In keeping with his history of opposition to fundamental rights and penchant for political stunts, Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery has announced that “effective immediately, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office will discontinue providing iPhones as option for replacements or upgrades for existing employees.”
According to a statement issued by the political opportunist, Montgomery announced the decision on Wednesday, but “first communicated to applicable staff on Sunday, February 21, citing Apple’s recent refusal to cooperate in unlocking an encrypted iPhone used by individuals involved in the recent San Bernardino shootings.”
Known for his hyperbolic speech, Montgomery claimed that “Apple’s refusal to cooperate”….. puts Apple on the side of terrorists instead of on the side of public safety.” Montgomery, who regularly ignores 4th Amendment protections afforded by our Constitution, said that Apple was: “Positioning their refusal to cooperate as having anything to do with privacy interests is a corporate PR stunt and ignores the 4th Amendment protections afforded by our Constitution.”
Most remarkable about Montgomery’s statement is that he tried to claim he had a conscience. According to Montgomery’s press release, “The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office serves the fourth-most populous county in the U.S. with over 4 million residents within its jurisdiction. There are currently 564 smartphones deployed throughout the office, 366 of which are iPhones. “I don’t expect my action to affect Apple’s stock price,” Montgomery said. “But I cannot in good conscience support doing business with an organization that chooses to thwart an active investigation into a terrorist attack that claimed the lives of fourteen fellow citizens. If Apple wants to be the official smartphone of terrorists and criminals, there will be a consequence.”
Because Montgomery is an expert at thwarting legitimate investigations and promoting witch hunts, he just might be right this time.