Recall Effort Against Sheriff Joe Arpaio Fails

A liberal group, “Respect Arizona” failed in its effort to recall popular Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio, Thursday, but a voter group represented by Larry Klayman, is still suing Respect Arizona because he says the recall effort was illegal under Arizona law to begin with. 

Here is the press release from Klayman’s group, Citizens to Protect Fair Election Results:

 Today, predictably, the attempted recall of Sheriff Joe Arpaio by a group which ironically calls itself Respect Arizona, failed in its bid to begin a recall of this respected law enforcement official, who has just been reelected to office for a sixth term. While admitting that they did not get the required number of signatures to begin a recall, obviously because the people of Maricopa County are happy to have Sheriff Arpaio remain in office, the Respect Arizona spokesmen failed to mention that their attempted recall was illegal in any event, as not proscribed by the Arizona Constitution at Article 8, part 1, section 5, which prohibits a recall within six months after an elected official is sworn in. In this regard, the lawsuit filed by attorney Larry Klayman on behalf of the voters of Maricopa County, through his client, the Citizens to Protect Fair Election Results, is set for hearing on June 25, 2013 at 1:30 pm before Judge Michael Herrod.

“Despite Respect Arizona’s miserable failure to get the requisite number of signatures needed to conduct an illegal recall, prohibited by the Arizona Constitution, we maintain that the case must still be decided on the merits, as this abuse of process is capable of repetitive acts – that is other elected officials, including judges, could be subject to similar improper schemes to thwart the will of the voting public and nullify their votes. Moreover, the use of a premature and illegal recall effort to raise funds for an organization such as Respect Arizona, defrauds donors to the recall effort and wastes valuable county and state resources. It is thus no wonder that Respect Arizona has refused to make public the signatures which it claims to have collected, as they were procured under false pretenses,” stated Klayman.

 “The case against Respect Arizona and the county agencies which allowed this illegal attempted recall to go forward is thus proceeding in court, as this illegal conduct cannot be allowed to happen in the future. We need a ruling by the court upholding the Arizona Constitution, to protect the voters of this great state and elected officials and judges who won their elections fair and square,” added Klayman.