Anti-Defamation League asks for Arpaio investigation
263 commentsby Casey Newton and JJ Hensley - Apr. 11, 2008 06:21 PM
The Arizona Republic
The Arizona chapter of the Anti-Defamation League called on the Justice Department to investigate Sheriff Joe Arpaio's recent crackdowns on illegal immigrants in Phoenix and Guadalupe, saying the sweeps had led to racial profiling.

The chapter's executive director, Bill Straus, and the chairman of its board, David Bodney, said recent criticisms of the sheriff deserved a full investigation.

"We are deeply troubled by allegations of profiling that have surfaced recently in the media and from leaders of the Latino community," Straus and Bodney wrote in a joint statement. "Numbers of people have been detained during the 'sweeps', but not all of them have been found to be undocumented. This raises serious questions about the process and its effect upon the community."
Bodney, an attorney, often represents The Arizona Republic on First Amendment cases.

Arpaio said he was taken aback by ADL's statement, given his past support for the organization.

"I'm a little surprised, because I've been a big supporter," Arpaio said. "I've done a lot of work with Bill Straus and that organization," Arpaio said. "I'm surprised they're going to Washington and making these allegations without knowing the true story."

The sheriff said a letter signed by seven state legislators asking deputies to bring his operations to the East Valley carried more weight.

"The legislators are asking me to go to enforce the law, and the ministers are asking me not to enforce the law," he said. "They say it's immoral for me to do it, but the Legislature makes the laws and I enforce the laws."

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/ ... l0412.html