The Hill News

The Justice Department has broken off efforts to settle civil-rights allegations against Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio, saying the controversial lawman was negotiating in bad faith and wasting the government's time.

"We believe that you are wasting time and not negotiating in good faith," wrote Roy Austin Jr., a deputy assistant attorney general, in a letter obtained by The Associated Press. "Your tactics have required DOJ to squander valuable time and resources."

The Justice Department said they pulled out of negotiations after Arpaio's lawyer said that he would not agree to having a federal court monitor placed in his office to prevent civil-rights abuses, despite having previously agreed to the condition.

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