It gets worse. The alleged threat to the ex-lover was made by Babeu's personal lawyer, first to him and then confirmed to his lawyer. Babeu's lawyer is also his campaign manager.
The affair lasted years. The man says they met in October 2006 on gay.com, a dating website. And, the ex-lover was not only personally involved with Babeu but professionally. "He maintained Babeu's campaign websites, his Facebook page, and his Twitter account."
The ex-lover saved voicemails and text messages.
The text messages — many still saved on Jose's cell phone — appear to be sent from Babeu's business cell phone. Babeu identifies himself on his voice mail and says he is the sheriff of Pinal County.
There's also photos:
He shared with New Times photographs that he claims Babeu e-mailed to the anonymous love interest. In the photographs, the sheriff revealed himself shirtless, in his underwear, and naked from the waist down.
At the press conference, Babeu did not dispute the validity of the photos and texts:
Babeu admitted to reporters that he did have a personal relationship with Jose, the man who reached out to New Times to share his story. And he also said he did not deny the veracity of the text messages or photos published by our publication.
The issue is not that Babeu is gay. An immigration attorney in Arizona (no relation) says:
If what [Babeu's attorney] says is correct [about Jose's being illegal], either the sheriff had a long relationship with someone he knew was undocumented, while all the time being Mr. Bluster about the border and using it for political gain," or he threatened to deport someone he just broke up with..."That's just the worst kind of hypocrisy."
Another says:
To use a position of authority . . . and make legal threats opens a Pandora's box of ethics issues for any law enforcement person or any elected person. In this case, he's both."
Babeu is also co-chair of Mitt Romney's Arizona presidential Campaign (He resigned today.)
The ex-lover's lawyer is not retreating from her allegations that the threats were made by Babeu's lawyer both to her and her client -- separately.