SHERIFF BABEU SAGA CONTINUES...

Hear it from Babeu
Sheriff Paul Babeu still wants YOU to send him to Congress. His beleaguered personal and professional life plus possible campaign violations, refusing to co-operate with authorities shouldn't make a difference in him doing what's best for the nation. My take if you can't manage your own life I don't want you making laws that will affect mine. 

Sheriff has now been given permission to hire an independent attorney over public records issues and non-criminal issues in three separate investigations.

County Supervisors approved a motion to retain Phoenix law firm Osborn Maledon for one year. The original contract was for one year with automatic renewal up to four years unless both the county and firm agreed to terminate the agreement.

County Manager Fritz Behring said cost will paid out of Sheriff Babeu's office general fund.

Deputy County Attorney Joe Albo said the decision to retain outside counsel was reached during attorney-client privileged communication between Babeu and Walsh, both men agreed it would help the Sheriff's Office while allowing Walsh's staff to avoid any conflict of interest.

Sheriff Babeu's office refused to make two laptops available for inspection, saying they contained sensitive law-enforcement records. The IT department still is trying to access the laptops for the federal agency, which ultimately could subpoena them

Investigation into potentially unlawful on-the-job politicking by some Sheriff's Office employees, for example, the U.S. Office of Special Counsel has asked the county's information-technology department to search computer equipment of some workers for keywords related to Babeu's campaign for Congress in Arizona's 4th District.

The U.S. Office of Special Counsel is investigating possible violations of the Hatch Act, which makes it illegal for certain government workers to participate in political activities. Babeu and four of his top aides -- Chief Deputy Steve Henry; spokesmen Tim Gaffney and Elias Johnson; and Cheryl Chase, director of community relations -- are persons under investigation.

Arizona Solicitor General David Cole is investigating abuse-of-power allegations against Babeu, who is accused of threatening to deport his former boyfriend in an attempt keep their relationship secret and from outing him as being gay.. Cole also is investigating allegations that the boyfriend hacked Babeu's website..

Pima County Attorney's Office is also investigating whether Babeu's office unlawfully destroyed more than 7,200 electronic files, most of them e-mails. Pima County Attorney Barbara LaWall was asked to investigate March 9 after Pinal County officials discovered the computer files were missing while they were processing a public-records request and executing a Feb. 24 request by the state solicitor general to preserve electronic records and other files for an inquiry. be ### Source

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