The U.S. Department of Justice filed its lawsuit against Maricopa Sheriff Joe Arpaio Thursday and the first and most obvious question is: What took you so long? If you’ve lived in Arizona for any amount of time you KNEW that Arpaio would not cooperate voluntarily. It’s not his nature. He’s been the elected potentate of a sheriff’s department for 20 years and reinforces, again and again, that he only works for people who elect him. An re-elect him. And so on. At a press conference this morning Assistant Attorney General Thomas Perez discussed the primary sticking point in his department’s inability to get Arpaio to negotiate a settlement. He said, “We made it clear orally and in writing that a settlement would require an independent monitor. Later that month we gave MCSO and the sheriff a 128-paage draft settlement agreement which we hoped would serve as a framework for further discussion. Unfortunately these further discussion were brief and discussion broke down apparently becaus
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