New Times nails Arpaio-Stapley double standard
Thank God for the Phoenix New Times.

In this time of newspaper retrenchments and increased timidity, I knew we could count on the New Times to raise the obvious question. The sub-head in Sarah Fenske's article this week covers it completely: "Don Stapley's biggest crime? Failing to hid his real estate dealings as well as Joe Arpaio did."

Sure, the New Times hates Sheriff Arpaio and his bumbling sidekick, County Attorney Andrew Thomas. They have good reason after the draconian Thomas-Arpaio assault, led by hired gun Dennis Wilenchik, Thomas's old boss, that resulted in the arrest of New Times owners Michael Lacey and Jim Larkin. That Arpaio-Thomas witch hunt fell apart as soon as the public got a whiff of Maricopa County "justice" in action.

Read Sarah Fenske's article, "No Honor Among Thieves," and tell me where she's wrong. You may not like the New Times, for any number of reasons, but here's another example of why they're one of the very few sources of courageous journalism in the Valley today.

A sample from the lead:

The world's pettiest law enforcement duo is at it again. Sheriff Joe Arpaio and County Attorney Andrew Thomas have socked Maricopa County Supervisor Don Stapley with 118 felony counts for -- gasp! -- failing to fill out paperwork properly.

I'm not exaggerating. The 39-page indictment issued against Stapley last week is full of serious-sounding allegations: perjury, forgery, false swearing. But here's what it comes down to. Stapley listed his real estate investment company on financial disclosure forms with the county. But for fourteen years, he failed to list the company's holdings.

That's it.

Maricopa County Supervisor Indicted
Veteran Supervisor Don Stapley has been indicted on more than 100 felony and misdemeanor counts largely involving failure to make required financial disclosures. He vows to fight the charges.
Read the Arizona Republic and East Valley Tribune stories here and here.

Stapley, a Republican, was easily reelected a month ago. His district includes Scottdale, Mesa, Paradise Valley, Gilbert and parts of Phoenix. He was first elected to the Board of Supervisors in 1994.

The charges are an embarrassment to the National Association of Counties. Stapley is president of the organization, which represents more than 2,000 counties.

Arizona has one of the nation's toughest financial disclosure laws for public officials and candidates. A copy of the law is here, and an example of the financial disclosure form is here.