While Arpaio was basking in the spotlight at the Tampa Bay Zoo, things weren’t as good for the nation’s self-proclaimed “toughest sheriff” back in his home state of Arizona.
Apparently federal appeals court reinstated a suit against him, adding to his already long list a “federal civil rights and conspiracy lawsuit.” Think Progress has more:
A three judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on reinstated a lawsuit filed by Phoenix New Times owners Mike Lacey and Jim Larkin against Arpaio, rejecting his claims of immunity. Lacey and Larkin were arrested after the paper published information about extensive subpoenas they received following a story in which they published Arpaio’s home address.
The three-judge panel denied immunity to Arpaio because there was probable cause that he had violated Lacey’s and Larkin’s civil rights by retaliating and arresting the pair.
According to the Phoenix New Times:
“We get so used to really outrageous behavior by law enforcement that we forget,” Lacey said. “Did they really arrest and handcuff two journalists in the middle of the night and take them to jail? That doesn’t happen in America.”
In other news, Arpaio was interviewed by Fox News Latino at the Republican National Convention about the issue he’s most famous for: immigration.
According to the Sheriff, he’s just doing his job and just enforcing the law.
Lacey, Larkin and the immigrant population in Arizona would likely disagree.
