Arizona AG confirms investigation into Apache County prosecutor for alleged misconduct

PHOENIX (AZFamille) — Arizona Family has confirmed that the Arizona Attorney General's Office is investigating the Apache County district attorney.

According to a letter from the AG's office to county supervisors, Michael Whiting is at the center of an ongoing investigation into allegations of misuse of public funds and threats and intimidation against a political opponent. It is not clear which public funds were allegedly misused or who the political opponent is referring to.

On the morning of June 4, agents searched Whiting's St. Johns offices and his personal home under a sealed search warrant. At the time, Whiting could not be reached for comment.

CALLS FOR WHITING’S REIGNATION

On Thursday, June 6, a letter signed by three of Whiting's top attorneys called for his resignation, saying in part: “The victims and defendants in the criminal cases we prosecute deserve a fair and impartial administration of justice, free from distraction.” that this investigation has caused and will continue to cause.

In their letter to Whiting, they detailed the raid on the county attorney's office, saying, “Even though the officers were professional and courteous, the situation left us in a state of shock.” All of us, including the high school interns and new hires, were escorted into the lobby and asked to stay there during the search.

The letter also claims that Whiting was less than a mile away, in the Board of Supervisors meeting room, when he was informed via text message that the arrest warrants had been served and that he had He initially replied, “Okay, I'll be there…” but failed to return to his desk for the rest of the week.

Copies of their letter to Whiting were sent to Apache County supervisors and the State Bar of Arizona.

Arizona's family contacted Whiting, and in an email response received Friday, Whiting said, “I remain committed to the citizens of Apache County and will continue to serve as the county's attorney.” » In an email to reporter Amy Cutler, Whiting went on to say he was on a planned trip with his family to California and detailed his cooperation with the attorney general's investigation.

In AG Kris Mayes' letter, she offers the support of the state Criminal Division and grants full authority to the Whiting Chief Deputy to make decisions and preserve evidence in the absence of the Whiting County Attorney.

Mayes' letter also said that if Whiting returned to the office, he would need to get approval from the AG's office before making personnel decisions or spending more than $200.

THE STORY OF WHITING

Whiting has served as Apache County prosecutor for the past 16 years, having first been elected county attorney in 2008. He is a lifelong resident of the county, according to a biography from the Arizona Prosecutors Advisory Council. He has filed an expression of interest in Apache County to run in the 2024 Democratic primary, scheduled for July 30, 2024.

In 2011, Whiting and another attorney were reprimanded by the Arizona State Bar for allowing “Apache County Prosecutor's Office investigators to communicate a pending plea agreement to a represented criminal defendant outside the presence of his lawyer.

The State Bar of Arizona confirms to the Arizona family that a bar charge or complaint has been filed regarding Whiting, but it is being pre-screened.

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