Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery has established a pattern of declining to prosecute the powerful, and his decision on Friday to give State Board of Education Chair Greg Miller a pass for his alleged assault of Superintendent of Public Instruction Diane Douglas appears to fit his pattern.
Miller allegedly assaulted Douglas twice, however Montgomery’s decision is related to the assault that occurred during a Board meeting on August 24, 2015.
DPS reports released last month show that Charles Schmidt, the Board’s executive officer said he was sitting three chairs to the right of Douglas during the August 24 meeting. According to the Arizona Republic, Schmidt told DPS that Miller was speaking and “Douglas took exception to that.” When Douglas began to speak, “he observed Miller reach over with his right hand and grab her left arm as he told Douglas to stop speaking.” Miller appeared to be angry during the incident,” according to Schmidt. He said that Douglas told Miller to unhand her, which he did while continuing to tell Douglas that she did not have the floor, according to the Arizona Republic.
According to Schmidt, it was the second such incident between the two.
Montgomery’s decision to not prosecute Miller surprised few. He has earned a reputation for giving the well connected a pass.