| NEWS | Leg Up Rachel Mitchell named interim Maricopa County Attorney, to mixed reaction. BY KATYA SCHWENK M aricopa County has appointed Rachel Mitchell as interim county attorney. Mitchell is a career and high-ranking prosecutor within the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office and is known for her interrogation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford, who had accused him of sexual assault. Mitchell is one of three Republican candidates for the office to qualify for the ballot this fall. This means that she will now run for that office with a significant advantage as the incumbent. The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors decided to choose from among three Republican candidates bidding to replace former County Attorney Allister Adel, who resigned last month. Supervisors took a 15-minute executive session last week to hear legal advice on the appointment. Then in an open meeting, they voted unanimously. “At this point, as of today, who is the best person to step in that role, to bring the office forward, to bring stability?” asked Supervisor Steve Gallardo. “It is Rachel Mitchell.” Gallardo still said he would have favored an “open process” where others — besides the three candidates — were allowed to apply for the appointment. Mitchell was considered for the interim position along with Gina Godbehere, pros- ecutor for the city of Goodyear, and Anni Foster, Governor Doug Ducey’s general counsel. All three submitted written replies to questions from the board of supervisors this week. Mitchell has long been a powerful figure in the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, where she has worked for more than 30 years. She served for years as the head of the agency’s sex crimes division, handling some high-profile sex abuse cases. She served as second-in-command in the office under Bill Montgomery. It was a surprise when, in 2019, Adel beat out Mitchell for the appointment to the office, after Montgomery vacated his role for an Arizona Supreme Court Katya Schwenk Rachel Mitchell, left, is sworn in as county attorney. appointment. Mitchell was one of several key bureau chiefs who signed a letter in February urging Adel to resign, after growing ques- tions about her sobriety and absences from the office. She has since partnered with Jennifer Liewer, Adel’s ousted communications director, to run her campaign for the office. Her opponents had mixed reactions immediately after the appointment. Godbehere wrote, “I am disappointed in the selection of the status quo candidate by the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors. I am retiring from the City of Goodyear to pursue my candidacy. I am grateful for the support across our county in my pursuit of restoring trust in the County Attorney’s Office.” Foster, the third conservative candi- date, tweeted that she would issue “an announcement about my future plans” in the next few days, though did not elaborate. Meanwhile, Julie Gunnigle, Mitchell’s Democratic opponent, wrote in a state- ment to Phoenix New Times it was “unfor- tunate that [the board] appointed someone from the same corrupt office we desper- ately need to reform.” “If Mitchell was going to do better than her predecessors, she would have spoken up before she saw a way to benefit herself politically,” Gunnigle added. Supervisors expressed their feelings of urgency over the appointment at the special meeting Wednesday. Supervisor Thomas Galvin, congratulating Mitchell, said the office had fallen into “disarray” in recent months. “It needs a lot of help, and it needs a lot of restoration, immediately,” he said. After the board voted on the position, Mitchell was sworn in officially and took questions from reporters. >> p 16 15 phoenixnewtimes.com | CONTENTS | FEEDBACK | OPINION | NEWS | FEATURE | NIGHT+DAY | CULTURE | FILM | CAFE | MUSIC | PHOENIX NEW TIMES APRIL 28TH– MAY 4TH, 2022
