Garcia absolved of wrongdoing in Arpaio Piñata flap
By Linda Bentley | September 17, 2008

County administrator says Garcia ‘is truly remorseful’.
TUCSON – Following a July protest against Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio outside a Tucson Barnes and Noble bookstore organized by Pima County Legal Defender Isabel Garcia, Pima County Administrator Chuck Huckleberry became inundated with complaints.
Garcia’s participation included passing out flyers and parading around with the head of a decapitated piñata effigy of Arpaio.

After initiating a review, Huckleberry issued a report last week, in which he concluded Garcia was acting as a private citizen on her own time, had nothing to do with the Arpaio piñata being brought to the event, did not encourage student protesters to strike the piñata, did not advocate any actual physical threats against Arpaio and, therefore, did not violate any county policies.

Although Huckleberry’s review focused on this single incident, Pima County citizens have complained for over a decade that Garcia’s conduct is unbefitting a public employee.
In his report, Huckleberry stated, “In my conversation with Isabel Garcia … she is truly remorseful regarding this matter. I had previously instructed her to not respond to media inquiries relating to this incident. She has complied. I asked her to fully document her recollection of the incident. She has complied. I asked for her apology regarding the difficulty incurred by Pima County regarding this incident. She has complied … My expectations regarding this matter as it may relate to future activity have been clearly conveyed to Ms. Garcia.â€