ARPAIO Motion Filed by Goldman Re AMICUS BRIEFS Sept 12 2017

Case 2:16-cr-01012-SRB Document 232 Filed 09/12/17 Page 1 of 4
6 Dennis I. Wilenchik, #005350

John D. Wilenchik, #029353
7 [email protected]
10
11 Mark Goldman, #012156

Vincent R. Mayr, #013954
12 Jeff S. Surdakowski, #030988
17851 North 85th Street, Suite 175
13
Scottsdale, AZ 85255
14 Main: (480) 626-8483
Facsimile: (480) 502-7500
15 [email protected]
Attorneys for Defendant Joseph M. Arpaio
16
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
17
DISTRICT OF ARIZONA
18
19 United States of America, Case No.: 2:16-cr-01012-SRB-1
20 Plaintiff, DEFENDANTS RESPONSE TO

MOTIONS FOR LEAVE, OR IN THE
21 v. ALTERNATIVE, MOTION TO STRIKE
22
Joseph M. Arpaio, (Assigned to the
23 Honorable Susan R. Bolton)
Defendant.
24 (Oral Argument Requested)
25 Defendant hereby responds to and opposes, and/or moves to strike, the various and
26 redundant Motions for Leave to File Amicus Curiae Briefs that have been filed in this matter
1 (Doc. 223, 226, 227, 228, 229, 230, 231), and requests that the Court deny them (or strike them,
2 as appropriate). The general rule in American jurisprudence is that private citizens lack a
3 judicially cognizable interest in the prosecution of another. See, e.g., Linda R.S. v. Richard D.,
4 410 U.S. 614, 619 (1973). Even crime victims, who enjoy various statutory rights of
5 participation, have limited rights to be heard in their own criminal case. United States v.
6 Laraneta, 700 F.3d 983, 98586 (7th Cir.2012). While the decision whether to allow amicus
7 briefs is generally in the discretion of the Court, a district court lacking joint consent of the
8 parties should go slow in acceptingan amicus brief unlessthe amicus has a special interest
9 that justifies his having a say, or unless the court feels that existing counsel may need
10 supplementing assistance. Strasser v. Doorley, 432 F.2d 567, 569 (1st Cir. 1970). Allowing
11 numerous unsolicited amicus briefs in a criminal case is improper because [a]t a minimum,
12 reply poses a burden on the [defendant], who may, in addition, feel that he is outnumbered. Id.
13 Further, at least one amicus filer urges factual1 arguments to the Court; and an amicus who
14 argues facts should rarely be welcomed. Id. Finally, and without conducting an exhaustive
15 review of the amicus filings (for obvious reasons of economy), the filers are groups and/or
16 persons who are outspokenly opposed to the President, or who are anti-law enforcement, and/or
17 who are not specially qualified or interested in the outcome of this case so as to merit either
18
19 1
One filer tries to claim that the conviction should not be vacated because Defendant Arpaio voluntarily
20 caused the pardon. After the President made an announcement (unilaterally) promising a pardon
(hes going to be just fine, I dont want to do it [pardon him] tonight because I dont want to cause
21 any controversy), the press reported that White House Counsel was advising the President to delay a
pardon until after sentencing. This prompted Defendants counsel to write the White House counsel a
22 letter indicating that to delay any pardon until after sentencing would have an (iatrogenic) effect on
sentencing, because the court would be aware of the potential pardon and may react to it; and therefore
23 there would no reason to delay any pardon. Even so, the letter did not expressly demand a pardon, and
merely indicated that to delay one until after sentencing would be unwise. Pardons remain something
24 that is not in the control of the Defendant, and that are subject only to the grace of the President of the
United States; and so Defendant did not proximately cause the mootness in this case, by any means. (No
25
doubt the defendant in Schaffer actually even applied for a pardon, which Defendant did not; and even
26 this was insufficient for the First Circuit to find in that case that the defendant caused the mootness,
for purposes of the rule of automatic vacatur. U.S. v. Schaffer, 240 F.3d 35 (D.C. Cir. 2001).)
1
1 intervention or filing an amicus brief. In addition, for the court to accept an amicus whose
2 point of view is well known is particularly questionable, where the legal issues have already
3 been well and fully briefed. Id.
4 At least one amicus filer urges the Court to unilaterally reverse clear and well-
5 established Supreme Court precedent and find that criminal contempt is not pardonable. This
6 flies in the face of both Bloom v. Illinois, 391 U.S. 194, 201 (1968)(finding that [c]riminal
7 contempt is a crime in the ordinary sense); as well as Ex parte Grossman, 267 U.S. 87 (1925)
8 (Taft, C.J.)(unanimous), which specifically found that criminal contempt is pardonable,
9 because of the the importance of the co-ordinating checks and balances of the Constitution.
10 Id. at 122. In fact, the Supreme Courts Opinion in Grossman found that the President has the
11 power to pardon criminal contempt precisely because of the danger of a judge refusing the give
12 the defendant a jury,2 and that is exactly why the Presidents pardon criminal contempt is one of
13 the checks and balances of the Constitution. Id. Further, Ex Parte Grossman specifically said
14 that the Presidents power to pardon exists not just to afford relief from undue harshness, but
15 also to afford relief from an evident mistake in the operation of the law i.e., from a
16 wrongful conviction for criminal contempt, such as this was. Amicus arguments to the
17 contrary are a bitter soup that is too hard to swallow, being mixed with one part irrelevant
18 English history, one part political bile, and a broth of Chicken Little syndrome, to taste.
19 Finally, any other disputes about the pardon fall squarely into the territory of a non-justiciable
20 political question that is unreviewable by this or any Court.
21 At least one amicus asks the Court to appoint another special prosecutor to prosecute
22 amicus outlandish arguments about the unconstitutionality of the pardon. Clearly, this room
23 already has enough lawyers in it, and amicis arguments have already been briefed to beyond
24 (anyones) satisfaction.
25
26 2
The Court erroneously refused a trial by jury in this matter, under 18 U.S.C. 3691 inter alia.
2
1 In the event that the Court chooses to entertain or consider any of the amicus briefs, then
2 Defendant requests a full and fair notice and opportunity to respond to any genuine issue raised
3 therein (of which there should be none).
4 RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED September 12, 2017.

5 WILENCHIK & BARTNESS, P.C. GOLDMAN & ZWILLINGER PLLC
6 /s/ Dennis and Jack Wilenchik /s/ Mark D. Goldman
Dennis I. Wilenchik, Esq. Mark D. Goldman, Esq.
7 John D. Wilenchik, Esq. Vincent R. Mayr, Esq.
The Wilenchik & Bartness Building Jeff S. Surdakowski, Esq.
8 2810 North Third Street 17851 North 85th Street, Suite 175
Phoenix, Arizona 85004 Scottsdale, AZ 85255
9 [email protected] [email protected]
10 Attorneys for Defendant Joseph M. Arpaio
11
12
13
14 CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
15 I hereby certify that on September 12, 2017, I electronically transmitted the foregoing
16 Notice to the Clerk of the Court through the CM/ECF system, which will send a Notice of
17 Electronic Filing to all CM/ECF registrants for this matter.
18
19 /s/Christine M. Ferreira
20
21
22
23
24
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ARPAIO Motion Filed by Goldman Re AMICUS BRIEFS Sept 12 2017

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Case 2:16-cr-01012-SRB Document 232 Filed 09/12/17 Page 1 of 4

6 Dennis I. Wilenchik, #005350

11 Mark Goldman, #012156

19 United States of America, Case No.: 2:16-cr-01012-SRB-1

20 Plaintiff, DEFENDANTS RESPONSE TO

3 been well and fully briefed. Id.

8 (Taft, C.J.)(unanimous), which specifically found that criminal contempt is pardonable,

20 political question that is unreviewable by this or any Court.

3 therein (of which there should be none).

4 RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED September 12, 2017.

17 Electronic Filing to all CM/ECF registrants for this matter.

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