PHOENIX (AP) — Maricopa County's top two lawmen say they have dropped a federal racketeering lawsuit targeting county officials.
The suit accused a group of county administrators, elected officials, judges and attorneys of conspiring to hinder criminal investigations.
Sheriff Joe Arpaio and County Attorney Andrew Thomas announced Thursday that they were dropping the suit because the U.S. Department of Justice had agreed to review the case. They say the review would not necessarily lead to a formal investigation or criminal charges. A call to the Justice Department for reaction was not immediately returned Thursday.
Arpaio and Thomas filed the suit in December. County spokeswoman Cari Gerchick says Arpaio and Thomas dropped their suit because they were afraid a judge would have tossed it out.
