A Pinal County supervisor and an immigrant-rights group are calling for investigations into Sheriff Paul Babeu, even as the attorney for the embattled lawman said Babeu will not ask for an outside review to clear his name.
Babeu, who won office promising county voters that he would clean house after government scandals and has touted his law-enforcement credentials in his bid for Congress, has repeatedly denied allegations that he threatened a Mexican ex-boyfriend with deportation to keep him quiet about their relationship.
Those allegations surfaced Friday in a newspaper story that also described suggestive photos posted by Babeu on dating websites and intimidating text messages he allegedly sent. The resulting media firestorm raised questions about the alleged threats and about Babeu’s personal conduct.
Andrew Hall, a California-based police-procedure and administration consultant, said other lawmen who have claimed to be wrongfully accused have asked for independent investigations — and subsequently been cleared.
But Chris DeRose, Babeu’s attorney and campaign manager, said that if the ex-boyfriend, identified only as Jose, believes his allegations against Babeu are credible, he should be the one to take them to law enforcement for investigation. The sheriff, he said, will not.
“This is all just silliness,” DeRose said. “It’s not even something we’ve seriously considered.”
Although Babeu claims that he, too, is a victim — in this case, of identity theft by Jose — Babeu has also declined to press charges.
February 21, 2012 3:18 PM
I just wanted to be able to post that headline.
Here's the story, from the International Business Times. Pinal County, Ariz. Sheriff Paul Babeu resigned his post as Mitt Romney's state campaign co-chairman, following the revelation on Saturday that he was involved in a homosexual relationship with a Mexican immigrant who claims he was threatened with deportation if he spoke out about their involvement.
Babeu publicly said he was gay and admitted to being in a relationship with the man, known only as Jose, but denied the allegation that he threatened his former lover, whose legal status remains unclear. Paul Babeu: Arizona Sheriff Quits Romney Campaign Over Gay Ex-Lover's Charges There's just something about this one that screams Twenty Twelve. It's got everything. Babeu is gearing up a campaign to run for Congress. He is President of the Arizona Sheriffs’ Association and was named the National Sheriff of the Year in 2011 by the National Sheriffs’ Association. He is a conservative who made his reputation with a rabid anti-immigration position, and now we learn his lover was an undocumented immigrant. And that he threatened to deport him if he outted him. He was Arizona co-chairman of Mitt Romney's presidential campaign and a friend of John McCain. It's got everything.
An Arizona professor and pollster said, "I don't see how any reasonable person cannot think that this is going to hurt him, particularly with the constituency that he has built, which is a very evangelical, right-wing, family oriented conservative constituency." See what I mean? Everything.
"Arizona Sheriff Quits Romney Campaign Over Gay Ex-Lover's Charges"
2 Comments -
C'mon Jim, it doesn't have EVERYTHING.
Where is the disable veteran, abused kitty cat, and Westboro Baptist Church?
;)
Cynthia
February 21, 2012 9:46 AM
Further inquiry on Pinal Sheriff Paul Babeu is sought
A Pinal County supervisor and an immigrant-rights group are calling for investigations into Sheriff Paul Babeu, even as the attorney for the embattled lawman said Babeu will not ask for an outside review to clear his name.
Babeu, who won office promising county voters that he would clean house after government scandals and has touted his law-enforcement credentials in his bid for Congress, has repeatedly denied allegations that he threatened a Mexican ex-boyfriend with deportation to keep him quiet about their relationship.
Those allegations surfaced Friday in a newspaper story that also described suggestive photos posted by Babeu on dating websites and intimidating text messages he allegedly sent. The resulting media firestorm raised questions about the alleged threats and about Babeu’s personal conduct.
Andrew Hall, a California-based police-procedure and administration consultant, said other lawmen who have claimed to be wrongfully accused have asked for independent investigations — and subsequently been cleared.
But Chris DeRose, Babeu’s attorney and campaign manager, said that if the ex-boyfriend, identified only as Jose, believes his allegations against Babeu are credible, he should be the one to take them to law enforcement for investigation. The sheriff, he said, will not.
“This is all just silliness,” DeRose said. “It’s not even something we’ve seriously considered.”
Although Babeu claims that he, too, is a victim — in this case, of identity theft by Jose — Babeu has also declined to press charges.
February 21, 2012 3:18 PM