When asked by Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos if she was interested in travelling to learn more about the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD), County Attorney Barbara LaWall passed on the chance. According to emails recently obtained by the ADI, LaWall is refusing to leave town during the primary season.
LaWall is facing a challenger for the first time in a long time. While she claims her seat is not open, her opponent, Joel Feinman, and his many supporters believe that the seat is not only open but extremely vulnerable.
Yet, it is still unclear why LaWall would pass on an opportunity to learn about a program that just might slow the prison pipeline. She certainly is not worried about an opportunity to engage the general public; as evidenced by her refusal to participate in public forums. Instead she is running a big-money race with small events featuring deep pockets.
But deep pockets can’t necessarily buy many voters these days, so her reluctance is as understandable as Chris Nanos’ desire to get out of town on the public dime:
On May 31, 2016, at 2:31 PM, Chris G. Nanos <chris.nanos@sheriff.pima.gov> wrote:
Have you heard of this? Is it something you’d be willing to pursue…maybe go to Santa Fe or Seattle and learn more about? Maybe include Chief Magnus…
Chris Nanos
Sheriff
Pima County Sheriff’s Dept
Barbara LaWall responded to Nanos on June 1, 2016 at 4:26 p.m.:
Subject: Re: A New Approach That Unwinds the Drug War and Produces Dramatic Reductions in Recidivism
It sounds interesting and I’d like to learn more. However, I need to not travel out of state until after the primary in August.
Sent from my iPhone
Her commitment to staying put was evident in another email dated June 22 to Amy Hanley, Assistant Attorney General with the Kansas Attorney General’s Office, and member of the NDAA Women Prosecutors Section.
From: Barbara LaWall
Sent: Wednesday, June 22, 2016 11:57 AM
To: Amy.Hanley@ag.ks.gov
Cc: mashley@sbcda.org
Subject: WPS dinner, Boston
Hi Ladies:
I am so very sorry that I won’t be joining you in Boston.
Regretfully, I am embroiled in a contested primary election (August 30 election date) and it would be folly for me to leave to attend the NDAA conference this summer.
The Women’s Section dinner looks incredible and I am sorry that I won’t be there to hear the Massachusetts Attorney General speak to the group. I wish you well and hope your event is highly successful.
See you in November in Palm Springs!
My best always,
Barbara
If LaWall does make it out of the primary, Pima County residents will likely pick up the tab for Bab’s trip to Palm Springs.