Arpaio admits he hired PI to investigate judge’s wife

News that Arpaio, an elected official who was once the subject of an FBI investigation that he abused his law-enforcement power, decided to have someone investigate a federal judge who is overseeing efforts to reform the Sheriff’s Office was met with gasps and murmurs in the downtown Phoenix courtroom.

Arpaio made the confession to Snow himself, after the judge questioned him about allegations made in a New Times article in June.

Snow took center stage after plaintiffs’ and defense attorneys finished their examinations with Arpaio on civil-contempt of court allegations.

After a few questions on the contempt and immigration matters, Snow shifted his focus to some of Arpaio’s more unorthodox operations.

Arpaio carefully skirted Snow’s line questioning at the beginning, and only under intense scrutiny provided detail of the covert mission.

Arpaio said he that he had come into the possession of an email from a tipster who said he had met Snow’s wife at a restaurant, and that she said Snow “wanted to do everything to make sure I’m not elected.”

Arpaio said his counsel then hired a private investigator to look into the matter.

“Results confirmed that your wife was in that restaurant,” Arpaio told Snow. “I guess (the investigator) talked to the witness, confirmed that that remark was made.”

Snow additionally questioned Arpaio about county funds being paid to posse members conducting private investigations, and investigations into the Department of Justice, who is heading an ongoing racial-profiling lawsuit against the Sheriff’s Office.

The answers to those questions are at this point unclear, based on Arpaio’s responses.