The Maricopa County coffers were drained of $3.75 million as settlement of a false arrest of owners of the Phoenix New Times by controversial Sheriff Joe Arpaio. The newspaper men were investigating Arpaio’s real estate investments to determine how he had the money to invest in major projects. The owners plan to use their settlement money to make grants to immigrant rights groups and the Electronic Frontier Foundation that fights government violation of speech rights on the Internet. (The Daily Kos, December 20, 2013, by AnnetteK)
Arpaio had conspired with the county attorney to appoint a special prosecutor to bring charges against the newspapermen after a County Attorney’s Office panel declined to prosecute and the Pinal County Attorney’s Office also declined to prosecute, “citing lack of evidence and First Amendment implications.” (Phoenix New Times, December 20, 2013, by Matthew Hendley)