Maricopa County has seen dark days.
Just two years ago, this place was getting pretty scary. Xenophobic rhetoric was becoming unacceptably acceptable, as we slipped into a statewide binge of racial scapegoating.
Government officials were literally jumping at shadows, while brown-shirted deputies went door-to-door by night, looking for dirt on judges at the homes of confused county employees.
Our sophisticated legal system turned into a cudgel, used to bludgeon county supervisors, and even judges, who stepped out of line.
But sometime last year, rays of hope broke through the dark clouds of corruption. It all started with the end of Andrew Thomas, who lost his race for Arizona Attorney General just in time to square off with Arizona State Bar.
After the drawn-out public flagellation of his ethics trial, Thomas should be good and done politically; if the man keeps his law license, it won’t be for lack of trying.
His successor has, so far, behaved respectably. An actual war veteran, Bill Montgomery seems less concerned than Thomas about notches on his belt.
In his first months, he culled dozens of overcharged cases from the capital docket, in a quiet reversal of the Thomas era tough-guy bluster, and reconciled his office with the county Board of Supervisors. Accessible, but not attention seeking, it’s almost like he’s taking his job seriously.
Watching Thomas reap what he’d so proudly sown, it seemed too much to dare hope Pearce might get his too. After the stunning Senate Bill 1070 uproar, Pearce presumed to speak for Arizona.
However, Republicans objected as the once-obscure ex-deputy with ties to ugly racists sunk deeper and deeper into mean-spirited ugliness. Not every lawmaker could stomach “birther” bills and “anchor baby” legislation in the same session.
As his own party rejected one nonsense bill after another, the newly crowned State Senate President started to look vulnerable. Drowning in the waters of an unprecedented recall, Pearce flailed out with his favorite campaign gimmick: racism.
The fake candidacy of Olivia Cortes in the recall election was more than just a dirty trick — her candidacy was a slap in the face for all Hispanics, making crystal clear just how dumb Pearce thought they were.
As poorly executed as it was conceived, that act of desperation showed all Arizonans that the emperor was naked. And last week, he fell from power.
Meanwhile, Joe Arpaio, who just months ago was forming chain-gangs for the All-Star Game and driving tanks around with Sly Stalone, has been sitting in Wells Fargo firing all his closest friends.
David Hendershott, his once Chief Deputy, went down with an Arpaio knife deep in his back, taking the fall for all the office’s worst missteps. Larry Black, the loyalist who blew off campaign finance laws to help his boss, is out on his butt too.
Arpaio’s even hired a “discipline consultant,” according to the Capitol Times, to address all the misconduct going on without his knowledge.
Not too long ago, we had embarrassments for prosecutors, sheriffs and legislative leaders. Pearce may rear his head again, in some other public capacity.
For now though, Joe Arpaio stands alone.
Reach the columnist at john.a.gaylord@asu.edu Click here to subscribe to the daily State Press newsletter.
