The Maricopa County Merit Commission has upheld the termination of Joel Fox, a former captain with the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office.The Maricopa County Merit Commission has upheld the termination of Joel Fox, a former captain with the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office.
Fox was fired for allegedly lying about his involvement in a group that gave thousands of dollars for an advertisement attacking Sheriff Joe Arpaio's opponent in 2008.
A hearing officer listened to hundreds of hours of testimony and read through mounds of documents before recommending that the Merit Commission uphold Fox's termination.
The five-member panel reviewed the hearing officer's report over the past few months and today heard last minute appeals from both sides.
"I want you to understand that this is not just a job. This is 21 years of a career that I have," said Fox.
Deputy County attorney Clarisse McCormick represented the county and said Fox violated the integrity of the MCSO so blatantly that there was no question his termination should be upheld.
"Not only did Mr. Fox make untruthful statements to the public, he made untruthful statements to criminal investigators, he made untruthful statements to administrative investigators and he made untruthful statements to the court," McCormick said.
Fox's attorney, Edward Moriarity, passionately addressed the panel and pleaded for them to dismiss the hype and pay close attention to the facts of the case. He emphatically denied that his client ever lied and argued that the county fabricated the alleged lies by misrepresenting the facts.
"This scheme that she has invented in her head is the biggest lie in the whole world. The truth is told in the facts of this case," Moriarity said.
The commission voted unanimously to uphold Fox's firing. Fox and Moriarity left the room after the vote was taken and would not answer questions.
Fox could appeal the decision in Maricopa County Superior Court.
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