, 2011, text from the sheriff reads: "You can never have business after this and you will harm me and many others in the process. [6], In 2002, he moved to Arizona to pursue a law enforcement career as a police officer for the city of Chandler, Arizona. They just happen to support President Trump a lot. Ariz. sheriff says he's gay after misconduct claims | "One of the reasons is that record-keeping was so poor.". 5542%. He became the Republican nominee for Arizona's 1st congressional district in the 2016 elections after winning the primary on August 30, 2016. (State records show, and Vale confirmed, that Lambs 2020 campaign provided a $10,000 loan to the group in August of last year.) Babeu camp attacks sister over new allegations (updated) Join the New Times community and help support Phoenix's independent source of Lamb, too, is a client; his PR representative, Vale, is employed by Sprouls strategy group. Become a member to support the independent voice of Phoenix and help keep the future of New Times, Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our. for 1+3, enter 4. 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. A federal grand jury is investigating how the Pinal County Sheriffs Office handled profits from seized property under former Sheriff Paul Babeu. 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. As KJZZs Dennis Lambert reports from Phoenix, Babeu will run for re-election as sheriff instead. "We never found proof of criminal activity," he said. Lamb, 49, has jurisdiction over only Arizona's third most populous county, a stretch of desert. Lamb says the new network is important because we just felt like it was important to give [sheriffs] their voice back. When I asked if Lamb was concerned about a repeat of what happened in Texas, Vale dismissed it saying that lots of things are out of [the sheriffs] control. One episode features deputies tasing new recruits as part of their training, and watching as they scream pain. [11][12], Babeu joined the Massachusetts National Guard as a 21-year-old. Paul Babeu, Outed GOP Candidate, On Same-Sex Marriage: 'You Can't Paul Babeu, Lando Voyles seek apology, retraction from new Pinal County ", 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. [3][4], Babeu holds an associate degree in law enforcement from the Arizona Law Enforcement Academy. Court records show that problems at the school arose years before Babeu took over as headmaster. Orozco says Babeu told him that he loved him and was with him exclusively. The proposed change also would mean more money for most lieutenants, with a total of $32,281.60 in annual pay increases. "He wanted his legal rights protected. [7], In 1997, he ran for mayor of North Adams against incumbent Democrat John Barrett III. For example, Lamb, an ardent defender of the Second Amendment, has spoken in support of the formation of private militias well within the Constitution, he told a group of supporters in March and emphasized the power of sheriffs in Arizona, an open-carry state, to call local civilians into service to suppress all affrays, insurrections and riots that comes to the attention of the sheriff. Last year, as Black Lives Matter protests swept across the country, he formed a local civilian posse to assist his office with law enforcement, even though there were no such protests in Pinal County. Babeu had previously deniedany knowledge or awareness of the abuse. In a February interview with ABC15, Goldwater attorney Jared Blanchard said they decided to look at Pinal County after questions were raised about funds being used to promote Babeu in a way that could benefit his congressional campaign. One Instagram post from his account reads, No vaccine, no mask..I did test positive though for Americanitis! underneath a photo of Lamb leaning back on a bench and smiling. 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. According to Babeu's website, "Pinal County is the number one pass through county in all of America for drug and human smuggling. [16] Babeu led the third largest sheriff's office in Arizona with 700 full-time employees. Lamb often invokes the importance of the rule of law but says of the Jan. 6 rioters, I guarantee you those people are very loving, Christian people.