In a fundraising email to supporters, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio said he "could lose" if faced with a recall election.
"The fight to recall me in Arizona is gaining steam and I'm afraid if we don't fight back hard right now... I could lose," Arpaio wrote in an email Sunday.
The AP reports that recall organizers say they've gathered 150,000 of the 335,000 signatures required by May 30 to bring on a recall election, despite facing fundraising difficulties.
The group, a political committee called Respect Arizona, began efforts to recall Arpaio in January 2013. HuffPost reports some leaders of Respect Arizona also helped unseat former Arizona Senate President Russell Pearce in 2011.
Read the full text of Arpaio's fundraising email below:
Fellow Patriot,
I normally do not write you emails this personal -- but today I'm making an exception.
My friend, we are in trouble.
I spent my entire life fighting for what is right and the rule of law. I have fought against Mexican Drug Cartels who have threatened my life and my family. I have fought against a corrupt Department of Justice who is more interested in scoring political points than enforcing the law. I have fought against President Obama who doesn't have the first clue on how to secure our borders or protect our citizens.
Today, it feels like I'm fighting them all at the same time and more.
And while I will never give up the fight for justice and to protect American citizens... I can't continue to fight without your immediate help.
So before you read any further, I hope you will click on this link I asked my staff to give me and make a personal gift -- a sacrifice -- to help me today.
Let me briefly explain a little more:
The fight to recall me in Arizona is gaining steam and I'm afraid if we don't fight back hard right now... I could lose.
In fact the headline in the local AZ paper just a few days ago read, "Arpaio Recall Off to an Impressive Start."
That's because just days ago the group fighting to recall me announced they have gathered over 120,000 signatures to recall me from office.
I can't begin to tell you how bad it will be if we lose...
>>> Mexican Cartels will be the winner as they have been gunning for me for years.
>>> President Obama will be a winner as he has personally targeted me to destroy me.
>>> Drug smugglers will be the winner because they know I will NEVER look the other way when they break the law.
>>> The Obama Department of Justice will be the winner as they have failed with their trumped up "discrimination" charges against me.
>>> Open Border Liberals will be the winner as they want nothing more than to get rid of a tough Arizona Sheriff that will never back down.
But I'm less concerned about who will win... than who will lose... the losers will be:
>>> The single mother who can't protect her children from a rampant drug culture.
>>> The southern Arizona rancher who will have to fight on his own against illegals crossing his land.
>>> The grandmother whose grandson can't go to school without being confronted by drug pushers.
>>> The mother of a child who is killed by a Drug dealer that I wasn't able to keep in jail because I have been recalled.
>>> The family who cannot sleep at night with worry that their child will be kidnapped from the streets of Phoenix.
>>> The small business owner who has to move his business because illegals have control over his neighborhood.
My friend, as I wrote above... we are in trouble.
I have never written a more personal note for help before and I don't know that I ever will again. And I hope after reading my email you will decide to help me fight back by going to this link and making the most generous contribution you can to help me fight back.
I'm going to fight back with -- or without -- your help. The only difference is: will I have the necessary resources to fight or will I be over-run by an avalanche of opposition?
It's up to you.
Please send help if you can.
Very Sincerely Yours,
Sheriff Joe Arpaio
Maricopa County, Arizona
Before You Go
