AZ Sheriff Joe Arpaio facing FBI investigation for abusing his power by arresting his critics

Phoenix's KPHO-Channel 5 broke the news Friday:

The FBI is looking into accusations that Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio is using his position to settle political vendettas.

Over the past year, 5 Investigates examined more than two dozen complaints against the sheriff from business owners, government workers, mayors and law-enforcement officials.
They claim they spoke out against Arpaio, and shortly after, deputies paid them unwelcome visits.

Among the public officials who have been victimized by Arpaio's little reign of terror in Maricopa County:
-- Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon, who sicced the Justice Department on Arpaio for his racial-profiling practices.
-- Mesa Police Chief
-- Dan Saban, who ran against the sheriff in 2004 and 2008
-- Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard
-- Maricopa County Manager David Smith
-- The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors
-- Superior Court Presiding Judge Barbara Mundell
-- ACLU attorney Daniel Pochoda

The KPHO reporters also talked to former U.S. Attorney David Iglesias, made famous as one of the people fired by Karl Rove for failing to be political enough in his prosecutions. His assessment was damning indeed;

"I've been in and around law enforcement for about 20 years -- state, local and federal level (and) even some military prosecution work. I've never seen anything like this," Iglesias said after he looked through 5 Investigates' research and did some on his own.

If he were handling the case, Iglesias said, "I would work very closely with the civil rights division in Washington, D.C., and based on the information I have, I would seek an indictment."