The Justice Department claims in its suit that the controversial Arizona lawman refused for more than a year to turn over records in an investigation into allegations his department discriminates against Hispanics.
“It surprises me because our lawyers have been meeting with the Justice Department officials the last week and we were cooperating,” Arpaio told Fox News’ Neil Cavuto. “Now all at once, I’m being sandbagged and they’re suing me.”
The lawsuit calls Arpaio and his office’s defiance “unprecedented,” and said the federal government has been trying since March 2009 to get officials to comply with its probe of alleged discrimination, unconstitutional searches and seizures, and having English-only policies in his jails that discriminate against people with limited English skills.
Arpaio had been given until Aug. 17 to hand over documents it first asked for 15 months ago.
