Board of Supervisors considering motion to censure Sheriff Nanos

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — The Pima County Board of Supervisors will consider a motion to censure Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos at its Tuesday morning meeting.

The board will discuss the motion this morning, and could vote on it.

It calls to censure Nanos over “violations of First Amendment Free Speech rights” of Sergeant Aaron Cross and Lieutenant Heather Lappin, who ran against Nanos in this month’s election.

The motion, introduced by Supervisor Matt Heinz at last month’s meeting, also calls to censure the sheriff for election interference over putting his political opponent on leave during an election, preventing her from campaigning.

Nanos has denied interfering in the election, saying that being on leave had no impact on Lappin’s ability to campaign since she should not have been campaigning while on-duty anyways.

Nanos, a Democrat, currently has a slim lead over Lappin.

Lappin, a 19-year department veteran, and Cross, the president of the Pima County Deputies Organization union, were put on paid leave last month.

Cross was placed on leave for allegedly campaigning for Lappin in department-issued attire while off-duty.

He is currently suing Nanos in federal court, accusing the sheriff of violating his First Amendment rights. In a hearing late last month, a judge denied Cross’s request to return to the force, but ordered the sheriff’s department to clarify its policy on what off-duty deputies cannot wear during political activities.

Lappin, the Republican candidate for Sheriff, was placed on paid leave for what Nanos calls violations of department rules, including allowing Cross to campaign in uniform, and improperly helping a reporter gain access to inmates for interviews.

If passed, the motion would also ask the Arizona Attorney General’s Office and the United States Attorney for the District of Arizona to investigate Nanos and determine if he broke the law.

The board’s meeting is at 9 a.m. Tuesday morning.