It also underscores why Babeu is the only elected Pinal County official who refused to sign onto the county-wide policy forbidding employee politicking.
Entitled ”speaking in their own words,” the television commercial intones: “Listen to what the voters are saying about Paul Babeu,”
However, the commercial’s unidentified “voters” turn out to be none other than Babeu’s hired hands. Actors made available by central casting operating out of the Sheriff’s Office.
When questioned about using public employees for his political commercials, the chief law enforcement officer, and congressman-wannabe, characterized the television commercial actors as “volunteers.”
Where else did we hear this “volunteer” excuse? Oh yes, during the unraveling of Sheriff Paul’s sexual relationship with his Mexican immigrant campaign employee. When his violation of federal law forbidding employment of an unauthorized Mexican immigrant surfaced, the “rule of law” sheriff unconvincingly defended his lover’s connection to the Babeu congressional campaign as a “volunteer” worker.
With this week’s new PCSO staff-infused campaign commercials, the sheriff’s serial violations of campaign laws reached a new level of arrogance. It is as if words of law have no meaning in his Sheriff’s Office-centered political campaign. This disregard for truth was also on display when the self-described American hero last graced the Board of Supervisors. At that meeting last month, the full-throated critic of federal deficits blithely walked out after his budget update slide-show, declaring his PCSO budget was not only balanced but that he had also achieved a surplus -- despite the pesky reality of a $1.6 million deficit staring out of his very own power point presentation.
Babeu’s pathological absorption with political advancement continues to bring disrepute to Pinal County’s law enforcement agency. Moreover, it continues to engulf additional county employees who are getting mired deeper and deeper in violation of the law.
His unidentified, so-called “volunteer” PCSO employees must recognize that by “speaking in their own words” in the political commercial they’ve pulled themselves into the broadening anti-corruption investigations of Babeu’s collapsing and illegal political machinations.
Sheriff Paul is clearly and boldly exercising his hold over the livelihood of public employees beholden to him. To the PCSO professional law enforcement personnel I say: you do not have to volunteer for political campaigns in order to retain your public employment!
And to Paul Babeu, listen to what this voter is saying. The ultimate supremacy of federal law will bring an end to your continuing abuse of authority and your continuing conversion of public resources for your personal political gain.
Paul Babeu, you are not above the law!
