Sheriff Paul Babeu is a decorated lawman, Iraq war veteran, and a corruption fighter. The lawsuit accused Babeu and Voyles of exploiting Arizona's forfeiture laws, which provide little to no oversight on spending, plaintiff's attorneys said. He asked the auditor general to recommend the best way to use those funds. Paul Raymond Babeu (pronounced BAB-you; born February 3, 1969) is an American politician and member of the Republican Party who was sheriff of Pinal County, Arizona, from January 1, 2008, to January 1, 2017. Keating says her JP sibling had been living at the house Babeu is selling until recently, perhaps renting from the. Lavigne. Copyright 2023 KJZZ/Rio Salado College/MCCCD. 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. Later, rioters broke a window as they yelled out for Doug Ducey, the Republican governor who had certified Bidens victory in Arizona. 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. Lamb, center, speaks at a Turning Point Action gathering in Phoenix this past July. 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. (Asked about the report, Mack said CSPOA denounce[s] all racism and violence.), Mack said Lamb is not an official CSPOA member, but he clearly sees Lamb as one of his own. including yourself & your family. 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. 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. The Arizona Attorney General's Office said Wednesday it would not prosecute former Sheriff Paul Babeu and former County Attorney Lando Voyles for what it described as "eyebrow-raising" expenditures. Both could face federal criminal charges. In fact, Lambs constituents seem to love him: He was unopposed when he ran for reelection last fall and won another four-year term with 97 percent of the vote. ", Babeu: "You have crossed the line. Congressman and have endorsed one of his rivals for the GOP primary in Arizona's First. The district's incumbent representative, Democrat Ann Kirkpatrick, did not seek re-election as she instead ran for the U.S. E.g. Fight Night: How Phoenix Became a Hotbed for Mixed Martial Arts Champions, Super Fans, Mascot Mania, and All-Stars: Suns and Nuggets Get Ready to Rumble, Katie Hobbs Gets Singed After Unwrapping Tamale-tastrophe, New Attainable Not Necessarily Affordable Housing Coming to Downtown Phoenix, I Love the Rivalry: Fans Soak Up U.S.-Mexico Soccer Showdown in the Valley. He won the Republican nomination against Peter Abair. Questions about the foundation also were raised in a 2015 federal lawsuit by attorneys from Perkins Coie and the American Civil Liberties Union. County officials have confirmed they are cooperating with federal investigators. Ultimately, many residents of Pinal County, which voted 58 percent for Trump in 2020, align politically with Lamb. [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. Babeu is vice president of the Arizona Sheriffs' Association[15] and was named the National Sheriff of the Year in 2011 by the National Sheriffs' Association. Lamb said he had no opinion on the AG's decision not to prosecuteBabeu and Voyles. And he still believes there was, as he put it to me, a significant amount of concerning information about the integrity of the election. How a city councilman from New England became a darling of Republicans nationwide. If it doesnt benefit Pinal County, I dont need to be on the news, he said at the time. Join the New Times community and help support Lamb, who oversees a medium-sized sheriffs office with 650 employees and a $39 million annual budget, sums up his core beliefs, on everything from immigration to policing to guns, as supporting the rule of law. He repeated the phrase often during our conversations. Paul Babeu was a 2016 Republican candidate who sought election to the U.S. House to represent the 1st Congressional District of Arizona. While some Pinal County residents say Lambs involvement in politics and entertainment has gone too far, the county voted overwhelmingly to reelect him last year. The audit highlighted 31 awards, totaling $683,406 that went to the Arizona Public Safety Foundation. 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. Descended from a long line of Mormons and still an unabashed member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he grew up all over the world, he is fond of saying, including the Philippines, Panama and Argentina, where he did his Mormon mission. | Pinal County Supervisor Jeff Serdy, who owns what he describes as a very high-volume gun shop in the area, told me, You could not ask for a better advocate for the Second Amendment than Sheriff Lamb. The back of Lambs black Chevy Silverado 2500 HD contains his workaday weaponry, including an AR-15 SBR. PHOENIX - Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu comes out and admits he's gay on Saturday a day after he's accused of a major scandal. He says he commented anonymously that the sheriff was not who people thought he was. Days after stepping down from a position with Mitt Romney's presidential campaign, Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu sat down with CNN's Wolf Blitzer to talk about recent allegations that he. [1] Babeu was a 2012 Republican candidate who sought election to the U.S. House to represent the 4th Congressional District of Arizona. Pinal County Sheriffs Office spokeswoman Navideh Forghani said Friday that the sheriff already has complied with the demand and has turned over the records. Explaining their use of RICO funds, Gaffney also said, Any request for RICO Funding by our office as you are aware has to be submitted in writing to either the County Attorneys Office if it is State RICO Funds.. It could be the Justin cowboy hat he wears pulled low over his eyes and his penchant for Western shirts and a tactical vest in lieu of a uniform. Get the latest updates in news, food, music and culture, and receive special offers direct to your inbox. Babeu was tapping RICO funds to pay for Sheriff's Office travel as early as 2011. 4:00AM. In 2001, Babeu ran for a rematch against Barrett, but lost again. He also argues the mob that overtook the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 was more heavily policed than the Black Lives Matter movement. This should go without saying.". CLARIFICATION: This article has been updated to include the results of an into allegations made against Sheriff Paul Babeu. Former Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu and County Attorney Lando Voyles said they have been maligned and subjected to "disparaging statements" over their handling of profits from seized. The National Sheriffs Association, of which Lamb is a member, has a model code of ethics for sheriffs that prohibits using the office for private gain, among other things. Babeu was born on February 3, 1969, in North Adams, Massachusetts, to Raymond and Helen Babeu. Lamb says the new network is important because we just felt like it was important to give [sheriffs] their voice back. When I asked if Lamb was concerned about a repeat of what happened in Texas, Vale dismissed it saying that lots of things are out of [the sheriffs] control. One episode features deputies tasing new recruits as part of their training, and watching as they scream pain. Get the latest updates in news, food, music and culture, and receive special offers direct to your inbox. 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. Babeu and Voyles this month demanded an apology from Volkmer, saying he unfairly maligned them and subjected them to disparaging statements over the use of RICO funds. February 2, 2017 The decision comes months after state auditors found Babeu and Voyles mismanaged more than $2 million in so-called racketeering, or RICO,funds. 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. See also: Babeu's Mexican Ex-Lover Says Sheriff's Attorney Threatened Him With Deportation [13] He was the first Republican sheriff elected in the history of the county (founded in 1875). When I asked Lamb whether the storming of the Capitol on Jan. 6 was an example of people violating the very rule of law he professes to cherish, he replied, Just because somebody was there doesnt necessarily mean theyre guilty, then added, I guarantee you [the rioters] are very loving, Christian people. He insists he doesnt have political ambitions beyond the sheriffs office, though. [32] O'Halleran defeated Babeu, receiving 51% of the vote to Babeu's 44%. With an action figure-style charisma and a growing media platform, Lamb sees it as his mission to educate the American public about the role of the sheriff, which he described to me as to protect people from the bad guys, and I always say the sheriff is also there to protect the people from government overreach. As much as he glorifies law enforcement, though, Lamb is selective about which laws he chooses to enforce. When I asked Vale whether Lamb made a salary from the American Sheriff Network, he said Lamb was a partner of a Virginia LLC that produces the content but declined to give any other details. "At a minimum, it seems that by funneling money to a private group which buys things for him and his department Babeu is able to avoid procurement laws and other transparency regulations which usually apply to government purchasing," the lawsuit stated. Make a one-time donation today for as little as $1. 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. When their relationship soured, Orozco claimed Babeu had threatened to have him deported unless he signed a contract swearing him to secrecy. Babeu isa Republican who made border security a top issue in his two losing attempts to win a seat in Congress. 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. The audit found that for 39 of 82 awards reviewed, the county could not provide an application or written proposal from the organization that received the money. Become a member to support the independent voice of Phoenix 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. On his person, Lamb has a 9mm Glock pistol, plus a long knife, a taser, handcuffs and extra ammunition. [3][4], Babeu holds an associate degree in law enforcement from the Arizona Law Enforcement Academy. Robert Anglen investigates consumer issues for The Republic. The Show highlights the creative builders, makers and designers that are sharing their talents with Arizonans. As KJZZ's Dennis Lambert reports from Phoenix, Babeu will run for re-election as sheriff instead. They just happen to support President Trump a lot. Your contact infoWe'll be in touch if we look into your question. The search was followed byan investigation by a federalgrand jury, which issued a subpoena for records evidencing misuse of county, state or federal RICO funds by Pinal County Sheriffs Office employees.. Follow him on Twitter @robertanglen. [20], In 2011 and 2012, the Pinal County Sheriff's Office collected $7 million worth of surplus military equipment. ", Antonio Bustamante, a criminal defense attorney and immigration activist, tells New Times that if the allegations against Babeu are true, "To use a position of authority. Super Fans, Mascot Mania, and All-Stars: Suns and Nuggets Get Ready to Rumble, Katie Hobbs Gets Singed After Unwrapping Tamale-tastrophe, Fight Night: How Phoenix Became a Hotbed for Mixed Martial Arts Champions, New Attainable Not Necessarily Affordable Housing Coming to Downtown Phoenix, I Love the Rivalry: Fans Soak Up U.S.-Mexico Soccer Showdown in the Valley. If you're the victim of fraud, waste or abuse, reach him at robert.anglen@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8694. Sheriffs good with me, Lamb said, looking abashed, like any good politician should. 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. Senator John McCain, who called Babeu his friend. 6:31PM. Karns' scathing message . In addition, in 77 of the 82 awards reviewed, the county could not provide a memorandum of understanding showing how the money would be used by the group receiving the award. There are restrictions about how these funds can be used. See additional photos from text-messages between Sheriff Babeu and his ex-lover. "We never found proof of criminal activity," he said. She says DeRose falsely claimed that Orozco's visa had expired. Newly elected Pinal County Attorney Kent Volkmer said he also has asked the Arizona auditor general to review Pinal County's asset-forfeiture records to determine if monies were properly used. Forfeiture money paid for Voyles' personal security system, retirement contributions of employees in his office and fundraising for the Sheriff's Office, according to the lawsuit. [7], In 1997, he ran for mayor of North Adams against incumbent Democrat John Barrett III. Building off his social media popularity he has more than 300,000 Facebook followers, high for a sheriff and his desire to elevate law enforcement, this past May he announced the launch of the American Sheriff Network, which for $4.99 month allows viewers to watch 10- to 20-minute segments showing sheriffs and their deputies as they respond to calls for service a mix of sheriff propaganda and reality television. "He wanted his legal rights protected. . The new FBI interviews are the latest issue to hit Babeu as he attempts a second run for Congress. You can actually effect change as the sheriff, he says. Out of five Pinal County supervisors, only one, Serdy, a Republican, would comment on the record about Lamb, telling me over the phone, As long as the job is being done, then we support [his other work]. Lamb argues his outside activities help him bring in new recruits. When reached Tuesday, a spokesman declined to comment. Doug Barrett for POLITICO. 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. The spokesman confirmed that Babeu would continue to run for U.S. 6:00AM. February 16, 2012 The trailer for the new network features lots of shots of Lamb, his profile against a desert sunset as the camera pans slowly over the shadows of cacti. Orozco admits that he lashed out on news websites featuring stories about Babeu. A man with tattoos and well-groomed blond facial hair wearing a Proud American T-shirt (a design sold by the right-wing shock jocks the Hodgetwins) ran across the parking lot for a photo with the sheriff. He became the Republican nominee for Arizona's 1st congressional district in the 2016 elections after winning the primary on August 30, 2016. FBI probe of Babeu and former Pinal County Attorney Lando Voyles. The board is meeting Wednesday, and Babeu's request is on the agenda. and help keep the future of New Times, Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our. Sheriffs in almost every state operate independently with limited oversight, giving them the freedom to engage in political advocacy and appear in the media. There was the waitress who told Lamb he needed to gain weight. "It is truly puzzling why Captain Karns overreacted to an organizational change that has yet to take place, and I can only surmise that some other issue is in play that made him lash out," Gaffney says in his statement. More recently, he was a consultant on Kanye Wests quixotic 2020 presidential campaign. The relationship soured, and Orozco believes that Babeu sent DeRose after him. Papi. Sheriff Paul Babeu is the Sheriff of Pinal County in Arizona. He said his own review of RICO funds indicated past requests were made in round numbers and did not require itemization. "Albeit it is important to note that I will not seek one dime more than what I lost, since that is the only fair thing to do.". One day, in the mid-2000s, he went on a ride-along with a neighbor who worked in law enforcement and, armed with courage and a flashlight, Lamb says, he found a suspect they were after hiding in a trailer. 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. . The FBI issued a subpoena last year to the Arizona Public Safety Foundation, which for years operated out of the Sheriff's Office and was staffed by sheriff's deputies. "One of the reasons is that record-keeping was so poor.". This summer, he made a short video saying he would not require, or ask, his staff to get vaccinated. [29], On August 31, 2012, the Arizona solicitor general exonerated Babeu after an investigation. Phoenix's independent source of Phoenix's independent source of Now, with the public's memory of the scandal fading. Join the New Times community and help support Agents also approached the County Attorney's Office about financial records kept by Voyles, who oversaw and approved expenditures of the funds. Forfeiture laws, in general, created a multimillion-dollar "slush fund available to (law enforcement) with little or no oversight," the lawsuit said. Career as Pinal County Sheriff and runs for higher office, 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Arizona District 4, 2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Arizona District 1, "Sheriff-elect Babeu won't finish year with Chandler police", "Babeu says he was victim of priest abuse", "Arizona sheriff Paul Babeu, originally from Western Mass., resigns from Mitt Romney's Arizona campaign after misconduct allegations by former lover", The Republican (Springfield, Massachusetts), "MA State Senate Berkshire, Hampden, Hampshire & Franklin Race", "It's official: Barrett and Babeu will square off again in race for mayor of North Adams", "Babeu kicks off his campaign with event at the Holiday Inn", "Legal trouble dogged Mass. They contended the foundation operated as a pass-through for funds for Babeu and Voyles. Yet he styles himself as the American Sheriff a moniker around which he has spent the past several years trying to build a national brand as a fervent defender of law enforcement. Help us fight for you and support local journalism.Subscribe to azcentral.com today. Two weeks before, in mid-June, the temperature was a newsworthy 110-plus degrees. Now in his second term, Shaun Babeu will be up for re-election in 2018. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. Better get an attorney. Initially, Lamb worked in pest control, with a focus on pigeons. independent local journalism in Phoenix. It could be his size hes 63, 240 pounds, or so he writes in his self-published book, American Sheriff: Traditional Values in a Modern World. | AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta. Cochise County uses RICO funds for scholarships, Governor signs bill to tighten rules on asset seizures by law enforcement. "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. In 2017, the FBI launched a probe into RICO expenditures in Pinal County and conducted an informal search of the Pinal County Sheriff's Office. Babeau said he intended to balance the department's budget by auctioning the equipment. 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.". 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. As KJZZs Dennis Lambert reports from Phoenix, Babeu will run for re-election as sheriff instead. Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board, for TV commercials featuring that damning home video. 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. He takes a hardline approach on immigration, for example, but when it comes to the government telling people to get vaccinated or declaring the 2020 election legitimate he fashions himself as more of a vigilante resister, with a heavy dose of anti-government, sometimes militant rhetoric. Republican Mark Lamb succeeded Babeu as sheriff.[34][35]. [16] Babeu led the third largest sheriff's office in Arizona with 700 full-time employees. 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. Become a member to support the independent voice of Phoenix 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. 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. Lamb is a frequent talking head on Fox News and Newsmax, where he derides President Joe Bidens and Vice President Kamala Harris handling of immigration, and he has spoken at political events like a Turning Point Action summit a few months ago in Phoenix, where he quoted Shakespeare and Thomas Paine (Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered) and promised, The sheriffs are going to hold the line., Sheriff Mark Lamb has jurisdiction over Pinal County, a stretch of desert wedged between Phoenix and Tucson thats home to about 500,000 people. Today its closer to 100, and a faint whisp of cloud floats in the sky, daring itself to cover the blazing sun. Join the New Times community and help support The terms were not disclosed. The FBI is asking new questions about Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu and his office's use of seized criminal money. 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. See also: Babeu Sticks It to Taxpayers and a Volunteer Rescue Team. Two of Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu's siblings believe their brother is unfit to be a U.S. Records show Babeu spent more than $53,000 to send 25 people to a weeklong conference in St. Louis at which he received a national award. [14] Babeu was reelected in 2012 with 53.3% of the votes, winning out over Democrat and independent candidates. January 8, 2013 If Fox calls, what are they going to do for me? But it didnt take long for him to begin leaning into national issues. and help keep the future of New Times, Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our. [21] After an Arizona Republic newspaper report, the Defense Logistics Agency directed Babeu "to retrieve vehicles and other equipment his office distributed to non-police organizations".[22]. The 34-year-old from central Mexico charges that the sheriff's lawyer warned against mentioning the affair with Babeu. In cases where money is distributed in advance, recipients must show it was used for the specific request. ABC15 has learned agents in the FBI . Forfeiture money paid for Voyles' personal security system, retirement contributions of employees in his office and fundraising for the Sheriff's Office, according to the lawsuit. Babeu was born on February 3, 1969, in North Adams, Massachusetts, to Raymond and Helen Babeu. "There wasdefinitely sloppy record-keeping and a lack of checks and balances," Ryan Anderson, the AG's director of communications, said. He was Pinal County's first Republican sheriff. But Jose Orozco refused. He sarcastically thanks Babeu for "notifying me that you were involuntarily forcing an 'at-will' position on mepunitively reducing my pay by approximately $15,000 [and] handing me as good a 'Constructive Termination' cause of action as I have ever seen.".
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