Paul Babeu, the sheriff of Pinal
County, Arizona and a GOP candidate for Congress, allegedly
threatened his male Mexican ex-lover with deportation.
According to the Phoenix
New Times, a man identified only as Jose claims he and Babeu
had a years-long intimate affair.
Babeu, a vocal opponent of illegal
immigration who was featured in Senator John McCain's 2010 campaign
ad advocating for greater border security, allegedly threatened Jose
with deportation when he refused to sign an agreement stating that he
would not discuss their relationship.
“Jose came to our firm because he
felt he was being intimidated, and he was in fear for his life,”
said Jose's attorney, Melissa Weiss-Riner. “He wanted his legal
rights protected.”
Jose said he met Babeu online in 2006
at the dating website gay.com. He added that he created and
maintained Babeu's campaign websites and his social media presence,
but wasn't paid for his services. Babeu's lawyer has acknowledged
that Jose worked as a campaign volunteer and claimed that he hacked
into a campaign website.
The Phoenix New Times' story
also included a photo of an Adam4Adam.com profile allegedly belonging
to Babeu. The user, studboi1, advertises that he's a “good guy
looking for another” and is “vers/top, 7” Cut, Safe Sex Only,
HIV Negative.”
Babeu denied the accusations in a
statement: “We strongly deny the sensationalist headline published
by the Phoenix New Times.” (A video report is embedded in
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