Maricopa County Attorney Alistair Adell, who has come under increasing scrutiny due to his battle with alcoholism and high-profile miscreants within the agency, is resigning.
Adel announced over the weekend that he would resign on March 25th. In a press statement Monday, Adell did not address the controversy swirling around his tenure, instead calling the announcement a thank you to supporters and officials in Maricopa County. Law firm.
“I have supported many of the Maricopa County Attorney’s Offices during my tenure, including policies that pursue justice in a fair and impartial manner, hold violent offenders accountable, protect the rights of crime victims, and keep families safe. We are proud of our accomplishments,” Adel said. .
The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors will appoint a new county attorney to replace Adell. It’s unclear what the timeline for that process will be. Supervisors on Monday scheduled a special election for the office to coincide with the previously scheduled Aug. 2 primary election and Nov. 8 general election. The winner of this election will serve out the remaining two years of the four-year term that Adel was elected to in 2020.
Get your morning headlines.
Adell was appointed in 2019 following the resignation of Bill Montgomery and was elected to a term that expired in 2020. She is the first woman to serve as Maricopa County Attorney.
Since her election, Adel’s tenure has been plagued by medical issues and controversy.
She was hospitalized on election night 2020 and underwent surgery for a brain hemorrhage. In September 2021, Adele will be quiet Entered rehab facility for alcohol abuse and eating disorder. Adele did not publicly disclose that she was in a rehab facility or report it to the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors. Sheriff Paul Penzone confronted her office..
Since then, she has faced criticism from within her agency for her prolonged absenteeism and professional conduct. asked her to resign. Adele says if department heads have problems with her leadership, they should resignnot her.
Adell has also faced criticism for his actions as county attorney. her office 15 people charged with gang-related charges People who were arrested during anti-police violence demonstrations but had their charges dropped after it became clearer The defendants were not actually part of a gang.. of Protesters are suing MCAO The company is seeking $10 million in damages.
Earlier this month, MCAO Forced to drop 180 misdemeanor criminal casesSome of those charges include DUI, domestic violence and assault after prosecutors forgot to file charges for a year. Adele initially said the issue did not show she was incompetent to run an office, insisting that the mistake was due to the failure of a small number of employees who did not perform their jobs properly. . she later said took full responsibility Regarding errors.
Adele is Arizona attorney’s multiple investigation targets About her alcohol problem and the false charges her office brought against protesters.
State bar spokesman Joe Hengemueller said. arizona mirror Adele reportedly informed her lawyer this morning of her decision to resign. He said the disciplinary investigation against Adel would continue. Hengemuller said he could not comment further on Adel’s resignation or the investigation into her. The lawyer confirmed last week that his lawyer met with Adele.
The Board of Supervisors will appoint Adel’s successor, who will serve at least until the November election. State law requires those appointed by the board to be Republicans, like Adel.
The timing of Adell’s resignation means the county will have to hold an election during the final two years of her term. The county attorney’s office is not normally up for election until 2024, but a special election will be held if a vacancy occurs with two or more years remaining in the term and if a vacancy occurs in the DA’s office before the filing deadline. State law states that it must be done. For candidates running for election that year.
Candidates for the 2022 primary must submit nomination petitions by April 4 to qualify for the ballot. That means if a county attorney election has to be held this year, candidates will only have up to 15 days to gather signatures. Petition. Republican candidates need to collect at least 4,500 signatures, while Democratic candidates need to collect at least about 4,300 signatures.
In her resignation statement, Adele made no mention of the issues and controversies that have surrounded her over the past year. She thanked MCAO employees for their work and the support of their families, friends, colleagues and constituents, and expressed confidence that “the important mission of the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office will continue.” She said being the first woman elected to lead MCAO is “an honor I will always cherish.”
Adell is stepping down as county attorney, but said, “My dedication and service to the community does not end here.”
Oversight Board Chairman Bill Gates said he believes Adell’s resignation is in the best interest of her, her family, the MCAO and the criminal justice system.
“We would like to thank Alistair Adell for her service to our residents as duly elected County Attorney. She brought fresh ideas and important reforms to the office, including a focus on diversion in criminal cases. “She has served us well in her direct interactions with the Board of Supervisors,” Gates said in a press statement Monday.
Gov. Doug Ducey last week called on Adele to take responsibility Citing 180 failures, she said her resignation was a “difficult, brave and deeply personal decision.”
“I respect her choice and wish her and her family the best. I would like to thank her for her contributions to the people of Maricopa County,” Ducey said in a press statement.
***Update: This story has been updated with additional information and comments.
You make our work possible.
