Thread: Sharpton in Arizona to discuss alleged profiling

PHOENIX (AP) -- The Rev. Al Sharpton is calling for opponents of an Arizona sheriff who has aggressively cracked down on illegal immigration to videotape alleged racial profiling by his office.

The civil rights leader is scheduled to meet with Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio on Friday. Sharpton says the videos will help the U.S. Department of Justice in an investigation of alleged civil rights abuses by the sheriff's office.

Critics say sheriff's deputies racially profiled people during immigration and crime sweeps in some Latino areas of metropolitan Phoenix.

Sharpton has called for Arpaio's resignation or removal from office.

Arpaio says people pulled over in the sweeps were approached because deputies had probable cause to believe they had committed crimes

http://tinyurl.com/nxcotz

Sharpton is a joke. Who cares what he says or does anymore other than his posse that follows his sorry azz around...?

Sharpton, Arpaio to meet Friday afternoon in Phoenix

44 comments by JJ Hensley - Jun. 19, 2009 09:59 AM
The Arizona Republic

Rev. Al Sharpton arrived in Maricopa County for a Friday meeting with Sheriff Joe Arpaio, but the New York-based activist has a full load of meetings and media appearances before the two divisive icons come face-to-face this afternoon.

Sharpton's morning was set to start at Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church in downtown Phoenix where Sharpton was scheduled to meet with community members, including some who've leveled allegations of racial profiling at Arpaio and his deputies.

Sharpton will entertain the media for 30 minutes beginning at 9 a.m., but the real show will take place on the 19th Floor of the Wells Fargo Building at 1:30 p.m. where Sharpton will meet face-to-face with Arpaio.

The two men are scheduled to have dueling news conferences after their rendezvous before both appear this afternoon on CNN's "Lou Dobbs Tonight."

Sharpton called for Arpaio's resignation earlier this year after the Department of Justice launched a civil investigation into the patterns and practices of Arpaio's enforcement.

Arpaio responded that Sharpton was "living in fantasyland" if he thought the sheriff was going to step down.



http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/ ... 19-ON.html

http://www.abc15.com/

Rev Sharpton takes aim at immigration reform in Valley visit
Reported by: Susan Casper
Email: scasper@abc15.com
Last Update: 7:50 am


PHOENIX -- Civil rights leader Reverend Al Sharpton arrives in the Valley Friday morning in hopes of stopping what many call civil rights violations in Maricopa County.

Sharpton has a busy day of events planned including a meeting with alleged victims of racial profiling and a closed door face off with Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio.

A handful of civil rights activists are hosting an all day unity rally pushing for comprehensive immigration reform. The sponsors include Pastor Ben Thomas, Tanner Chapel AME; Bishop Alexis Thomas, Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church; Supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox, Arizona Latino Commission; ACORN and the National Action Network.

Rev. Sharpton is highly critical of Sheriff Arpaio's controversial suppression crime sweeps and has demanded the sheriff either resign or be removed from office because of alleged civil rights abuses.

Sheriff Arpaio has taken a strong stance against undocumented immigration conducting over a half dozen crime sweeps in predominately Hispanic communities across the Valley. The immigration raids have led to more than one thousand arrests.

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are also looking into allegations of unconstitutional immigration enforcement tactics by the sheriff.

During a June 3 interview with ABC15, Sheriff Arpaio blasted Sharpton's visit.

"I've been elected five times by the people of Maricopa County," argues Arpaio. "We don't need him to come down here and tell me that I have to resign because he doesn't like the way I enforce the illegal immigration laws."

Sharpton has accepted an invitation to meet one-on-one with Sheriff Arpaio Friday to discuss undocumented immigration enforcement policies.

Sheriff Arpiao said he's not at all optimistic about changing the Reverend's mind, saying he expects to agree to disagree about how to properly proceed with immigration enforcement.

Reverend Al Sharpton's schedule during Valley visit:

7:30-9 a.m. - Featured speaker at a Unity Prayer Service & Breakfast

Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church, Gymnasium
1401 E. Jefferson

10 a.m. -1 p.m. - Live radio broadcast "The Al Sharpton Show"

El Portal Restaurant
117 W. Grant

* A new location may be selected due to Sheriff Arpaio's criminal investigation against El Portal owner and Maricopa County Supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox and her husband.

1:30 p.m. - Rev. Sharpton vs. Sheriff Arpaio in a closed door meeting

PHOENIX MEDIA LINKS TO FOLLOW STORY


http://www.kpho.com/index.html cbs, channel 5

http://www.abc15.com/default.aspx abc, channel 15

http://www.azcentral.com/12news/ nbc, channel 12

http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/ fox, channel 10

http://www.azcentral.com/ The arizona republic. Phonix newspaper

PROGRAM REMINDER.
SET those VCR's and DVD players

Sharton and Arpaio on Lou Dobbs "FACE OFF" segment on Friday evenings show. june 19th

Link if you want to listen to 'rev' al's show

http://www.sharptontalk.net/#
1-4 eastern

jamesw62 wrote:

Link if you want to listen to 'rev' al's show

http://www.sharptontalk.net/#
1-4 eastern

Thanks, but I think I'll pass. There is nothing that puffed-up self-righteous crusader for injustice could say that I care to listen here.

Sharpton takes aim at immigration reform in Valley visit
Reported by: Susan Casper
Email: scasper@abc15.com
Reported by: Corey Rangel
Last Update: 6:04 pm

Related Links
Arpaio to Sharpton: 'My resignation is not an option'
Sheriff Arpaio to meet with Rev. Sharpton about ‘injustices’
Sheriff tells critic he refuses to step down from his post
Slideshow Sheriff Joe Arpaio Click the play button on the video window to the right to see the story

PHOENIX -- Civil rights leader Reverend Al Sharpton arrived in the Valley Friday morning to meet one-on-one with Sheriff Joe Arpaio hoping to stop what many call civil rights violations in Maricopa County.

"We didn't come to start trouble, we came to stop trouble," said Sharpton as he addressed a crowd, of mostly supporters, at Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church in Phoenix.

Sharpton spoke to the crowd after meeting with alleged victims of racial profiling.

"Let me make this clear -- we are not here about Sheriff Joe as much as we're here about citizen Jose," Sharpton said. "I would not fly all the way across country to engage in the personality of Sheriff Joe but I would fly anywhere to protect the rights of citizen Jose."

While talking to the crowd at Pilgrim Rest, Sharpton criticized Arpaio's immigration tactics.

"You cannot have a back of the bus immigration policy where those of a certain color is automatically put in the back of a police van and have to prove themselves innocent," he said. "You're supposed to be innocent until proven guilty."

A crowd of Arpaio supporters gathered outside the church holding signs showing their support of the sheriff's actions.

"This man [Arpaio] is enforcing the laws of this country," said Anna Gaines, an Arpaio supporter.

"We're not against immigrants. Immigrants come through the front door legally, as I did," said Gaines, who said she immigrated to the United States from Mexico in 1960.

After the closed door meeting Friday afternoon, both sides agreed to disagree.

"I did emphasize I'm not changing and he understands that I'm not going to change the way I operate," said Arpaio, after the meeting.

Despite a war of words leading up to the meeting, Arpaio called the meeting cordial and said it went well.

"At least I could get my side out with all these demonstrators and local politicians finding fault with me ... I really appreciated him talking with me whether he agrees with me or not," added Arpaio.

"My meeting with the sheriff was very blunt and I knew coming in how we felt about each others politics. I thought it was civil but I thought it was very frank," said Sharpton. "I don't think he's moved on his positions and I certainly haven't moved on mine."

While at the church, Sharpton also told the audience he plans to start monitoring and videotaping the actions of sheriff's deputies.

"We're gonna start some freedom rides in this county to show how people of a certain skin color is treated different," promised Sharpton.

Sharpton has been highly critical of Sheriff Arpaio's controversial suppression crime sweeps and has demanded the sheriff either resign or be removed from office because of alleged civil rights abuses.

Arpaio has taken a strong stance against undocumented immigration conducting over a half dozen crime sweeps in predominately Hispanic communities across the Valley. The immigration raids have led to more than 1,000 arrests.

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are also looking into allegations of unconstitutional immigration enforcement tactics by the sheriff.

During a June 3 interview with ABC15, Sheriff Arpaio blasted Sharpton's visit.

"I've been elected five times by the people of Maricopa County," argues Arpaio. "We don't need him to come down here and tell me that I have to resign because he doesn't like the way I enforce the illegal immigration laws."

Sheriff Arpaio said he's not at all optimistic about changing Sharpton's mind, saying he expects to agree to disagree about how to properly proceed with immigration enforcement.

http://www.abc15.com/content/news/phoen ... 3P1lg.cspx

Sheriff, Sharpton Talk Immigration
Omadelle Nelson
Reporter, KPHO.com

POSTED: 5:31 pm MST June 19, 2009
UPDATED: 6:48 pm MST June 19, 2009


PHOENIX -- The Rev. Al Sharpton said he came to the valley to meet Sheriff Joe Arpaio, because he's disturbed by the allegations against the sheriff.

The sheriff said he told Sharpton not to believe everything he hears or reads in the media, but to have an open mind.

The never-ending debate over illegal immigration took over the breezeway of the Wells Fargo building Friday.

There were dueling protests, with folks on both sides, trying to convince the other of their viewpoint.

"It's not a human rights issue. It has nothing to do with human rights,â€