After being accused of gross incompetence, mismanagement, and allowing her grossly incompetent staff to go unsupervised, Maricopa County Attorney Allister Adel has resigned.
Adel has been in and out of treatment for alcoholism, an eating disorder, and anxiety since August.
As previously reported by the Arizona Daily Independent:
It has been a rough summer for Adel professionally – defamation allegations brought by an employee, a $120 million demand by several protesters to settle malicious prosecution claims, and a federal lawsuit which alleges Adel and her office routinely violate the constitutional rights of many criminal defendants.
Then there was the decision by the county’s board of supervisors to fight a second subpoena issued by the Arizona Senate in July related to the 2020 General Election. The fight related to the audit blew up Aug. 26 when Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich pledged to block payment to the county of more than $676 million in state shared revenues unless the subpoenas were fully complied with.
We now know that three days later, Adel was in rehab without the five members of the board of supervisors knowing about her absence. Nor were any of the county’s other elected officials informed of her whereabouts even though they rely on Adel’s advice on a variety of legal matters.
Adel was appointed as county attorney by the county board in October 2019 to complete the term of Bill Montgomery, who was selected by Gov. Doug Ducey for a seat on the Arizona Supreme Court. She then won election in November 2020 even though she could not campaign for several weeks while hospitalized with a head injury suffered in a fall at home in October.
Adel’s resignation announcement:
“Today I announce my decision to resign as a Maricopa County Attorney effective Friday, March 25, 2022, at 5:00 p.m. Voters supported me in November 2020 as the first woman elected to be Maricopa County Attorney and it is an honor I will always cherish.
I am proud of the many accomplishments of the Maricopa County Attorneys Office during my tenure, including policies that seek justice in a fair and equitable manner, hold violent offenders accountable, protect the rights of crime victims, and keep families safe.
I want to thank the employees of the Maricopa County’s office. I value and respect the work and dedication you give it to this office. Few people genuinely realize, or appreciate how hard this work is or how committed you are to serving the greater good, but I do.
Thank you to family, friends, colleagues, and voters who have offered their support and encouragement to me, either publicly or privately. Expressing my gratitude will never be sufficient but please know that you have been heard and that I am thankful.
I am confident that this important mission of the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office will continue. My dedication and service to the community does not end here.”
RELATED ARTICLE: Adel Expected To Return To Work In Face Of Allegations That Could Cost Taxpayers Millions
The timing of Adel’s resignation has left her fellow Republicans in a difficult position. Her resignation becomes effective 10 days before the election filing deadline for the August 2, Maricopa County Primary Election. Arizona law requires the vacancy to be filled by election should it occur before the election filing deadline. The winner of that election would serve out the rest Adel’s four year term.
The timing of the resignation raised eyebrows due to the fact that it will likely benefit an insider or “establishment Republican.”