Based on this I predict that the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors will vote to give large sums of money to Andrew Thomas and Lisa Aubuchon to settle out of court. And then after that I bet they vote to give large sums of money to all the other Maricopa County employees that have filed claims over this issue.

I hope I am wrong, but sadly I think I will be right. Crime may not pay for common criminals but crime pays rather well for government criminals.

Source

Andrew Thomas', Aubuchon's private attorneys to be paid by Maricopa County

by Yvonne Wingett - Feb. 9, 2011 10:12 AM

The Arizona Republic

The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors on Wednesday morning approved an agreement for taxpayer-funded legal services for former County Attorney Andrew Thomas and former Deputy County Attorney Lisa Aubuchon.

Thomas and Aubuchon were at the center of failed public corruption cases launched over the last several years by the County Attorney's Office and Sheriff Joe Arpaio.

Supervisors Mary Rose Wilcox and Don Stapley, both targets of the corruption investigations, did not vote on the matter Wednesday and recused themselves and left the room.

Supervisors Andy Kunasek, Max Wilson and Fulton Brock approved the item, though all expressed reservations.

"I am going to reluctantly participate and support this measure," Brock said.

The decision means that the county will enter into a sole-source agreement with Karp & Weiss and Oberg to defend Thomas and with Woods & Wilson to defend Aubuchon in matters before the State Bar of Arizona.

Their conduct is under investigation by the state Bar, which has filed formal complaints against them for ethics violations. A legal ethicist has concluded that Thomas and Aubuchon should be disbarred if a Bar investigator's findings are proven.

The agenda item states that their representation cannot exceed $100,000 per law firm. The agreement is retroactive to Jan. 3. The county already has paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to defend the pair against Bar investigations and complaints. The funds will be charged to the County Attorney's Office budget.

Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery asked to put the issue before the board. Public records show that several county agencies also approved the agreement, including the County Manager's Office and the Office of Management and Budget.

Montgomery defended public financing for the defense of Aubuchon and Thomas, saying through a spokesman: "The fact that there is a recommendation for disbarment is an allegation that does not disqualify someone from representation in relation to their previous employment by Maricopa County. Regardless of assumptions about how substantiated or unsubstantiated such a recommendation is, it is important that this process be absolutely fair to all involved to ensure confidence in an unimpeachable and unassailable result."