For years, since his first run at Congress, Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu has used his office to further that goal. It appears the effort has become more blatant of late as the Department’s Facebook page is now sharing posts that have little to do with Arizona politics and everything to do with the national debate.
On June 4, the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office posted at 10:13 a.m.:
So climate change is a greater threat to America than terrorism. This, according to #ABCnews . (linked here)
But, their own local affiliate, #ABC15 challenges the same information when Sheriff Paul says it……they say it’s “mostly false”. So which is is @ABC15 ?? It’s true you report it…Then why not when Sheriff Paul says it? @anthony_cave #factchecking
http://abcnews.go.com/…/climate-change-greater-threa…/ story…
On June 3, at 8:57 p.m. Pinal County Sheriff’s Office posted:
Past Gallup polls have shown that Americans confidence in the media to report “fully, accurately and fairly” has returned to its previous lowest level of 40%.Only four in 10 Americans express a “great deal” or a “fair amount” of confidence in newspapers, television and radio in reporting the news, which is a return to the lowest level, recorded in 2012.
Arizona has some media entities which do a great job to ensure their coverage is fair, accurate and not let personal agendas come into play in their reporting.
You may have seen a “Fact Check” story done by ABC15 intern reporter Anthony Cave. He asked our office for proof of Sheriff Paul Babeu’s statements referring to President Obama’s numerous public claims that global warming is the greatest threat to our national security. The reporter was originally told to Google search Obama’s statements and he would find it.
Mr. Cave said he tried but couldn’t find anything. A simple Google search by our office (took 5 minutes) was able to locate numerous examples of it reported by other media outlets such as CNN, CBS, U.S. NEWS, Breitbart and others. The links were provided to Mr. Cave and despite reviewing them he still claims Sheriff Paul Babeu’s statement is “mostly false.” Below are the links he was provided.
Mr. Cave is working on a second “Fact Check” and wants our office to prove the numbers of illegals apprehended in the Tucson Sector by Border Patrol are accurate. One can only assume he will say it to is “mostly false” even though the U.S. Border Patrol releases the numbers and posts them on their website.
Reporters or interns in this case like Mr. Cave is the reason 6 in 10 Americans distrust the media.
http://www.breitbart.com/…/22-times-obama-admin-declared-c…/
http://www.breitbart.com/…/obama-to-coast-guard-grads-clim…/
http://www.cnn.com/…/…/us/climate-change-us-obama/index.html
http://www.cbsnews.com/…/president-obama-fighting-climate-…/
http://www.cnsnews.com/…/obama-climate-change-greatest-thre…
http://www.usnews.com/…/obama-no-greater-threat-than-climat…
http://www.breitbart.com/…/doom-obama-previews-stern-warni…/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiXrn9X6kUk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hn5KCJWFBKs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWMeWwVEuBU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyS3ja6atpQ
While many Pinal County residents might share Babeu’s sentiments, they have questioned in the past his use of County resources, like the Sheriff’s Facebook page and RICO funds to promote himself and his political agenda. This latest use has spurred some to plan on contacting authorities to investigate the matter.
Arizona law is very specific. A.R.S. Title 11 reads:
§ 11-410 Use of county resources or employees to influence elections; prohibition; civil penalty; definitions
11-410. Use of county resources or employees to influence elections; prohibition; civil penalty; definitions
A. A county shall not spend or use its resources, including the use or expenditure of monies, accounts, credit, facilities, vehicles, postage, telecommunications, computer hardware and software, web pages, personnel, equipment, materials, buildings or any other thing of value, for the purpose of influencing the outcomes of elections. Notwithstanding this section, a county may distribute informational pamphlets on a proposed bond election as provided in section 35-454 if those informational pamphlets present factual information in a neutral manner. Nothing in this section precludes a county from reporting on official actions of the county board of supervisors.
B. The prohibition on the use of public resources to influence the outcome of bond, budget override and other tax-related elections includes the use of county-focused promotional expenditures that occur after an election is called and through election day. This prohibition does not include routine county communications.
C. This section does not prohibit the use of county resources, including facilities and equipment, for government-sponsored forums or debates if the government sponsor remains impartial and the events are purely informational and provide an equal opportunity to all viewpoints. The rental and use of a public facility by a private person or entity that may lawfully attempt to influence the outcome of an election is permitted if it does not occur at the same time and place as a government-sponsored forum or debate.
D. Employees of a county shall not use the authority of their positions to influence the vote or political activities of any subordinate employee.
E. The attorney general or the county attorney of the county in which an alleged violation of this section occurred may initiate a suit in the superior court in the county in which the alleged violation occurred for the purpose of complying with this section.
F. For each violation of this section, the court may impose a civil penalty not to exceed five thousand dollars plus any amount of misused funds subtracted from the county budget against a person who knowingly violates or aids another person in violating this section. The person determined to be out of compliance with this section is responsible for the payment of all penalties and misused funds. County funds or insurance payments shall not be used to pay these penalties or misused funds. All misused funds collected pursuant to this section shall be returned to the county whose funds were misused.
G. Nothing contained in this section shall be construed as denying the civil and political liberties of any employee as guaranteed by the United States and Arizona Constitutions.
H. For the purposes of this section:
1. ” Government-sponsored forum or debate” means any event, or part of an event or meeting, in which the government is an official sponsor, which is open to the public or to invited members of the public, and whose purpose is to inform the public about an issue or proposition that is before the voters.
2. ” Influencing the outcomes of elections” means supporting or opposing a candidate for nomination or election to public office or the recall of a public officer or supporting or opposing a ballot measure, question or proposition, including any bond, budget or override election and supporting or opposing the circulation of a petition for the recall of a public officer or a petition for a ballot measure, question or proposition in any manner that is not impartial or neutral.
3. ” Misused funds” means county monies or resources used unlawfully as proscribed by this section.
4. ” Routine county communications” means messages or advertisements that are germane to the functions of the county and that maintain the frequency, scope and distribution consistent with past practices or are necessary for public safety.