US opposes Arpaio’s bid for pause in records case

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio reads over an Associated Press news report at a news conference, stating the U.S. Justice Department is suing Arpaio, saying the Arizona lawman refused for more than a year to turn over records in an investigation into allegations his department discriminates against Hispanics. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

U.S. Justice Department lawyers are urging a federal judge to deny Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s request for a three-week pause in the department’s lawsuit seeking records from his department in a civil rights investigation.

Arpaio asked for more time on Monday. He said there’s uncertainty about who will represent him because the county Board of Supervisors has indicated it wants to scale back the county’s use of a law firm that has represented Arpaio’s department in several matters.

The Justice Department on Tuesday called Arpaio’s request an unreasonable delay. The department says the request was filed right before Arpaio was supposed to file an answer to the lawsuit. And it says Arpaio had plenty of time to prepare that answer.