Posted on 07/29/2012 11:01:26 AM PDT by Hildy
The Daily News
BULLHEAD CITY — The Republican primary race for District 2 Mohave County supervisor has taken an ugly turn.
Sup. Tom Sockwell and Mohave County Public Information Director Darryle Purcell have been circulating folders containing compromising information on a private citizen connected to the campaign of Sockwell’s challenger, Hildy Angius.
Sockwell dropped off a folder at the Bullhead Area Chamber of Commerce Wednesday, while Purcell approached Mohave Valley Daily News reporter Jim Seckler on county property, handing him the folder and suggesting he write a story about a local Republican activist. It is against Daily News policy to publish stories without confirmation of the source and accuracy of the information and its relevancy.
At the chamber, Sockwell told an employee that the person in question was linked to the Angius campaign.
“First, he asked me if I knew the individual and I said, ‘Oh yeah, he’s a nice guy,’ ” the employee said. “And then he said, ‘I have to show you something,’ and he goes, ‘this was mailed to me anonymously,’ (then) told me a couple of the things that were in there and asked me if I would forward it on to Chris (Barton).”
Barton is chamber executive director.
The employee added, “He said that (the man) was helping (Angius’) campaign.”
Angius said the man has done some paid consulting for her campaign — that information is available in Angius’ campaign expense report.
Barton and the chamber employee both said they did not look at the folder, which Sockwell picked up Thursday.
The Daily News contacted Sockwell on Friday to ask him about circulating the file. Sockwell initially denied it, saying, “No, I have not.” Told that it was confirmed that he dropped the folder off at the chamber office and later picked it up, Sockwell then said, “Yes, I did. I received the folder in the mail.”
Asked if he any reservations about sharing the personal information of a private citizen who is not running for political office, Sockwell said, “No, I’m not exposing a private citizen. Like I said, I received it in the mail. I have no idea who (did) it.”
When asked why he dropped off the file at the chamber, Sockwell replied, “I think it was just to acquaint people of the background of some of the people. I would expect someone to do the same thing about me.”
“Sup. Sockwell knows nothing about me or my character because I would never do something like that,” Angius said in response. “As candidates, we put ourselves out there and our backgrounds and history are fair game. But, apparently, Mr. Sockwell could not find anything damaging in my past so he dug real low and went after a private citizen because he happens to support me and did some work for me. The idea that an elected official is sneaking around, handing out confidential material about constituents, is alarming and every citizen in Mohave County should be appalled.”
A copy of information provided by Purcell contained a “custom comprehensive report” prepared by IRBsearch, LLC. It contained financial information, information on criminal and civil cases as well as a list of addresses, companies and real estate linked to the man.
On its website, IRBsearch states that it “serves investigative professionals — period. We cater exclusively to private investigators, process servers, bail bondsmen, judgment recovery and repossession specialists....”
A fee schedule of IRBsearch services includes a description of the custom comprehensive report, a collection of a la carte searches that allows the client to select areas to be investigated. The cost of such a report ranges from $6 to more than $30, depending on the number of searches and the number of pages produced.
On Thursday, Sockwell withdrew from a chamber-sponsored candidate forum, telling Barton, “it’ll be the same people asking the same questions.” Chamber officials had previously replaced TV2 Morning Show host Bruce Clark as forum moderator after receiving a call from Purcell, who said Sockwell would not attend if Clark were the moderator, citing alleged unfair treatment by Clark during an on-air interview. Clark decided to step down.
Purcell would not respond to questions as to why he, as a county employee, was assisting Sockwell in his re-election campaign.
Sockwell and Angius, both of Bullhead City, will face each other in the Aug. 28 GOP primary. Sockwell is running for a fourth four-year term.
/johnny
Knock on every door. Call every voter. It is the only way to beat the slime machine. The hard hard HARD way. Work.
I am going to en this election.. He knows it, that is why all of this is going on.
Smears and slinging mud is always the sign of a desperate politician with nothing else to offer. When you can’t find anything on your opponent, go after their donors and anyone else associated with their campaign. It’s an old liberal DemocRAT trick. Good luck Hildy!
He's a scumbucket unworthy of the position he holds...
I am reminded of Koko the gorilla blaming Ball, her cat, for tearing the sink off the wall.
If I were a voter in Mohave County, that sentence would tell me all I needed to know about Sup. Tom Sockwell.
Politicians like diapers need to be changed regularly and for the same reason.
I have a township supervisor here who's been picking fights with everybody after two trustees were idiots. However, the super has turned on everybody. She's been trying to destroy businesses owned by people she doesn't like in the unincorporated town north of me. I'll be voting for her opponent in the primary a little over a week from today. If she survives, I'll vote for the DINO in the general.
Wow. Pure desperation. Good luck.
Well that’s some pretty good ink right there. The creepazoid doesn’t come off very well in this article. Is this the main paper?
Arizona has of late turned into a Republican MMA arena. Some battles are more genteel, but still strange, like the runoff for Giffords old seat, with four veterans running against each other.
Others, like the Flake vs. Cardon are just incredibly nasty.
I wonder if it’s something in the water?
Thank you!
He’s not really a consultant. I paid him to do some research and to put up my signs. He’s a community activist. He goes after wrongdoing. He gets under their skin and they hate it!
He’s not really a consultant. I paid him to do some research and to put up my signs. He’s a community activist. He goes after wrongdoing. He gets under their skin and they hate it!
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