Gov and sheriff: It's my money, no it's mine
May 15th, 2008 @ 6:29am
by Kevin Tripp and Bob McClay/KTAR

Gov. Janet Napolitano and Sheriff Joe Arpaio continue their war over $1.6 million, with the governor saying it belongs to a statewide task force to hunt fugitives and the sheriff vowing to reclaim the money for his fight against illegal immigration.

Arpaio told News/Talk 92-3 KTAR's Larry Gaydos Wednesday night that he has a message for the governor: ``If you think you're going to cut my head off by taking away my money -- the money the Legislature gave me to enforce the human smuggling law -- it's not going to work."

Arpaio vowed that he will get the money back.

``That money is mine, it was used to enforce illegal immigration laws. They can't stop me because I'm the elected sheriff, thank God, and I report directly to the people, nobody else," Arpaio said.

The sheriff said he expects the Legislature to investigate and to return the money to him. He picked up some support from House Speaker Jim Weiers, R-Phoenix, who said the governor did not have the power to take the money from the sheriff's office and give it to a fugitive task force headed by the Arizona Department of Public Safety.

The governor, however, was undaunted, by Weiers' claims.

``It's pretty common when he disagrees with me, he says I don't have the power," Napolitano said.

She said her order does not violate the appropriation bill passed by the Legislature.

``It doesn't because of the way that the task force will be organized and prioritized. We will abide by the language in the footnote in the budget."

Napolitano added, ``The actual intergovernmental agreement between the sheriff's office and the Department of Public Safety that was the beginning of this says specifically that the DPS can change or alter it or end it at will, and Sheriff Joe signed that agreement."

Meanwhile, Hispanic leaders who claim the sheriff's anti-immigration efforts amount to racial profiling, lined up on the side of the governor.

Salvador Reza, head of So Mos America, said Arpaio's defiant attitude ``gets old."

``We've been hearing that for a long time. It gets old. You're responsible for one of the biggest counties in the United States, so act responsibly," Reza said in a message to the sheriff.

Reza said Arpaio is out of control and, ``We thank the governor for standing up to Sheriff Joe and for doing what's right."

In ordering that the money go to the fugitive task force, Napolitano said, ``We ought to focus it on those we already know have broken the law and are dangerous to the community. And that is what this task force is designed to do."

Arpaio, meanwhile, accused the governor of joining Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon and Maricopa County Supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox in a conspiracy against him.

"I got news for the governor, I've got news for the mayor, I've got news for Mary Rose Wilcox - money or no money, I guarantee you, we will fight this illegal immigration problem and Mesa, Arizona is our next stop," Arpaio said.

The governor responded to the sheriff, ``Don't take it personally. This is a law enforcement decision and you've seen law enforcement decisions made in the past."

Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas, an ally of Arpaio's, promised an investigation.

"Our office has been asked to and will look into the legality of the governor's actions," Thomas said. "There were agreements signed and agreements now are not being honored so we will be looking into that issue."

Former Democratic state lawmaker Alfredo Gutierrez, now an immigrants' activist, joined Reza in applauding the governor's decision to end the contract with the sheriff.

``The goal is to continue this debate and resolve the immigration issue, but to stop with this clown-like behavior of the sheriff," Gutierrez said.

He said the sheriff is not the solution to the illegal immigration problem.

``It isn't about having these Nazi-like spectacles going on within the City of Phoenix," Gutierrez said. ``He contributes nothing, nothing to a resolution of this problem."

He added, ``What the sheriff has done has taken a gardener or a housekeeper and made them the moral equivalent of a murderer and a rapist .

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