Mark Manoil

Mark Manoil, chairman of the Maricopa County Democratic Party, called on Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas and the county Board of Supervisors Wednesday to investigate donations to the state Republican Party by a Mesa group, SCA, and to release a report by the National Commission on Correctional Health Care on the state of prisoner care in Maricopa County jails.

“Why must we wait until after the election to find out who in the GOP financed the Sheriff’s attack ads?” asked Manoil of the SCA funds, which Democrats allege were specifically directed toward ads against Maricopa County sheriff candidate Dan Saban and county attorney candidate Tim Nelson. “Why won’t the County Attorney investigate the so-called Sheriff’s Command Association that paid for these ads? And since the contributors haven’t been identified, how do we know that state Republicans’ assurance that the money has been returned isn’t simply a money-laundering scheme?”

Manoil made the remarks at a press conference outside the auditorium where the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors holds its hearings.

He also called on the Board to end "stonewalling" and release a report on the conditions of Maricopa County jails, and conduct an audit of the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, headed by Sheriff Joe Arpaio.

Doug Mings, Chairman of the Legislative District 17 Democrats, is replacing Todd Landfried as executive director of the Maricopa County Democratic Party, according to Mark Manoil, who chairs the Maricopa Dems.

"Todd isn't out - he's shifting his work," said Manoil, explaining the change. Manoil said Landfried will be handling a campaign porfolio for the rest of the cycle. Manoil praised his work, saying he did a "great job" helping to recruit candidates, and also for setting up the website joesgottogo.com, which attacks Republican incumbent Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio.

Manoil also said the county party's role is shifting with the primary season coming to a close. "We were focused on recruiting the best candidates we could," said Manoil, who stated that fundraising will be the primary focus of the party until the election.

Maricopa County attorney candidates Tim Nelson and Gerald Richard are trading barbs over which one of them is more averse to debating the other in the Democratic primary. Both Richard and Nelson hope to face sitting MCA Andrew Thomas, and both sides agree debates would be a terrific way for Democrats to decide which would be better against Thomas on the ballot. The trouble is, they haven't set any up.

Ask Richard's camp, and they'll say Tim Nelson has been ducking debates with them consistently.

"I've been trying to get on the same state with Tim to debate him for months now," said Richard, a former top-ranking Phoenix police official. "I'm sure Tim has a campaign to run and he's real busy, but still."