Thanks to the East Valley Tribune for staying on top of the story of Arizona Democrat A.G. Terry Goddard's actions and orders that could have a chilling effect on an independent criminal investigation.
Attorney General Terry Goddard improperly used legal tactics in an effort to hinder a criminal investigation in his office, Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas contends in a lawsuit filed Monday.
Thomas asked a judge to override the demands of a private lawyer that he be notified before sheriff’s investigators try to interview any current or former employees of the attorney general’s office. Goddard hired the lawyer to help the attorney general’s office handle the county investigation.
In the motion filed Monday in Maricopa County Superior Court, Thomas called the tactic an improper attempt to interfere with the county’s investigation of a $1.9 million payment of state funds to the attorney general’s office last year.
This is all part of an investigation that is being undertaken by the Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio and the County Attorney Andrew Thomas.
Arpaio and Thomas announced in April they were investigating whether Goddard cut a deal with former state Treasurer David Petersen, giving Petersen light treatment in exchange for authorization of a $1.9 million payment to the attorney general’s office last year for legal fees in an unrelated civil case.
Petersen pleaded guilty in October to a single misdemeanor charge of failing to list about $4,200 in commissions from a nonprofit organization on his state financial disclosure reports.
Petersen’s plea agreement came after an eight-month investigation by Goddard’s office.
See, the lawyer Goddard and Co. retained to represent them in this $1.9 million matter demanded that he be notified when Goddard's employees are interviewed by prosecutors. I guess it's important that Goddard and his lawyer know which employees are talking to the prosecutors so they can print up their “Whistle Blower” appreciation certificates when they come back to the office.
It's hot in Arizona in the summer, but things like this can really put a chill in the air.

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