I had wanted to write about something different tonight, but it looks as though tough-guy Republican sheriff Joe Arpaio may be getting ready to serve some time in pink boxer shorts alongside the illegal aliens he’s so fond of rounding up in front of TV cameras. Here’s a clip from Talking Points Memo:
Joe Arpaio, the Arizona sheriff infamous due to his attention-grabbing immigration enforcement related stunts and the accusations his office discriminates against Latinos, allegedly misused millions in funds intended for jail operations, Maricopa County officials said Wednesday.
Excerpts of the reports, obtained by TPMMuckraker, show officials from Arpaio’s office made trips to Orlando, D.C., Honduras, Tempe, Belize, Alaska and Puerto Rico on the county’s dime and racked up other questionable expenses, like $741 at Sardella’s Pizza and Wings. The county was also charged $350 for a hotel room upgrade for one official’s spouse. One employee went on multiple extradition trips without submitting receipts for the $62,750 he or she spent — including $1,341 on Disney World Yacht Club Resort food and entertainment.
Others expenses charged to the county, according to the report, include $1,684 for a portable generator for parade lights on an army tank; $635 at Buca di Beppo when members of the Honduran National Police were in town; and $500 on a carriage ride.
The Maricopa County Office of Management and Budget unveiled the first evidence of misuse of public funds by Arpaio’s office to the county Board of Supervisors on Wednesday, which the Arizona Republic reported were the result of hundreds of hours of staff research…
No word as of yet as to how this might impact Sheriff Joe’s run for President.
2 Comments
Damn, another Tea Party hero exposed as a fake. Who would have thought?
Does it really surprise anyone that this demagogue of the far right was caught with his fat hand in the cookie jar? I could have predicted as much. He was bragging a few days ago about how he could have McCain’s seat in the Senate in an instant, if he wanted it. I think the Greeks called it hubris.