ACTION NEEDED: Mayor and City Council to Consider Using $75,000 in Tax Dollars to Pay Personal Legal Bills of a Citizen

Judicial Watch, Inc., a non-profit, non-partisan foundation whose motto is "Because no one is above the law," uses freedom of information laws and other tools to investigate and uncover misconduct by government officials and litigation to hold to account politicians and public officials who engage in corrupt activities. 

Judicial Watch is currently investigating several cases of misconduct in Phoenix and has filed a lawsuit on behalf of Phoenix tax paying citizens and rank and file police officers against the Phoenix Police Pension Board and Jack Harris for double dipping – receiving retirement benefits of $90,000 a year for being the retired Chief of Police at the exact same time that he is actively engaged in employment, and receiving a $180,000 salary for being the current Chief of Police. 

Harris is being sued in his personal capacity as a citizen not in his official capacity as Chief of Police/Public Safety Manager. Yet, Mayor Gordon is asking the Council to authorize payment of $75,000 to Citizen Harris to cover his private legal expenses in defending himself in this suit.

In the worst year of budget cuts in Phoenix memory, in the very same year that the Council approved raising fees on access to parks, parking meters, water rates, and reducing the after-school programs for thousands of Phoenix children, the Mayor and Council can find $75,000 to help Citizen Jack Harris out of his private legal defense against corruption charges! We don’t think so!!

Action Item:

If you approve of this expenditure of your tax dollars to help citizen Jack Harris pay his personal bills – do nothing – they are ready to vote it in.

If you oppose this egregious abuse of your tax dollars to fund a private corruption law suit – click on the link below to read over and send an email to the Mayor and his Council in opposition:

Email City Leaders in Opposition to Paying for Personal Legal Fees