AZCentral | The Arizona Republic

Unpacking the Apache County attorney's obsession with a Norwegian pop star

By Robert Anglen and Elena Santa Cruz, Arizona Republic,

7 days ago

Apache County Attorney Michael Whiting has an obsession he's kept from voters for years.

The top prosecutor has lived a double life as a fanboy of a Norwegian pop star and has used his office to further his relationship with her and other fans.

An investigation by The Arizona Republic found Whiting took anti-bullying campaign materials paid for by taxpayers on overseas trips to meet singer-songwriter Dagny.

The campaign material is tied to a state corruption probe of Whiting, who has been locked out of his office since June.

Whiting didn't just take anti-bullying T-shirts and gift bags with him to Europe — he also made fun of them.

Investigation results: Obsessed Apache County attorney woos Norwegian pop star with campaign swag

Is Michael Whiting a Norwegian pop fanboy?

Yes. In his own words, Dagny's music has "truly" changed his life. And he has spent years idolizing her.

Whiting has posted dozens of comments on fan pages — along with terms and emojis of endearment— about the singer. He once used the Apache County attorney's office to broadcast a special birthday message to her.

He has praised her online as the "the queen," "chic," and "angel."

Who is Michael Whiting and what does he do?

As the elected county attorney, Whiting is responsible for overseeing the prosecution of most felony crimes in Apache County. His office is also responsible for representing county departments in legal actions.

Whiting, 50, is a husband, father and grandfather who lives in St. Johns. His wife, Joy Whiting, is the elected Apache County school superintendent.

A Democrat, Whiting was first elected to office in 2008 and has run unopposed in every election since. Court and other records indicate Whiting hasn't maintained a caseload in years.

Whiting was unopposed in the July 30 primary and faces no Republican opposition in the Nov. 5 general election.

Why are authorities investigating Michael Whiting?

The Arizona Attorney General's Office is investigating Whiting for allegations of misappropriating taxpayer funds , destroying evidence, engaging in erratic behavior and using two employees as political enforcers. Whiting is accused of misspending to bolster his and his wife's campaigns.

State investigators raided Whiting's office in June and took over supervisory control to ensure it "continues to properly function and that public money is not misused."

Prosecutors have made no mention of Whiting's European travels.

Whiting has denied any wrongdoing.

Michael Whiting's obsession: Apache County attorney woos Norwegian pop star with campaign swag

What do Michael Whiting's employees say about him?

They are afraid of him.

His top three prosecutors and his chief of staff in June sought orders of protection from their boss.

They accused Whiting and two of his underlings of spying, stalking and harassment. They said he had them followed, sent people to spy on their homes and surveilled them at work.

The prosecutors also called for Whiting to resign . He has said he won't resign and is fighting the injunctions in court.

What is Apache County's anti-bullying campaign?

Whiting office has run a "Stop the Bullying" poster contest in county schools for 16 years. Students are awarded with shirts or drawstring bags with an anti-bullying message.

His office spent tens of thousands of dollars since 2019 on the so-called education items. Most of the items are emblazoned with Whiting's name, his title and his professional social media handle.

The campaign is one of the most rewarding parts of his job, Whiting has said.

How did shirts from Apache County end up in a Dagny video?

Whiting passed them out as souvenirs on his trips to Europe.

The county attorney traveled several times in the past two years for Dagny concerts in Norway, Great Britain and Sweden. Four trips occurred during a seven-month period in 2022.

Videos and photos posted on social media show Whiting gave shirts and gift bags with his name and title to Dagny and her fans. Dagny can be seen wearing one of the shirts in a YouTube video.

What do county officials say about Whiting's expenses?

Nothing.

The elected County Board of Supervisors and the county manager since June have repeatedly dodged questions about the oversight of Whiting's expenses.

Because Whiting is elected, supervisors have no direct control over day-to-day operations at the County Attorney's Office. But the three-member board approves Whiting's annual budget.

Supervisors Joe Shirley Jr., Alton Joe Shepherd and Nelson Davis would not say if they had ever raised concerns or objections to Whiting's spending.

County Manager Ryan Patterson declined to say why county finance staff year after year approved expenses for Whiting that appeared to conflict with spending policies.

Did Michael Whiting mock his own anti-bullying shirts?

See for yourself.

In a now-deleted Instagram video, Whiting pulls a "Sober Boys Rock" shirt from one of his gift bags and laughs uproariously with two other Dagny super fans in Sweden.

"We pass this out to kids," he says repeatedly and then appears to utter an expletive.

The fans later posted photos wearing other shirts with Whiting's name and title.

Who is Dagny?

Dagny Norvoll Sandvik is a 34-year-old singer-songwriter who goes by the stage name Dagny.

She primarily tours in Europe and has developed a cult following in the LGBTQ+ community . Her music is described as a combination of indie pop, synth and disco. Her breakout single, "Backbeat," was released in 2016, followed by the debut album "Strangers/Lovers" in 2020. She has toured with Sting and co-wrote Katy Perry's "Never Really Over."

Dagny's official website touts her as "one of Norway’s most exciting and in-demand pop artists,"

She has acknowledged Whiting in social media posts.

Who did Michael Whiting hang out with in Europe?

Videos, photos and comments featuring Whiting primarily appear on personal and Dagny-fan Instagram pages belonging to two Norwegian women.

Tina Aronsen of Tønsberg and Katrine Rothli Slaatsveen of Brumunddal are among a core group of Dagny fans Whiting met multiple times in Europe.

Posts show the county attorney, who is rarely pictured without his white cowboy hat, dancing at concerts, struggling to order food at a Norwegian McDonald's and singing duets in cars.

Aronsen operates the @fansofdagny Instagram page. Slaatsveen is photographed wearing Whiting's anti-bullying shirts and with Apache County gift bags in multiple posts. Whiting refers to them in comments as "amazing," "beautiful" and "lovely."

Are photos and videos of Michael Whiting being scrubbed?

Videos of Whiting's antics in Europe have been removed from social media, including the one of him, Aronsen and Slaatsveen laughing at anti-bullying materials.

Aronsen also has cropped Whiting out of photos in recent posts. One photo showed Whiting at a restaurant with Dagny and other fans in 2022. But in a May repost of the same photo, only Whiting's clasped hands were visible.

Some of Whiting's comments also were deleted. Aronsen and Slaatsveen did not respond to interview requests.

Does Michael Whiting act unusual in videos?

That's for you to decide. Posts capture Whiting in a way the voting public rarely sees.

In one video, he caresses a box of Red Bull, which he nicknames "Addie" — short for addiction.

In another video, he mimics a conversation between two of his cowboy hats. He describes one as a "city slicker" and the other as a cowpoke.

He was also recorded talking to a paper cutout of Dagny's face. He lectures her in Norwegian, saying nei, nei, nei , nei, nei (meaning no), which makes his companions laugh.

Then there's the birthday video he recorded for Dagny in 2022 while standing in front of his desk at the Apache County Attorney's Office. He tells the singer her music has changed his life before breaking into the Happy Birthday song.

What does Michael Whiting say about this?