Goddard on Thomas

Attorney General Terry Goddard using the dust up between Andy Thomas and the New Times as an opportunity to demand that Thomas' investigation of Goddard's office be dropped as well. 

The local media has plenty of coverage, but I thought the original letter was pretty interesting, so I thought I would privide the full text.

Here's a good example of the press coverage. 

A high-stakes political fight involving three of the state's top law-enforcement officials reached a boil Wednesday, with Attorney General Terry Goddard calling an investigation of his office a "political witch hunt" and Sheriff Joe Arpaio accusing Goddard of attempting to intimidate investigators.

In a three-page letter, Goddard demanded that Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas immediately transfer to another agency a bribery investigation involving a payment made from the state Treasurer's Office to Goddard's office last year.

Here's Bob Robb pointing out that Goddard is being opportunistic.

Terry Goddard is being opportunistic with his letter demanding that the investigation of his office be transferred to another agency and taken out of the hands of Andrew Thomas and Joe Arpaio. The duo are looking into whether Goddard went soft on former state Treasurer David Petersen in exchange for Petersen's office paying a legal fee to Goddard's office.

Comments

[Ann]

Where is his concern that a state law may have been violated by KPNX?

[Sal]

Um forgot this part:

"Regardless of the timing, Goddard does have a point. Thomas supposedly appointed independent counsel in the New Times matter to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest given that New Times, as Thomas put it, hasn't been a fan of his. Certainly the conflict in the Goddard matter is much more concrete.

The interests of justice and the body politic would also argue for the investigation being transferred. Goddard believes than any truly independent and responsible law enforcement agency will dismiss the charge pretty quickly. If so, the sooner the better. And if there is something there, it would be better being pursued by other officials. At this point, any actual charges filed in the Petersen matter by Thomas and Arpaio would be viewed quite skeptically by much of the public."

[Timothy]

Transfer the AG investigation to whom? Unforutnately Maricopa County dwarfs the other counties, and the while the others may be equipped to handle their own problems, they probably cannot, and do not want to, handle those of the state capitol plus the county that makes up 60% of the state population.

Half the time I read here and elsewhere that Thomas should back off Russ Jones, and the other half that he should back off Goddard. Gee, that's starting to sound fair.

And if I could grudgingly and humbly mince a few of Robb's words, the county attorney does not appoint "independent counsel" but "special counsel" that he can fire anytime (think the opposite of Kenneth Starr, Fitzgerald, et al). And there's not an "appearance of conflict" here, there is an actual conflict between Goddard and Thomas, Goddard and Arpaio, Goddard and Peterson, and Goddard and Martin. So if we're going to have a criminal investigation, loaded with political implications, Goddard should probably be the last one involved.

[Cindy]

Can I just admit what I think many of us are feeling? I like Thomas and I know that Goddard is our political opponent\enemy here but I am just tired of this whole investigation... Just tired. It doesn't seem to go anywhere and I just see more people turned off by Thomas with all these investigations. He has such a bright career ahead of him. He is one of the few taking on illegal immigration. He can be so much if he JUST focused on illegal immigration and left all these press heavy cases only. There can only be one sheriff joe in town Andy, Please stop this madness!

[SonoranSam]

Investigations are routinely transferred between county attorneys because of the APPEARANCE of a conflict of interest. it would be very appropriate in this case.

I agree with Cindy that the whole stinking mess is simply tiresome. Pass it on to someone with a modicum of immunity from the political sniping, and let's all move on.

BTW, Greg: There's a big difference between asking that an investigation be handed off and demanding that it be dropped. Since you love to throw rocks at the glass houses of journalists, you should be prepared to duck as well on occasion.

[Mesa Republican George]

Sorry Cindy, but you definately are not accurately expressing my feelings. I think Thomas is a nut and an embarassment to the conservative movement.