Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos puts opponent Heather Lappin on leave just weeks before Election Day

Just weeks before the election, the Pima County sheriff put his political challenger and employee on administrative leave.

Heather Lappin, the Republican candidate, is vying for the position as top law enforcement officer in Pima County against incumbent Sheriff Chris Nanos, a Democrat. Early voting has begun. Election Day is Nov. 5.

“This appears to be yet another attempt to suppress the opinions of both myself and numerous other employees that are hoping for positive change in leadership, undermining freedom of speech and open discourse,” Lappin told Arizona Luminaria in a statement.

“I have done nothing wrong other than challenge him in an election,” Lappin added.

Nanos did not respond to a request for comment.

Lappin told Arizona Luminaria that her work cell phone was confiscated. “I don’t even know why I’m on administrative leave. I believe this is an excuse to take my phone. I think they’re trying to find something.”

Along with Lappin, Aaron Cross, a leader of the nonprofit labor group Pima County Deputy’s Organization, was also placed on leave. Cross is suing Nanos for allegedly violating his First Amendment rights after he was investigated for speaking out against Nanos on a local radio show in April.

This past weekend, Cross and a retired deputy stood at a busy intersection on the east side of Tucson holding signs that read “Deputies don’t want Nanos.”

Cross said he wore “no badges, insignia, or county issued equipment at all” while holding the anti-Nanos signs.

Nanos told Green Valley News , the outlet that first broke the story, said Lappin’s case does not involve election interference but Cross’s does “to an extent.”

“Yet another example of Sheriff Nanos abusing his office, desperate to maintain power,” the Pima County Deputy’s Organization wrote on their Facebook page .

Nothing criminal

Nanos told Green Valley News he hopes “there’s nothing criminal here” in the conduct of Cross and Lappin. Nanos added, “Internally, yes, I think we have some issues to deal with, but they may be minor. Maybe we can tell them to knock it off and move on.”

Lappin said she was directed not to discuss the reasons why she was put on leave, but added, “His list of victims who have experienced his retribution and vindictiveness is very long. I am just one of many.”

After the board of supervisors voted in 2023 to seek further investigation into the sheriff department’s handling of an internal affairs investigation, Nanos said his deputies would no longer be providing security at board meetings.

Former Supervisor Sharon Bronson said of Nanos’s threats to pull security “It feels retaliatory.” After negotiations, sheriff deputies did continue to provide security for the supervisor meetings.

“He’s helping me,” Lappin said of Nanos. “Everything he acts and speaks is helping me,” she said.

Lappin added, “He’s trying to disguise his failed administration.”

During the call to the public at the Oct. 15 meeting, Cory Stephens, who ran as a Republican in the District 2 primary race for Board of Supervisors, said “It is time for people to speak up. It is time Nanos be held accountable. It is time the citizens of Pima County vote him out of office.”

Nanos under scrutiny by county supervisors

The move to put Lappin and Cross on leave comes as Nanos remains under fire from the board of supervisors for the sheriff department’s investigation into an alleged sexual assault of a sheriff’s department employee by another employee in December 2022. That sexual-assault criminal case is ongoing.

The supervisors asked the state attorney general to look into how the department conducted its internal affairs investigation of the case. The state office found no criminal wrongdoing in the internal investigation, however, did note that the department possibly violated four rules. That prompted the supervisors to officially invite Nanos to come to a meeting to answer questions and address the public. Nanos officially declined the invitation on Oct. 11 via an email to the board.

“Unlike certain members of the board, I will not re-victimize this young lady and allow politics to further their agenda,” Nanos wrote in the email. He added that the timing of District 4 Supervisor Steve Christy, a Republican, who called for Nanos to come to the supervisors meeting is “rather suspicious.”

In the email, Nanos added that he will answer “any and ALL questions after November 6 in Executive Session.”

After the call to the public, Supervisor Sylvia Lee, of District 3, said she wants to know why Lappin and Cross were put on leave.

“I’d like to know why they’re on leave, if there is a breach of the law by putting these individuals on leave for political purposes.”

Supervisor Matt Heinz, of District 2, said at the meeting he supports Lee’s call asking for more information about whether or not Nanos has violated any laws.

After the meeting, Christy told Luminaria that Nanos refusal to come to the meeting was “an obvious attempt to deflect.” He shot back at Nanos’s claim that Christy’s motivations were suspicious. “It’s beyond political,” Christy said of Nanos. “It’s a travesty of justice.”

“All he’s doing is stonewalling,” Heinz said. About Lappin and Cross being put on administrative leave, Heinz said it was “pure politics.”

“Because a couple of folks on their own time on a public easement decided to hold up a sign he didn’t like, exercising their First Amendment rights, he got annoyed by that and so he took action only he could take to impair Heather Lappin’s ability to conduct her campaign,” Heinz said.

“That is not how we do things. I reject this. We should all reject this,” Heinz said.

He said that while there is “no impeachment process” to force Nanos out of office, “if he continues along these lines we need to do everything we can that approximates that.”

Supervisor Adelita Grijalva said the county administrator and attorney will be looking into the matter.

Read more about the sheriff’s race from Arizona Luminaria here .

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