Secretary of State asks to be dropped from Arpaio recall lawsuit

April 23, 2013

Arizona’s top election official wants out of a suit over an attempt to recall Maricopa County’s top lawman. 

Secretary of State Ken Bennett wants a judge to dismiss him from a lawsuit filed by a group that supports Sheriff Joe Arpaio. The suit is trying to put a stop to a recall effort against Arpaio.

A lawyer for Bennett says the legal arguments made by recall opponents don’t involve him and that the Secretary of State’s office doesn’t get involved in recalls of county officials.

The lawsuit names the group trying to oust Arpaio, Bennett and county elections officers.

Recall organizers said this week they have collected nearly 60 percent of the signatures they need by May 30 to trigger a recall.