PHOENIX -- Sheriff Joe Arpaio is spending close to $1 million in taxpayer money on what some say are calling a political witch hunt, according to Maricopa County’s Litigation Director.

“What we've heard from people is that they think it's about intimidation, they think it's just harassment, they think it's a fishing expedition,” Wade Swanson said.

The sheriff submitted a public records request Jan. 30 asking for every e-mail, calendar and phone record for 36 county employees.

The county budget office estimates gathering and reviewing the approximately 500,000 documents will cost taxpayers $911,157.

The county is legally obligated to fulfill the request.

Wade says, "The sheriff is simply paying taxpayer dollars to do this. He has no check on his pocketbook."

When a CBS 5 News crew confronted the sheriff about his information request, he refused to explain why he wants to spend taxpayer dollars to gather information on county employees.

When asked why he needed the information in his request, he said, “I’m not going to tell you because this is a criminal investigation.”

The sheriff refused to reveal the nature of the criminal investigation, but said it not politically motivated.

When asked if the request was a fishing expedition, the sheriff said, “I don't know how to fish. I've never been fishing in my life."

Arpaio also said taxpayers may never find out the details.

“Nothing is guaranteed in life when you’re doing a criminal investigation, so I’m not going to guarantee you anything,” he said.

The sheriff did dispute the price tag for his public records request.

He said the county attorney estimated the cost to gather and review his records request would be about $100,000.