Former County Attorney Andrew Thomas testifies during the State Bar of Arizona's
ongoing disciplinary hearings against him, and two of his assistants Lisa Aubuchon
and Rachel Alexander at the Arizona Supreme Court in Phoenix Oct. 26.
(AP Photo/The Arizona Republic, Jack Kurtz)
A disciplinary panel disbarred former Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas and his former deputy Lisa Aubuchon Tuesday. A third former deputy, Rachel Alexander, was suspended for six months and one day.
Attorneys for all three disciplined attorneys said they will appeal the decision to the Arizona Supreme Court. None of the sanctioned attorneys were in court when Presiding Disciplinary Judge William O’Neil read the decision of the three-member panel.
The panel followed the recommendations of John Gleason, an independent discipline attorney hired by the State Bar of Arizona.
Gleason had argued during an eight-week hearing and in writing that Thomas and Aubuchon deserved disbarment because they knowingly used their authority to retaliate against political enemies of Thomas and Sheriff Joe Arpaio.
Thomas and Aubuchon accused judges, politicians, county managers and private attorneys of corruption and conspiracy in a series of criminal cases and a civil racketeering suit, or RICO suit. Alexander was sanctioned for her part in litigating the RICO suit.
Gleason argued that for Thomas and Aubuchon to meet their ends they lied in court and to the grand jury, ignored conflicts of interest, revealed confidential information, took public stands that hurt their client, Maricopa County, in litigation, filed criminal charges without probable cause, encouraged perjury and lied to a prosecutor who took over some of their cases.
Alexander, Gleason argued, knowingly filed a frivolous and groundless amended RICO complaint, wasting the time of U.S. District Court in Arizona. The RICO suit alleged that several Maricopa County Superior Court judges conspired with the Board of Supervisors and private attorneys to hinder criminal investigations of County Supervisor Don Stapley in exchange for a new, palatial county courthouse.
Aubuchon filed a criminal complaint alleging bribery and hindering prosecution against retired Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Gary Donahoe and she was also the prosecutor for indictments against Stapley and County Supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox. Thomas ended up dropping all of the criminal cases and RICO suit.
Thomas and Aubuchon maintained that they brought the cases in good faith as they fought corruption in the county.
Thomas served as County Attorney from January 2005 until April 2010, when he resigned in a failed bid to be elected Attorney General. Thomas’ successor, Rick Romley, fired Aubuchon and the termination was upheld.
