The Goldwater Institute is asking a federal judge to allow Maricopa County taxpayers to see how public funds have been spent during more than a decade of federal oversight of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO).
In a friend-of-the-court brief filed on Tuesday, Goldwater urged the U.S. District Court to reconsider a 2014 order that keeps the federal monitor’s invoices confidential. Under that order, the court-appointed monitor, Warshaw & Associates, submits billing records exclusively to the judge, placing them outside public view.
Scrutiny of the court-appointed monitor has been growing in recent weeks. Over $300 million has been spent on oversight in the past 14 years, with approximately 10% going to the court monitor, Robert Warshaw, according to Maricopa County Board of Supervisors Chairman Thomas Galvin. The Board submitted a court filing in December asking the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona to end federal oversight of MCSO. Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell agreed in a post to X, writing, “There is no defense for this ‘federal monitor.”
Vice President for Legal Affairs at the Goldwater Institute, Timothy Sandefur, explained, “That means Maricopa County taxpayers have no way of knowing how their tax dollars are being spent on one of the most important services the county provides.”
“Although the Goldwater Institute has repeatedly requested copies of these invoices, the county does not have itemized statements, and the federal monitor refused to produce them,” he added. “But as we point out in the brief we filed on Tuesday, the government should not be allowed to keep such information secret unless there’s good reason, and even then, they’re required to specify what those reasons are. The court in this case has never done so—and even if it had, circumstances have changed in the decade since the lawsuit began.”
The filing comes as Maricopa County separately argues that continued federal oversight of MCSO under the Melendres v. Arpaio ruling is no longer justified. In a pending motion, the county contends that the sheriff’s office has implemented substantial reforms and that the monitorship should be terminated.
In its brief, Goldwater argues that the continued sealing of the monitor’s invoices prevents taxpayers from knowing how their money is being spent and undermines transparency principles embedded in Arizona and federal law.
“History did not end in 2014, and continued federal oversight of MCSO cannot be based on decade-old facts,” the brief states. “It’s crucial that Maricopa County taxpayers be permitted to know where their tax dollars are going — and that’s hindered by the existing orders and continued federal oversight without a full public accounting.”
The court has not yet ruled on either Maricopa County’s motion to end federal oversight or Goldwater’s request for public access to the monitor’s billing records.
Corporate media is making the case that the state’s largest sheriff’s office still needs federal oversight for racial profiling.
ABC 15 aired a segment criticizing a court filing requesting an end to the decade-long federal oversight of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO). The oversight emerged from the Melendres v. Arpaio case, a class action complaint against allegedly racially motivated detentions that occurred during illegal migrant sweeps.
FOIAzona caught reporting errors made within a report by ABC 15 that no longer appears to be published, including the claim that MCSO filed the court motion.
However, it was the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors (MCBOS) who submitted that court filing earlier this month. MCBOS has budgetary power over MCSO.
In their court filing, MCBOS made the case that MCSO had long ago achieved 100 percent compliance in remedying issues of racially motivated detentions. The county argued that further federal oversight would only divert critical funds for public safety.
In a video explaining the filing, MCBOS Chairman Thomas Galvin said the end to federal oversight was long overdue.
“After 14 years, four sheriffs, and hundreds of millions of spent tax dollars, it is essential to defend taxpayer money if federal oversight is no longer warranted,” said Galvin. “All that’s left to enforce are matters unrelated to discriminatory policing which should be left to the sheriff who was elected by you: the Maricopa County residents.”
The 14 years of oversight have cost the county over $300 million in compliance. Around ten percent of those payments went to the court monitor, Robert Warshaw.
Leading up to MCBOS filing were months of allegations that Warshaw has a financial incentive to continue federal oversight of MCSO. Warshaw has earned over $30 million in monitor fees since taking on oversight of MCSO in January 2014 — around $3 million annually.
Warshaw faces similar accusations of exploiting federal oversight orders for personal gain in connection to his 15-plus years of monitoring the Oakland Police Department in California. There he earns over $1 million annually.
Warshaw has also earned millions from federal monitor assignments in New York, Michigan, and Louisiana.
Warshaw formerly served as the deputy drug czar for the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy under former President Bill Clinton.
Almost a decade ago, Judicial Watch reported on allegations that Warshaw allegedly employed “harsh” tactics that distracted from the county’s law enforcement activities.
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said Warshaw’s presence is no longer warranted.
“There is no defense for this ‘federal monitor,’” said Mitchell. “One more reason I like to get my news from the non-fiction section.”
There is no defense for this "federal monitor". One more reason I like to get my news from the non-fiction section. https://t.co/XcDTqWM4nL
— Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell (@Rachel1Mitchell) December 29, 2025
Mitchell has been a vocal critic of Warshaw’s continued presence.
“It’s time we stop talking about Joe Arpaio — he is long gone and has been replaced by 3 different sheriffs from both political parties — and start talking about why the federal monitor, Robert Warshaw, is dragging this on and on,” said Mitchell in a May post. “Maricopa taxpayers should be outraged that we are at $350 million. Warshaw has no incentive to wrap this up.”
Back in October, Congressman Andy Biggs also asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to lift MCSO’s federal oversight. Supervisors Mark Stewart and Debbie Lesko, along with Mitchell, offered their support for the letter.
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Maricopa County officials are asking a federal judge to rein in what they describe as years of mission creep by the court-appointed monitor overseeing reforms within the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO), arguing that the agency has fully complied with the policy changes required under a landmark racial-profiling case.
In a new legal filing submitted last week in Sheridan v. Melendres—a case that began nearly two decades ago over civil-rights violations during traffic stops—Board of Supervisors Chairman Thomas Galvin and Vice Chair Kate Brophy McGee contend that the county has long met the terms of the court’s orders and that continued federal intervention is no longer justified.
The filing points to a central argument: since the court issued its first injunctive order, MCSO has undergone sweeping reforms, leadership changes, and years of federal scrutiny. “Since the issuance of the Court’s first injunctive order, fourteen years have passed, three new Sheriffs have taken office (from both political parties), MCSO has achieved 100% compliance with required policy changes, and there have been zero new allegations of targeted immigration enforcement by MCSO,” the document states.
At the heart of the county’s challenge is the work of federal monitor Robert Warshaw, who has overseen MCSO’s compliance efforts for nearly 15 years. According to the filing, Warshaw and his team have collected more than $30 million in fees during that time. County leaders say they have been increasingly frustrated with what they describe as an expansion of Warshaw’s role—particularly his recent “audit” of county spending related to the case. They argue that federal oversight was intended to ensure constitutional policing practices, not to scrutinize local budgeting decisions.
“In today’s legal filing, we highlight how far the federal monitor has strayed from his original charge,” Galvin and Brophy McGee wrote in a joint statement. “Digging into county finances and trying to minimize the cost of Melendres compliance is not just an insult to taxpayers, it’s beyond the federal court’s jurisdiction.”
County attorneys note that nothing in the county’s budgeting practices violates state or federal law. For that reason, the Board says it will not participate in further disputes over compliance-related costs. The county’s brief argues that questions about staffing, budgets, and administrative costs fall squarely within local authority. Citing Supreme Court precedent, the filing asserts that “federal-court decrees must directly address and relate to the constitutional violation itself.”
The county maintains that because MCSO has reached full compliance with all policy reforms stemming from the Melendres orders—including the creation of 209 positions tied directly to those requirements—the original purpose of the decree has been fulfilled. “It would be a complete waste of taxpayer money to engage the federal courts in a back-and-forth over what is clearly an issue of local jurisdiction,” the statement reads.
Galvin and Brophy McGee say the Board’s priority is protecting taxpayers and ensuring resources are directed toward public safety needs determined at the local level. The Board of Supervisors represents roughly 4.5 million residents. “We’ll keep standing up for transparency, common sense, and your right to self-govern,” they wrote.
The federal court will now determine whether the county’s arguments warrant narrowing or ending the monitor’s authority—a decision that could significantly reshape the long-running oversight of one of the nation’s most closely watched law-enforcement reform cases.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
Maricopa County Sheriff Jerry Sheridan has taken his oath and is geared up to begin his term after 40 years of moving up in the ranks. In an interview with FOX 10’s Brian Webb, Sheridan set out his agenda for leading the law enforcement agency responsible for protecting the fourth most-populist county in the nation.
“I wore that uniform for 40 years, said deputy sheriff on it, and now my patch says sheriff,” Sheridan told Webb. “I don’t think the reality has kicked in.”
On Jan. 2nd, just under 48 hours into his new role, Sheridan sat for the interview and set out his top priorities. The first crisis he intends to tackle is homelessness. “I’ve reached out to some of the [Non-Governmental Organizations] that help with some of the missions, and I’ve already had discussions with them about what we can do to help you get people off the street,” he told Fox10.
Sheridan will also be placing a huge emphasis on collaborating with the second Trump administration on immigration enforcement in a return to the path blazed by former Sheriff Joe Arpaio. “I will focus on arresting criminals now,” he told Webb. “Whether they’re illegal aliens or not, doesn’t matter to me.”
In a post to X he wrote, “Spent my first 9 hours as Sheriff with the people that keep us all safe; our detention officers, deputies & 911 operators. I am so proud of the work they do & to be their Sheriff.”
Spent my first 9 hours as Sheriff with the people that keep us all safe; our detention officers, deputies & 911 operators. I am so proud of the work they do & to be their Sheriff. pic.twitter.com/mAKEQuWw0z
At the outset though, there are some internal matters that Sheridan will need to address, such as resurrecting the county’s volunteer posse system, which was placed under review by Sheriff Penzone in 2017 and criticized by several media outlets for its long-time association with Sheriff Arpaio. Sheridan also told the outlet he will be directing a lot of his attention to ramping up staffing in the agency which employs about 3,500 personnel out of an allotted 4,000, according to the agency’s website. Per ABC15 reporting from September, the department is currently shorthanded by about 800 detention officers.
Sheridan also took time to push back on media criticisms for his membership in the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association (CSPOA). To which he responded, “Don’t forget, I took an oath to support the Constitution of United States and the constitution in laws of the State of Arizona, and I will be faithful to that oath.”
Sheridan shared video of his sign on in a brief broadcast to the department in the opening minutes of 2025. “It’s an honor to be your new sheriff,” Sheridan said. “It’s an honor and pleasure to work with everybody because I know you act with integrity.”
At the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve, the employees & citizens of Maricopa County got a new Sheriff. Sheriff Jerry Sheridan made an announcement to the deputies & then went 10-8 (in service) pic.twitter.com/kWIsweuoyh
The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) issued a jolly video telling the story of how “Santa” received their help with delivering toys after his sleigh broke down.
“Unfortunately, Triple Elf was not available for roadside service,” quipped the narrator.
The video follows MCSO Santa’s adventure as he borrows an MCSO bicycle, then horse, a “reindeer with wheels” (quad), a patrol car, a boat, and finally a tactical vehicle.
At one point, Santa had trouble mounting the horse, which the narrator attributed to consuming too much milk and cookies last year.
“Santa soon realized that indulging in all the milk and cookies from last year may have been a mistake,” observed the narrator.
There's nothing Santa loves more than delivering gifts to the good children of Maricopa County. We were glad to help him on his way! 🎁🧸 Happy Holidays from the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office. 🎄✨ https://t.co/9q1Mu1Djgohttps://t.co/R3oq2hmDSV
Then, Santa landed on the “naughty list” for speeding. The narrator explained that Santa made an honest mistake, as he usually “moves at the speed of light.” However, the officer came to Santa’s rescue by offering his patrol car in exchange for the quad.
To avoid rush hour in the car, Santa then borrowed an MCSO boat. Yet, the dilemma of wet and lost presents on the lake posed another issue — that’s when the SWAT team came to the rescue with their tactical vehicle.
That final mode of transportation proved to be the right fit for Santa, ensuring a successful delivery of presents.
“Santa was drawn to the red lights on the vehicle that reminded him so much of his beloved Rudolph,” stated the narrator. “Santa hopped in and went on to deliver every one of those presents on time, ensuring a happy and Merry Christmas for the children of Maricopa County.”
In addition to filming Christmas stories for the county’s children, MCSO has been busy with other initiatives to spread holiday cheer. This week, MCSO’s Hard Knocks High School (HKHS) for juvenile inmates crafted blankets for homeless Tucson students.
“HKHS students are learning ways they can participate in community service events, such as making blankets for children,” explained MCSO in a Facebook post. “The education department believes that students need to experience real-world community service opportunities in order to exercise civic responsibility.”
Earlier this month, MCSO also participated in their annual Shop With a Cop program. That event ensures children in families experiencing financial or other hardships have presents for Christmas, while working to improve relationships between youth and police.
Police serve as a chaperone and shopping buddy for the children. Sometimes, they will incorporate a meal, activity like a movie, or a visit from Santa into this special day.
Today, Sheriff Penzone and members of the MCSO team participated in a Shop with a Cop event in Mesa. This is an event that makes our day every time by seeing the children smiling, having fun, and enjoying their time with our staff! pic.twitter.com/JJV6AvSqRM
MSCO also highlighted one of its deputies for giving away over 180 skateboards to children in the community.
Tis the season for giving! And Deputy Rand has taken on that task like a pro. This year alone, he has given away more than 180 skateboards to children in the community. Pictured is Deputy Rand when he partnered with Rural Metro Fire to give out skateboards for Christmas! #FGFpic.twitter.com/wdrL4UwkGI
To ensure no Arizonans lose their Christmas cheer over stolen packages, MCSO published a video advising the community on how to prevent it.
In 2021, 210 million packages were stolen after delivery. We at MCSO want to help you avoid being a victim of porch piracy this holiday season with some quick,simple tips. pic.twitter.com/vrhp79YiMn
Finally, to kick off the month, MCSO participated in a Christmas parade.
Tonight members of the MCSO team and the MCSO Cadets participated in the APS Light Parade. Our float this year highlighted the MCSO MASH Unit!🐕 pic.twitter.com/JmEzD885VD
