And on Facebook, Babeu is still Pinal County's top law dog. In late January, ABC15 exposed a damning home video showing Babeu praising the abusive and inhumane treatment of special needs children at a boarding school he used to run. LAMBERT: Babeu says the federal government was refusing to allow Henry to both supervise federal funds in the Pinal County Sheriffs Office and run for sheriff. Babeu served as the Police Association president for the Chandler Police Department and on the board of directors for the Arizona Police Association.[5]. He asked the auditor general to recommend the best way to use those funds. They just happen to support President Trump a lot. How a city councilman from New England became a darling of Republicans nationwide. local news and culture, Monica Alonzo Protect America Now is new enough that its tax filings have not yet been made public, but Vale told me Lamb does not get paid by the group, outside reimbursements for expenses. Lamb, too, is a client; his PR representative, Vale, is employed by Sprouls strategy group. Karns, promoted to captain in 2002, writes that Babeu's move is about gaining for himself "total and complete control and support, operationally and politically.". Voyles said any suggestion that he and Babeu did something unethical or illegal is unfounded.. Get the latest updates in news, food, music and culture, and receive special offers direct to your inbox. 2023 www.azcentral.com. This 6-month-long detailed search led to the termination of Arpaio's top two deputies. including yourself & your family. He told me Lamb does make some money from occasional appearances at gun shows and other events but likewise would not disclose the amount. The foundation used RICO funds from Pinal County to help support Sheriff's Office activities and functions. The Anti-Defamation League recently released a report calling CSPOA an anti-government extremist group and citing public appearances Mack has made with white supremacist individuals or groups. Ex-Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu hearts the shiny badge and spiffy uniform of his erstwhile office so much that he seems loath to relinquish it online. Congressional hopeful Paul Babeu briefly joined the growing list of Republicans nationally who renounced their support for Donald Trump's presidential campaign in a tweet that disappeared an. Visit his site and learn more today! [33], Babeu's tenure as sheriff ended on January 1, 2017, after his term expired. 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. [5], At age 17, while still in high school, Babeu campaigned against a proposed raise for North Adams, Massachusetts, City Council members. Paul: No. By 2016, he had moved to Pinal County and decided to seek the sheriffs job, running as a Republican and, in his words, a constitutional conservative; he made a point of opposing abortion rights in his campaign, but he ran without the same cowboy image he has today. [28] He was re-elected by a large margin on November 6, 2012. Paul Raymond Babeu (pronounced BAB-you; [1] born February 3, 1969) is an American law enforcement officer, politician and member of the Republican Party who was sheriff of Pinal County, Arizona, from January 1, 2009, to January 1, 2017. Babeu's Twitter page still presents him as a sheriff. Lambs first law enforcement job was with the Salt River Police Department in neighboring Maricopa County beginning in 2006. [14] Babeu was reelected in 2012 with 53.3% of the votes, winning out over Democrat and independent candidates. private school led by Babeu", "Massachusetts Office of Child Care Services vs DeSisto School Inc and A. Michael Desisto", "Documents: Babeu ran private boarding school with history of physical abuse", "Pinal County 2008 General Election Results", "Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu Elected to Second Term as President of Arizona Sheriff's Association", "Paul Babeu named 2011 Sheriff of the Year", "Senators McCain and Kyl Announce Border Security Plan", "Joe Arpaio aide investigation finished by Babeu", "Pinal Sheriff's Office stockpiles, prepares to sell military equipment", "Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission", "Paul Babeu's Mexican Ex-Lover Says Sheriff's Attorney Threatened Him With Deportation (, "Babeu bombshell: Gay relationship & deportation threats, report says", "Arizona Sheriff Paul Babeu Angrily Denies Ex-Boyfriend's Accusations", "Will recent allegations damage Babeu's political future? | Attorneys for Babeu, Voyles and his former chief of staff, Dwight Fujimoto, accused Volkmer of making false claims. "We never found proof of criminal activity," he said. 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. Florence is the county seat. Another $63,772 distributed from the foundation went to public service announcements for both offices. 2023 www.azcentral.com. [27], Babeu dropped his congressional bid on May 11, 2012; instead he sought re-election as sheriff. I asked Lamb if he was vaccinated, and he told me, through his PR representative, Corey Vale, to print exactly this: Thats nobodys damn business., Lamb makes a statement at the White House in support of Trumps veto of a bill that Congress passed to block the presidents declaration of a national emergency to fund a wall at the Southern border in March 2019. LAMBERT: Babeus exit from the primary leaves Lake Havasu Republican Senator Ron Gould and 1st District Congressman Paul Gosar to fight it out for the GOP nomination. Records show Babeu spent more than $53,000 to send 25 people to a weeklong conference in St. Louis at which he . 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). ", Babeu: "You have crossed the line. 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. Privacy Policy | FCC Public File | Contest Rules and help keep the future of New Times, Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our. "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. The law requires prosecutors to get approval from county boards of supervisors before using RICO funds. Reveles hoped Lamb would not turn out to be another Arpaio or Babeu. Paul Babeu was the tenth of eleven children born into the family. More recently, he was a consultant on Kanye Wests quixotic 2020 presidential campaign. Make a one-time donation today for as little as $1. Lavigne. Sheriff Babeu won his first term in a landslide election victory in 2008 over the incumbent Sheriff. It was the month after the insurrection, with Joe Biden in the White House and Democrats in the majority in Congress, that Lamb announced the launch of Protect America Now, his new coalition of currently serving sheriffs Lamb calls them patriots with a stated mission of educating Americans about how our Sheriffs and the law enforcement community are standing for our Constitution and law and order. Its mostly a messaging operation: The group runs ads and has written letters to the Biden administration. They said he accused them of criminal conduct. He was defeated in the general election by Democrat Tom O'Halleran. Forfeiture laws, in general, created a multimillion-dollar "slush fund available to (law enforcement) with little or no oversight," the lawsuit said. Through Protect America Now, which was founded by a Republican strategist and two businesspeople working with Lamb and counterparts nationwide, he is marshalling dozens of other elected sheriffs and citizen supporters around these ideas building an army as the group puts it. Babeu was tapping RICO funds to pay for Sheriff's Office travel as early as 2011. In public, Lamb commands attention. 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. Pinal County Sheriffs Office spokeswoman Navideh Forghani said Friday that the sheriff already has complied with the demand and has turned over the records. FBI agents conducted an informal search of the Pinal County Sheriff's Office in March, taking items related to Babeu and his administration. [8] In the general election, Barrett won re-election and defeated Babeu 53%-47%,[1] a difference of just 353 votes, in an election with an unusually high turnout rate of 75% among registered voters. But Orozco suspected Babeu was lying. Court records show that problems at the school arose years before Babeu took over as headmaster. The school closed in 2004, following the death of its founder Michael DeSisto. That morning I came home, and I told my wife I was gonna be a cop, he concluded. The audit said those expenditures effectively bypassed the county's purchasing procedures, which require various levels of approval. Karns tells Babeu that his proposal ensures that if command staff doesn't "bow and accede" to his "every wish and desire, they face termination." Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu's campaign launched a counterattack late Monday on a key source for a story broadcast Sunday by a Phoenix TV station. "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. County officials have confirmed they are cooperating with federal investigators. 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. He became the Republican nominee for Arizona's 1st congressional district in the 2016 elections after winning the primary on August 30, 2016. | AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta. | He insists he doesnt have political ambitions beyond the sheriffs office, though. . Sheriff Paul Babeu of Pinal County Arizona has emerged as a Republican face for tougher US-Mexico border security. Today its closer to 100, and a faint whisp of cloud floats in the sky, daring itself to cover the blazing sun. If it doesnt benefit Pinal County, I dont need to be on the news, he said at the time. local news and culture, Stephen Lemons They are watching a movie . and help keep the future of New Times, Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our, Babeu's Mexican Ex-Lover Says Sheriff's Attorney Threatened Him With Deportation, Babeu's Suspicious Past as School's Headmaster, Babeu Turns Distortion of Truth Into an Art Form, Babeu Sticks It to Taxpayers and a Volunteer Rescue Team. In 2001, Babeu ran for a rematch against Barrett, but lost again. A Republican, he was elected in 2010 to represent the neighboring 1st congressional district . 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 deportation when the man refused to promise never to disclose their years-long relationship, the former boyfriend and his lawyer tell New Times. All of Lambs activities outside Pinal County raise the question of whether he is making money off this work. The federal grand jury also asked for documents involving funds that were provided to the Arizona Public Safety Foundation, a non-profit agency that received hundreds of thousands of dollars in Pinal County RICO funds. You brother will also be contacted. [1][6], Babeu served as headmaster and later as executive director the DeSisto School in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, a school for troubled youths, from 1999 to 2001. The groups website lists seven additional sheriffs at least five of whom have been accused of some form of misconduct as advisory committee members. After filing for bankruptcy in 2003, Lamb decided to start again in Arizona, he writes in his book, where he moved with his five kids and his wife, Janel who today has her own book, The Sheriffs Wife, and often appears with her husband at public events. Contact ABC15 Investigator Dave Biscobing at dbiscobing@abc15.com. Records showBabeu spent more than $53,000 to send 25 people to a weeklong conference in St. Louisat which he received a national award. See also: Babeu Sticks It to Taxpayers and a Volunteer Rescue Team. A local newspaper also accused him of having an affair with a woman who died over the summer in a car accident, but Lamb denies that he has been involved with any women outside his marriage. This should go without saying.". While he is gaining national attention, its not clear yet whether Lamb will become the law enforcement equivalent of, say, Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) or Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), but its plain that he has a similar commitment to Trumpism and desire for the spotlight, in Arizona and increasingly elsewhere. ", She adds that federal immigration-enforcement agents have better things to do than "take care of Babeu's boyfriends. There was the waitress who told Lamb he needed to gain weight. Babeu had previously deniedany knowledge or awareness of the abuse. . Congress. "What we're focused on is making sure we're as transparent as possible," he said. Pinal County Sheriff's Office Captain Jeffrey Karns, who retired today, lambasted Sheriff Paul Babeu in an e-mail he sent not only to Babeu, but to all PCSO staff. Once elected, Lamb promised he would focus on building relationships within the county. Babeu and Voyles this month demanded an apology from Volkmer, Questions about the foundation also were raised in a 2015 federal lawsuit, Babeu spent more than $53,000 to send 25 people to a weeklong conference in St. Louis, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. The sheriff at the time, Paul Babeu, had faced a series of scandals, including an affair with a man who alleged Babeu had threatened to deport him if he exposed their relationship. "But that didn't rise to the level of criminal activity.". When the coronavirus pandemic hit, he publicly resisted Arizonas mask mandates and stay-at-home orders before catching Covid himself last year, which he discovered when he was denied entry to the White House for a meeting with Trump. About 1,000 Trump supporters had descended on the state Capitol; one group of them brought a guillotine. Later, rioters broke a window as they yelled out for Doug Ducey, the Republican governor who had certified Bidens victory in Arizona. 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. 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. Orozco says he created and maintained Babeu's campaign websites, his Facebook page, and his Twitter account. ABC15 has learned agents in the FBIs Phoenix Division have conducted interviews with several people in recent weeks to talk about so-called RICO funds used by the sheriffs office. I dont think that Black Lives Matter is productive for the Blacks, Lamb also told me. Lamb, center, speaks at a Turning Point Action gathering in Phoenix this past July. Voyles, who is a prosecutor for the Gila River Indian Community, did not return calls. Lamb said he had no opinion on the AG's decision not to prosecuteBabeu and Voyles. Pinal County Sheriffs Office Director of Administration Tim Gaffney sent ABC15 a written statement denying that there is any open investigation into their office. From 2006 to 2007, Babeu spent 17 months as commander of Task Force Yuma supervising 700 soldiers, where they supported the United States Border Patrol to achieve operational control and reduce illegal immigration. It could be his demeanor, at once confident and aw-shucks. "We're doing the best we can," Lamb said. Phoenix's independent source of Lamb supported the stop the steal campaign in Arizona and has expressed sympathy for the Jan. 6 rioters. The sheriff denies funding was a problem, saying he raised more money in his 4th District congressional bid than either of his opponents. and last updated 5:01 AM, Mar 30, 2016. 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. 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. and make legal threats opens a Pandora's box of ethics issues for any law enforcement person or any elected person. The message: Sheriffs are here to protect your freedom including freedom from your own democratically elected government. But in a solidly conservative part of Arizona, Lamb so far has had plenty of leeway for more and more activities outside the county. 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. Former President Donald Trump, bottom right, also spoke at the event. Lamb said a recent major request involved $50,000 to pay for computer equipment that will allow investigators to download large amounts of data from cell phones, laptops and other electronic devices without inhibiting use. Kennedy pointed to the provision about private gain, as well as one requiring equal protection of all citizens, without allowing personal opinion, party affiliations, or consideration of the status of others to alter or lessen this standard of treatment., Asked to respond, Vale said Lamb keeps a strict division between his work as the Pinal County sheriff and his image as the American Sheriff. Vale added, All of his activities, both as sheriff and in his private time, are vetted through the [Pinal] County attorney. The attorney, Kent Volkmer, told me Lamb has consulted with him, including on Protect America Now and the American Sheriff Network, but said he does not review every single appearance Lamb makes outside his capacity as sheriff. 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. (A federal judge later found Arpaio in criminal contempt of a court order to stop racially profiling Latino residents, but Trump later pardoned him.) 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. Melissa Weiss-Riner, Orozco's attorney, confirms her client's account. I believe in letting people live the way that they feel like they need to live., To spend time with Lamb is to realize just how far a lawman can drift from the law itself and how little people seem to care, as long as he says the right stuff on TV. For questions about programming, membership or anything else about KJZZ, please visit kjzz.org/contact. He barely seems to sweat. Republican Mark Lamb succeeded Babeu as sheriff.[34][35]. Jessica Pishko is a writer and a lawyer who is working on a book about sheriffs. Lamb, who was elected in 2017, said money stopped flowing to theArizona Public Safety Foundation, which recently ceased operation. He clearly has politicized law enforcement, and that covers a lot of territory, Reveles says, calling Lamb a self-centered, extremist, anti-immigrant individual. Some Pinal County residents have called for an audit of the sheriff offices finances. Arizona's forfeiture laws direct proceeds into the coffers of the prosecutors and law-enforcement agencies involved in seizing the items. While it is unclear what transpired between Karns and Babeu or other high-level PCSO staff, Karns -- who says he was planning to retire in April -- hints at lawsuit against the Sheriff's Office. Phoenix's independent source of | From November 8 onward, Babeu was like a man racing against the hourglass, appearing numerous times on Fox Business, Fox News and Fox 10 Phoenix, attired in his tan uniform. [7], In 1997, he ran for mayor of North Adams against incumbent Democrat John Barrett III. [3][4], Babeu holds an associate degree in law enforcement from the Arizona Law Enforcement Academy. Better get an attorney. Paul Raymond Babeu (pronounced BAB-you;[1] born February 3, 1969) is an American law enforcement officer, politician and member of the Republican Party who was sheriff of Pinal County, Arizona, from January 1, 2009, to January 1, 2017. According to sources with knowledge of the interviews, agents have asked about Sheriff Babeus use of a non-profit foundation run by some PCSO employees that received hundreds of thousands of dollars in funds that come from this seized criminal money. ", Sheriff Babeu Abandons Race for Arizona Congressional Seat, "Arizona sheriff launches bid for Congress", "It's Republican Paul Babeu And Democrat Tom O'Halleran In Monstrous CD-1 Race", "Democrat Tom O'Halleran defeats Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu in CD-1", 3 best known Arizona sheriffs out in new year, Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu mum on plans after leaving office, Paul Babeau biography at Pinal County Sheriff's Office, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Paul_Babeu&oldid=1147812398, Candidates in the 1996 United States elections, Candidates in the 2012 United States elections, Candidates in the 2016 United States elections, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts alumni, United States Army personnel of the Iraq War, Articles with dead external links from March 2022, Articles with permanently dead external links, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 2 April 2023, at 10:08. Next door in Pinal County, Lamb embraced Arpaios anti-immigrant bent; before long he appeared, sure enough, on Fox News to talk about the border crisis (though Pinal County is not on the U.S.-Mexico border), and deployed officers and equipment to help federal authorities with immigration enforcement. Initially, Lamb worked in pest control, with a focus on pigeons. Now in his second term, Shaun Babeu will be up for re-election in 2018. 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. You can actually effect change as the sheriff, he says. Sheriff Paul Babeu is a decorated lawman, Iraq war veteran, and a corruption fighter. But ABC15 remains unable to confirm Gaffney's statement. Get the latest updates in news, food, music and culture, and receive special offers direct to your inbox. DeRose said gossip about Babeu would focus attention on Orozco, attention that could result in his deportation, Orozco says. 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. The source: Babeu's sister Lucy. Thats illegal. What started with an online invitation from Babeu for the two to get together, he says, turned into not only a personal relationship but a professional one. We'll be in touch if we look into your question. The Goldwater Institute, a conservative watchdog group, raised concerns about the foundationin 2017 and sought records to determine if Babeu was using it to bypass campaign-finance laws and promote his 2016 congressional campaign. Paul Babeu was a 2016 Republican candidate who sought election to the U.S. House to represent the 1st Congressional District of Arizona. "Jose came to our firm because he felt he was being intimidated, and he was in fear for his life," Weiss-Riner says. A September 4, 2011, text from the sheriff reads: "You can never have business after this and you will harm me and many others in the process. Babeu, who subsequently came out as gay, denied making threats, and a state attorney general investigation later cleared him of any criminal wrongdoing, concluding that the allegations were not supported by the facts. In 2016, Babeu ran for Congress; he lost, but the sheriff spot was left open for Lamb, who defeated Babeus anointed successor in the primary and took the general election.

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