Maricopa County Board of Supervisors

Officials have hired two law firms and a former Arizona attorney general to investigate the Maricopa County Assessor who is trying to keep his job as he defends himself against human smuggling charges.

The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors has scheduled a December 11 hearing for Assessor Paul D. Petersen to appeal his suspension amid human smuggling and other charges.  Lawyers for Petersen say the suspension last month was illegal.

Paul Petersen has requested a hearing to contest his suspension as Maricopa County assessor while he awaits trial for human smuggling and other charges related to his adoption business.

The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors has appointed a former county flood control director as a temporary replacement for suspended Assessor Paul Petersen.

The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors has suspended an elected official accused of running a human smuggling scheme involving pregnant women from the Marshall Islands brought to the U.S. to give birth for adoptions. The board voted unanimously Monday to suspend Assessor Paul D. Petersen without pay for up to 120 days.