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Paul Penzone

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Joe Arpaio Needs to Go

Posted: 03/ 7/2012 9:55 am

First, Sheriff Joe Arpaio's 'birther' investigation was about the politics. Now, it's apparently about the money. Either way, Arpaio's latest pastime is an affront to hardworking taxpayers who simply want a sheriff who enforces the law and pursues criminals -- not abuses the office.

Recent media reports reveal that the lead member of the sheriff's voluntary 'Cold Case Posse' penned a book about the president's birth certificate 'investigation' and is profiting from it. Not only did Arpaio approve the book project at inception -- he wrote its forward.

Having been involved in hundreds of criminal investigations during my 20-plus years of law enforcement, including two of the most heinous serial killer cases in Arizona history, I have never seen a sitting law enforcement officer authorize an investigator to profit from a case prior to it being tried in a court of law. Until now.

By Arpaio's own admission, this 'birther' case has not yet established a factual crime or any criminal suspects. Yet he gave permission to a civilian volunteer to use the authority of his office to investigate this case, then profit from it. That is irresponsible, unacceptable and goes against the principles of any legitimate law enforcement practice.

Meanwhile, some 400 cases of sexual abuse against women and children in Maricopa County went uninvestigated under Arpaio's watch. And although felony fugitives pose one of the greatest threats to the safety of our community, the sheriff refuses to dedicate full-time deputies to a task force focused on apprehending these dangerous criminals. Arpaio has cost Maricopa County over $50 million dollars in lawsuits, and the number continues to climb.

All the while, the sheriff uses his taxpayer-funded office to hold a news conference that promotes his national political agenda, I can only wonder what these and other local crime victims must think.

Simply put, Maricopa County residents deserve a sheriff who serves their needs, not one focused on his own media stunts and political agendas.

 

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First, Sheriff Joe Arpaio's 'birther' investigation was about the politics. Now, it's apparently about the money. Either way, Arpaio's latest pastime is an affront to hardworking taxpayers who simply ...
First, Sheriff Joe Arpaio's 'birther' investigation was about the politics. Now, it's apparently about the money. Either way, Arpaio's latest pastime is an affront to hardworking taxpayers who simply ...
 
 
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10:46 PM on 03/10/2012
I thought the birthed discussion was ridiculous, but then saw evidence that the document was photoshopped through something like 12 layers and I'm really shocked. Is there any explanation? I want to go back to believing the president didn't fake his birth certificate...
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01:26 AM on 03/11/2012
Carl, to me this whole thing about "layering" is totally pointless. The original document's in the possession of the State of Hawaii, as confirmed by the responsible authorities there. This "investigation" didn't even contact them. If it's an important question to you, though, you can take a look here:

http://www.thefogbow.com/arpaio-report/

That's a well-known birther-debunking site. There is definitely a point of view expressed there; I believe it is of a higher quality and more in line with the facts than what the Cold Case Posse produced. You may or may not agree. But you can find a number of links there to follow through with, with several analyses of the birth certificate image. Look down where the
"CLAIM: The long-form birth certificate was most likely a computer-generated forgery."
is addressed.
06:36 PM on 03/11/2012
Thanks, I wasn't aware of this site. Very clearly and professionally argued.
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01:58 PM on 03/10/2012
I have a pertinent question: is this article going to be moderated to death?
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Viper1st
multi quasi faceted
05:02 AM on 03/10/2012
Sheriff Arpaio ~ should leave office, the very next day, after he is convicted of something, any little thing, i.e. jaywalking.

Until then ~ keep on sniveling
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inthedesert
Those who never question will fall for anything.
06:53 PM on 03/09/2012
Wow..I can't believe undocumented immigrants from Mexico were not mentioned once in this obviously politically motivated piece. LOL.
01:24 AM on 03/09/2012
Why is seeking legitimate birth records from Obama so controversial?

If the White House released a forged document represented as Obama's long-form birth certificate, then it is what it is. Examine the evidence.

If Obama has been using a CT-issued SS# that could not legitimately be his, then it is what it is. Investigate.

If microfilm from the National Archives that would show INS information for Obama's entry into the U.S. from Kenya in August 1961 is mysteriously missing, then it is what it is. Take a look.

I'm a fan of Bill Moyers because he investigates the truth about financial elites hijacking American democracy. I find Koch Brothers / Fox News / Sarah Palin "conservativism" to be grossly misleading and irresponsible.

But in the same light I find the blind servitude of the liberal media to the Obama Administration to be reprehensible and cowardly. If there's evidence that the POTUS has fraudulently and illegally represented himself, then that needs to be investigated.

The Democratic Party may have bet on the wrong horse and this is a problem to be examined and fixed, not swept under the rug, especially since U.S. national security may be at stake.

Or maybe that latter issue is something you all deem yourselves to be "above". Now how smart is that?

http://www.SpiritOfTruth.org
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debekniss
American Dreams are not an urban legend
03:27 AM on 03/09/2012
4spiritoftruth
p-1
I myself, like many others just take it for granted that one would be a legally able to be president howver this issue has gone on for sometime. When he exposed "a" birth certificate claiming to be his we also got word this was silly of us to keep this going and OBL was dead. Pictures of this we could not see however the hanging of Hussien went viral as did the Ghadfi clips of him being sodemisied yet we are unable to see the clips of OBL but had to take his word once more.
The facts sure do not add up on things and clarification is his job as a leader. 2 out of 3 and the thrid being the worst and the reason for the war on terror the American Public have paid cash if not our troops blood and the victims blood of OBL.
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debekniss
American Dreams are not an urban legend
03:27 AM on 03/09/2012
4spiritoftruth
p-2
Obama signd the NDAA the worst law of our country history and yet he is above a sopena from a Judge to come to court and clear this up once and for all. Missing records and people claiming forgery and yet he hides behind excutive power and is silent while his nation is in arms over the state of this country and Obams silence is not leadership now but the act of a traitor who caresless for the people of America and the constitution which he is a Professer of and turns around and destroys it in anyway he can with the blessing of other government officals which took the same Oath Obama took and betrayed it in the same way.
When honest men come forth and stand up for truth to be exposed why dp people fear them and mock them when we should be proud of such courage. We are a country which is doomed as our values don't mean a thing but we will pay dearly for the fake freedom most thing they have because honesty is no longer a asset but something where Media wants to put you on trial for and hang you in the end.
04:43 AM on 03/09/2012
One could well dispute Sheriff Arpaio's 'honesty' and he's probably the wrong man for this job, but unfortunately he's apparently the only major figure in law enforcement with a sufficient axe to grind with the Obama Administration to inspire the courage to publicly expose the ugly truth about the POTUS. It was of course predictable that the the Left-stream media's response was ad-hominem attacks on Arpaio instead of dealing with the facts of the case.
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happyblackman
Gotta have more cowbell baby!
05:15 PM on 03/08/2012
If I were still down there, you would have my vote. Good luck!
03:29 PM on 03/08/2012
Joe Arpaio is a media seeking, attention grabbing, grandstander whose birther nonsense and bologna sandwiches are obvious attempts at staying in the spotlight BUT what keeps him in office is that he recognizes that one of the biggest problems facing Maricopa County, Arizona and the United States as a whole, is illegal immigration. If he reversed his course on enforcement, he'd be out of office in a blink. Speaking of, I didn't hear what your position was??
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debekniss
American Dreams are not an urban legend
03:36 AM on 03/09/2012
alpina

he sure is not tradional yet he has my approval for making prisoners live a life in prison instrad of a day camp for the well off. Yeah he made sure those in his care knew crime did not pay in his town and showed leadershio which made tough love look rather apealing.
These people who mock such courage which was not illeagal yet not traditional makes me wonder if they coud do as good of a job in his shoes. Why does the media have to mock and hate men of courage is it because as reporters they no longer have such skills and can do honest investigation themself so they ignore things which people still want to hear truth and the reporter only did what the boss said ... stomp on this guy make it him look bad because Obama is paying us to do this.
How sad the days of real reporting are long gone and we are stuck with ilk like this to inform us of their truth not the real truth.
01:11 PM on 03/08/2012
To all you liberals who refuse to look at facts but immediately jump into an attack on Sheriff Arapio should anyone dare to disagree please look at this video in which Obama flatly states he is not an American citizen. It is frightening how easily one can justify lying and perjury just because it doesn't match their preconceived notions.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwhKuunp8D8&feature=player_embedded
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happyblackman
Gotta have more cowbell baby!
05:15 PM on 03/08/2012
" It is frightening how easily one can justify lying and perjury just because it doesn't match their preconceived notions."

Talk about the proverbial "people in glass houses" statement?!
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debekniss
American Dreams are not an urban legend
03:42 AM on 03/09/2012
happyblackman

Oh please lets not be petty and call it profound.
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01:46 PM on 03/10/2012
Oh my goodness. Do you honestly believe that President Obama is making those statements in the video? It is indeed frightening how easily one can justify lying just because it matches their preconceived notions.
12:34 PM on 03/08/2012
What the media conveniently overlooked was the expert testimony and the evidence presented by a professional group of investigators. Potentially, a major crime has been committed at the highest levels of our government, and the media attacked the messengers.
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debekniss
American Dreams are not an urban legend
03:44 AM on 03/09/2012
jasmperez

well since they seem to be a biig part of who is running the government do you expect less?

Watch this vidieo and see why .... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_lYGyIaK80
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01:48 PM on 03/10/2012
What the media mercifully ignored was an amateurish, incompetent publicity circus.
12:01 PM on 03/08/2012
You left wingers can't handle the truth! Sheriff Joe is trying to uphold the law, the law of the land, the U.S. Constitution!

If you can't handle the truth, then you are delusional, immature, and unable to make rational decisions.

As Benjamin told the lady outside the Constitutional Hall, "A Republic madam, if you can keep it!"

Can we keep it without the truth? Not for many more years, I suspect!
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03:09 PM on 03/10/2012
The truth is that President Obama's eligibility has been established, and that no honest, legitimate attempt at investigation was made as a part of this Arpaio/WorldNet Daily publicity circus.
04:35 PM on 03/10/2012
Hey, bdaved,

Show me a valid birth certficate! Can you? I didn't think so.

Why has Obama spent ten's of thousands of dollars on legal fees to keep all his records hiden from the media and the public? What is he trying to hide?

Anyone with common sense would ask the question and want to know the answer.

Are you asleep? Wake up!
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MekhongKurt
05:40 AM on 03/08/2012
I hope Penzone wins by a landslide that buries Sheriff Arpiao for good.
12:35 PM on 03/08/2012
I don't.
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chatnuptime1
The Wolf's Den.
02:22 AM on 03/08/2012
So after all those years of digging you still haven't found dirt under Obama's nails.. Next case finding dirt under your own nails starting with paying back all the time and money you stole going on a wild goose chase. Oh these birthers and freinds really are starting to get bothersom... Isn't there a can of
Raid someplace?
12:36 PM on 03/08/2012
You ever heard of cold case ?
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J Michael Norris
05:09 AM on 03/12/2012
That generally refers to a murder, dear, that was unsolved.

The birth certificate is not missing. There is not "unsolved" aspect to this "case".
02:09 AM on 03/08/2012
Penzone states: " Either way, Arpaio's latest pastime is an affront to hardworking taxpayers who simply want a sheriff who enforces the law and pursues criminals -- not abuses the office."

1. No taxpayer dollars are being used in this investigation, although there would be nothing wrong even if that was the case.
2. According to the evidence brought out at the news conference, at least two crimes were committed by someone: fraud and forgery (both felonies).

Therefore, it seems to me that Arpaio is doing exactly what he is paid to do--pursue criminals! If the rule of law still means anything in America today, there should be zero opposition to this investigation. Personally, I just want this issue put to rest one way or the other, and if crimes were indeed committed, justice should be served on those responsible.
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MekhongKurt
05:42 AM on 03/08/2012
Do you mean that Sheriff Arpiao's OFFICE and utility bills aren't paid by the taxpayers??? Does Arizona make it's sheriffs find their own funding for those expenses???

Oh, my.

On second thought -- of course not. And just who pays his salary? His buddies?

FAIL SQUARED.
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azcamp
03:04 PM on 03/08/2012
I pay Maricopa County property taxes so I paid for this sheriff to investigate President Obama while rapists, molesters and child abusers were not pursued. We taxpayers pay for the press conferences. We pay for Arpaio's tank, his training seminars in Honduras and lots of other expenses. We taxpayers pay for his attorney fees when his deputies get sued for wrongful deaths of inmates in his jail.

Maricopa County taxpayers don't want to pay for publicity stunts. We can't wait to elect a new sheriff who takes down the real criminals who rob, rape and kill innocent residents in our county.
01:59 AM on 03/08/2012
I agree
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Tyme4chaing
Hopeful and durable for change
01:53 AM on 03/08/2012
J A is Another 1950 faux news wax figure
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A1percenttaxpayer
01:55 PM on 03/08/2012
I always thought this birther thing was a waste but his investigation was focused on proving the birth certificate was real. I think at the very least Obama is hiding something the facts about how the document is a layered made product is something that can be proved or disproved with out a shadow of doubt. You need to ask yourself why would they make a false document. And by the way according to fox there investigation showed Obama was born here. Stop repeating tired excuses that don't match the accusation you might as well shouted bush lied people died.
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01:52 PM on 03/10/2012
How can an investigation which didn't include examining President Obama's birth certificate, or even consulting anybody who had, be "focused on proving the birth certificate was real"?