Cochise County uses RICO funds for scholarships, Governor signs bill to tighten rules on asset seizures by law enforcement. "We're doing the best we can," Lamb said. Informed of the situation, Nancy-Jo Merritt, a longtime Phoenix immigration attorney, says a threat of deportation would be indicative of an "atmosphere that's been created politically in this state, so that if you get angry at someone who is Hispanic, you immediately jump down to the level of threatening to deport him. The 34-year-old from central Mexico charges that the sheriff's lawyer warned against mentioning the affair with Babeu. Auditors said the pair funneled money to community groups without proper oversight and sometimes without paperwork detailing how the money would be spent. Papi. He lost in the general election to Democrat Andrea F. Nuciforo, Jr. Orozco: "Dont threat me. Lamb said this month that he is reviewing every aspect of RICO expenditures before releasing funds and wants to create a new approval and review process. The new FBI interviews are the latest issue to hit Babeu as he attempts a second run for Congress. Another man walking by said, The sheriff is a good dude. Everyone gathered for a picture, just one more. 2023 www.azcentral.com. Gaffney points to Karns' past support of Babeu, including a letter he wrote recommending Babeu for the National Sheriff of the Year Award, and an e-mail commending Babeu for his leadership and stance on arming school administrators in response to the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre. Doug Barrett for POLITICO, Lamb went through a variety of jobs, including running a paintball business in Utah that ultimately failed. They said he accused them of criminal conduct. and help keep the future of New Times, Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our. See also: Babeu Turns Distortion of Truth Into an Art Form Babeu campaigned for the office of Pinal County Sheriff in 2008 and defeated Democratic incumbent Chris Vasquez, 54% to 46%. Get the latest updates in news, food, music and culture, and receive special offers direct to your inbox. If approved, the change effectively would strip those affected PCSO employees, primarily PCSO lieutenants, of their ability to appeal to a review board any decision Babeu made to discipline or terminate them. [33], Babeu's tenure as sheriff ended on January 1, 2017, after his term expired. But Jose Orozco refused. 4:00AM. Under Babeu and Voyles, Pinal County became the poster child for abuse of RICO funds, prompting lawsuits and legislative reforms. [19], In late 2010, Babeu was asked by Maricopa County sheriff Joe Arpaio to investigate allegations of wrongdoing in Arapaio's department. (Many job-safety rankings consider being a roofer more dangerous than being a police officer.). Copyright 2023 KJZZ/Rio Salado College/MCCCD. 6:00AM. 5542%. Im just speaking . Phoenix's independent source of | Doug Barrett for POLITICO. The spokesperson also took time to praise Lambs messaging skills, calling him a unicorn., Lamb stands in front of a memorial to honor fallen sheriffs in Pinal County. 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. Orozco admits that he lashed out on news websites featuring stories about Babeu. The following February, Jose Orozco, who was an undocumented immigrant, claimed that Babeu and Orozco had been lovers since meeting in 2006 on an online dating site. They exchanged more texts on September 6. 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. Any money left over must be returned. [23] He ran against one-term Representative Paul Gosar, who had been elected to the state's 1st congressional district in 2010. During his tenure he served a tour in Iraq and spent 17 months deployed in Arizona as a commander with Operation Jump Start (Southwest Border Mission). The article also has been updated to remove information about the immigration status of the man who made the allegations. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. The sheriff denies funding was a problem, saying he raised more money in his 4th District congressional bid than either of his opponents. Can we start calling you senator? the man asked. If it doesnt benefit Pinal County, I dont need to be on the news, he said at the time. has expressed sympathy for the Jan. 6 rioters, spoke at a recent anti-vaccine rally in Phoenix, along with an estimated 138 currently serving sheriffs, unabashed member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, defeated Babeus anointed successor in the primary, promised he would focus on building relationships within the county, has appeared with the Federation for American Immigration Reform, 650 employees and a $39 million annual budget, with a stated mission of educating Americans, The Arizona Republic investigated his charity, The state ethics committee investigated Lamb, A local newspaper also accused him of having an affair, a design sold by the right-wing shock jocks the Hodgetwins. The search was followed byan investigation by a federalgrand jury, which issued a subpoena for records evidencing misuse of county, state or federal RICO funds by Pinal County Sheriffs Office employees.. [32] O'Halleran defeated Babeu, receiving 51% of the vote to Babeu's 44%. | Doug Barrett for POLITICO. If Fox calls, what are they going to do for me? But it didnt take long for him to begin leaning into national issues. Babeu made that announcement after reports surfaced that he had tried to have a former boyfriend deported. Voyles, who is a prosecutor for the Gila River Indian Community, did not return calls. and help keep the future of New Times, Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our. One day, in the mid-2000s, he went on a ride-along with a neighbor who worked in law enforcement and, armed with courage and a flashlight, Lamb says, he found a suspect they were after hiding in a trailer. Since taking office in 2017, Lamb has become the face of a new online streaming service called the American Sheriff Network and of a nonprofit coalition of sheriffs called Protect America Now; he also founded a charity, the American Sheriff Foundation. He sarcastically thanks Babeu for "notifying me that you were involuntarily forcing an 'at-will' position on mepunitively reducing my pay by approximately $15,000 [and] handing me as good a 'Constructive Termination' cause of action as I have ever seen.". independent local journalism in Phoenix. Arizona's forfeiture laws direct proceeds into the coffers of the prosecutors and law-enforcement agencies involved in seizing the items. Out of five Pinal County supervisors, only one, Serdy, a Republican, would comment on the record about Lamb, telling me over the phone, As long as the job is being done, then we support [his other work]. Lamb argues his outside activities help him bring in new recruits. More recently, he was a consultant on Kanye Wests quixotic 2020 presidential campaign. You can actually effect change as the sheriff, he says. But his interpretation of the phrase generally implies opposition to whatever rules or laws he deems overly intrusive. 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. local news and culture, Monica Alonzo "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. He started his service as a private and rose through the ranks to major in the Arizona Army National Guard. Forfeiture laws, in general, created a multimillion-dollar "slush fund available to (law enforcement) with little or no oversight," the lawsuit said. A spokesperson for the NSA told me that, while the code of ethics is the basis of an organizational creed, sheriffs generally rely on their state laws for legal guidance. It could be his size hes 63, 240 pounds, or so he writes in his self-published book, American Sheriff: Traditional Values in a Modern World. 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. Doug Barrett for POLITICO. "Jose came to our firm because he felt he was being intimidated, and he was in fear for his life," Weiss-Riner says. How a city councilman from New England became a darling of Republicans nationwide. Lamb is at far right. The spokesman confirmed that Babeu would continue to run for U.S. and help keep the future of New Times, Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our. Babeu isa Republican who made border security a top issue in his two losing attempts to win a seat in Congress. The lawsuit accused Babeu and Voyles of exploiting Arizona's forfeiture laws, which provide little to no oversight on spending, plaintiff's attorneys said. Lamb won office the same year Sheriff Arpaio was defeated in Maricopa. It will also create "a 'forever' atmosphere of constant nagging-fear, constant tension, and constant stress, worrying if today is the day Paul terminates me," he writes. 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. Sheriff Paul Babeu of Pinal County Arizona has emerged as a Republican face for tougher US-Mexico border security. Get the latest updates in news, food, music and culture, and receive special offers direct to your inbox. Both could face federal criminal charges. Reveles hoped Lamb would not turn out to be another Arpaio or Babeu. Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu who became the face of Arizona border security nationally after he started stridently opposing illegal immigration threatened his Mexican ex-lover with. 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. [5][17], Babeu has been an outspoken critic of the federal government on the issue of illegal immigration. 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. The case was settled in April 2018, according to court records. In an email, he wrote that Lamb is a Constitutional Sheriff and is one of the best sheriffs in America. Lamb, for his part, says he respects Mack and has a good relationship with CSPOA. But he emphasized to me that Protect America Now and CSPOA are different groups, and said he also does not support any form of white supremacy. Become a member to support the independent voice of Phoenix 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. He barely seems to sweat. [25] Babeu came out as gay on February 18, 2012, saying that his sexual orientation was the only factual statement from the allegations. Of the total amount awarded to the foundation over the three years, $230,000 was initiated by Babeu or one of his employees, the audit found. 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. He insists he doesnt have political ambitions beyond the sheriffs office, though. With an action figure-style charisma and a growing media platform, Lamb sees it as his mission to educate the American public about the role of the sheriff, which he described to me as to protect people from the bad guys, and I always say the sheriff is also there to protect the people from government overreach. As much as he glorifies law enforcement, though, Lamb is selective about which laws he chooses to enforce. The pandemic has given Lamb, like much of the GOP, a new pet cause. "That's just the worst kind of hypocrisy. DeRose said gossip about Babeu would focus attention on Orozco, attention that could result in his deportation, Orozco says. Lamb fires his service pistol, a Glock 34. 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. January 8, 2013 Melissa Weiss-Riner, Orozco's attorney, confirms her client's account. The council reduced the pay hike and Babeu, running as an independent, turned his effort into a successful campaign and was elected to City Council at the age of 18. On his person, Lamb has a 9mm Glock pistol, plus a long knife, a taser, handcuffs and extra ammunition, including a magazine with a Punisher skull on it. While some Pinal County residents say Lambs involvement in politics and entertainment has gone too far, the county voted overwhelmingly to reelect him last year. He asked the auditor general to recommend the best way to use those funds. Auditors said Babeu and Voyles also sent$683,406 to a nonprofit called the Arizona Public Safety Foundationmanaged by members of the sheriff's staff, a potential violation ofconflict-of-interest laws. 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. He opposes all limitations on the Second Amendment. | Lamb chalked that up to an accountants error. That morning I came home, and I told my wife I was gonna be a cop, he concluded. Babeu was born on February 3, 1969, in North Adams, Massachusetts, to Raymond and Helen Babeu. Become a member to support the independent voice of Phoenix Lamb, 49, has jurisdiction over only Arizonas third most populous county, a stretch of desert wedged between Phoenix and Tucson thats home to about 500,000 people. 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. Typically, county employees have the right to appeal any discipline they receive to the Pinal County Merit System Commission, a five-member board that can uphold, modify, or overturn county officials' decisions. He also holds a bachelor's degree in history and political science from Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts and a summa cum laude master of public administration from American International College. Today, our Chief Deputy directly contacted a top level supervisor within the Federal Bureau of Investigations who confirmed their office does not have any open investigation on our office but rather there is an open investigation against another Sheriffs Office in Arizona, Gaffney wrote. The subpoena seeks eight years of files, spreadsheets, accounting documents, emails and any other internal records concerning RICO funds from 2008 to 2016, when Babeu was in office. "If what [Babeu's attorney] says is correct [about Orozco's being illegal], either the sheriff had a long relationship with someone he knew was undocumented, while all the time being Mr. Bluster about the border and using it for political gain," or he threatened to deport someone he just broke up with, Merritt says. 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. He has called vaccine mandates garbage and spoke at a recent anti-vaccine rally in Phoenix, where he told supporters, Were going to find out what kind of patriots you are. Sheriff Paul Babeu is the Sheriff of Pinal County in Arizona. In July, the American Civil Liberties Union and international law firm Perkins Coie jointly filed a lawsuitagainst the Pinal County Sheriffs Office and the Pinal County Attorneys Office. 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 . | He became the Republican nominee for Arizona's 1st congressional district in the 2016 elections after winning the primary on August 30, 2016. ", Antonio Bustamante, a criminal defense attorney and immigration activist, tells New Times that if the allegations against Babeu are true, "To use a position of authority. Requests are often limited to reimbursements and often require proof of expenses. BABEU: Clearly theres a disconnect with the federal government enforcing the law, doing their job and what were doing on the ground. [1] In 1992, Babeu was elected to a four-year term as a Berkshire County, Massachusetts, commissioner. 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.. Lamb, center, speaks at a Turning Point Action gathering in Phoenix this past July. Devin Burghart, who runs the Institute for Research and Education on Human Rights, which analyzes far-right social movements, says understanding sheriffs like Lamb is important in the long-term fight for democracy. Researcher Cloee Cooper said Lambs highly politicized approach to his job is ultimately undermining a safe and just society. Asked about how supporters might interpret his anti-government messaging, Lamb told me, Im a very pro-freedom person. The decision by the AG's Office doesn't mean Babeu and Voyles have been cleared of wrongdoing. Protect America Nows 69 member sheriffs, who come from states including California, New Mexico, Virginia and South Dakota, also appear on right-leaning media to advocate for smaller government in all areas except immigration. Two weeks before, in mid-June, the temperature was a newsworthy 110-plus degrees. [11][12], Babeu joined the Massachusetts National Guard as a 21-year-old. The foundation used RICO funds from Pinal County to help support Sheriff's Office activities and functions. Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu today ended his bid for Congress. 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. The subpoena comes on the heels of an FBI probe of Babeu and former Pinal County Attorney Lando Voyles and whether they inappropriately used profits from seized property for personal and professional expenses. But now Reveles is among those Pinal County residents who say Lambs involvement in politics and entertainment has gone too far, distracting him from the job he was elected to do and perhaps even influencing how he does it. According to Babeu's website, "Pinal County is the number one pass through county in all of America for drug and human smuggling. . 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. You brother will also be contacted. Its not clear if the FBI has opened an official case. Orozco claimed that Babeu had known that he was an illegal alien while they were lovers, at odds with Babeu's views on immigration policy. ", Babeu: "You have crossed the line. . Babeu has been a national leader on the need to secure our border and stop illegal immigration and drug and human trafficking. I dont think that Black Lives Matter is productive for the Blacks, Lamb also told me. A staunch conservative, Republican Babeu has made his stance on illegal immigration known to the nation as he fights for stricter laws. Lamb said he wants to release RICO funds quarterlyand that he will require recipients to submit a breakdown of expenses, which will be reviewed by a committee before a request is approved. Foundation Executive Director Joseph Trasser has declined to discuss the subpoena and in March said the FBI probe of Babeu and Voyles "is not our issue.". 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. Weve come to the range because shooting is Lambs favorite pastime. independent local journalism in Phoenix. Sheriffs good with me, Lamb said, looking abashed, like any good politician should. [28] He was re-elected by a large margin on November 6, 2012. Orozco says he met Babeu in October 2006 on gay.com, a dating website. Doug Ducey in 2017 signed a lawto increase oversight ofRICO expenditures and give people a better ability to challengeforfeiture laws. Help us fight for you and support local journalism.Subscribe to azcentral.com today. He said the county has implemented a new system of checks and balances that require multiple levels of approval, explanations of how recipients intend to use moneyand receipts documenting expenses. Attorneys for Babeu, Voyles and his former chief of staff, Dwight Fujimoto, accused Volkmer of making false claims. 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. 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. 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. Before its cancellation, Live PD was immensely popular, capturing more viewers than any other cable program on Friday and Saturday nights. He takes a hardline approach on immigration, for example, but when it comes to the government telling people to get vaccinated or declaring the 2020 election legitimate he fashions himself as more of a vigilante resister, with a heavy dose of anti-government, sometimes militant rhetoric. RICO refers to anti-racketeering laws that give authorities wide latitude to seize assets in criminal cases even if charges are not filed and then fund operations with the proceeds. "There wasdefinitely sloppy record-keeping and a lack of checks and balances," Ryan Anderson, the AG's director of communications, said. The district's incumbent representative, Democrat Ann Kirkpatrick, did not seek re-election as she instead ran for the U.S. Karns' scathing message -- addressed to 661 employees -- appears to be sparked by Babeu's request before the Board of Supervisors to reclassify command staff from "covered" employees to "at-will" workers. 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. Orozco shared text messages between him and Babeu with New Times. 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. Contact ABC15 Investigator Dave Biscobing at dbiscobing@abc15.com. Babeu ran for Arizona's 4th congressional district in the 2012 elections to the United States House of Representatives but withdrew and came out as gay after a personal controversy. 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. Once approved, the requests are sent to the county attorney's office for review by another committee. ", A couple of minutes later, Babeu followed with: "And you say you have loved me? ", The following day, on September 7, De-Rose sent an e-mail directly to Orozco ordering him to "cease and desist. Babeau said he intended to balance the department's budget by auctioning the equipment. [6], At the end of this term in 1996, Babeu ran for a seat in the Massachusetts Senate based in Berkshire, Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin. 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.