Seems like Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas makes the asshole meter go just as high as Sheriff Joe Arpaio does! Andrew Thomas is the asshole who refused to charge the Phoenix cops who were video taped by News 12 beating up a Mexican national with any crimes Original Article Thomas is taking on the role of Robin to sheriff's Batman Jan. 8, 2006 12:00 AM After spending years alone on the political mountaintop, the Zen master of publicity stunts finally has found a disciple. Arizona's lonely guru has waited a long time for a sidekick, for a Tonto to his Lone Ranger, a Robin to his Batman. Now, in Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas, Sheriff Joe Arpaio has found such a protg. Under Master Joe, Thomas appears to have learned the ancient art of manipulating the media for self-promotion. He even has found ways to build upon the genius of the sheriff's Tent City, the brilliance of his chain gangs. Thomas seems to send out even more news releases than the sheriff. He holds even more news conferences than the sheriff. He has staged an official gathering on immigration, a state and federal issue, because he knows that any politician who talks about the subject gets headlines. Therefore, he talks about it a lot. He has threatened to file a lawsuit to stop Spanish-language DUI courts, which are used to help Spanish speakers navigate the system. Thomas is not yet as skillful as our High Priest of Hype, who last week got basketball star Shaquille O'Neal to visit Tent City and sing the sheriff's praises. But the young prosecutor is narrowing the gap. Not long ago, Thomas set up a Web site (www.stopDUIaz.com) where he began posting the photographs of people who've committed horrible crimes while driving under the influence. Most will spend years in prison. He has since persuaded Glendale to contribute photographs of those whose DUI convictions were obtained in City Court. These men and women were caught driving drunk and most often wound up being fined and spending 10 days or so in jail. On the Web site, Thomas writes that "publishing this information will serve as an effective deterrent." I suppose that's possible. Perhaps there is actually is someone out there who wouldn't be deterred by stiff fines, loss of driving privileges or by jail time, but who would not drive drunk based on the possibility of having his face put on an obscure Internet site. I just don't happen to know of such a person. Just as I haven't heard tell of anyone who was deterred from robbing a bank by the thought of being made to wear pink underwear in Arpaio's jail. Near as I can tell, the only people deterred by such attention-grabbing stunts are political opponents. No one has gotten more publicity than Sheriff Joe. And he deserves it. His wildly successful strategy for winning elections is both profound and simple: Humiliate the bad guys. Many of the people who wind up in jail remind us of the bullies we knew as children. It doesn't matter if they are convicted or simply awaiting trial. Arpaio makes them wear ridiculous clothes and brags about feeding the dogs in his care better than the inmates. In doing so, he portrays himself as the only politician willing get even with the punks who stole our lunch money. And we love him for it. As a prosecutor, Thomas must appease the same crowd. Putting DUI pictures on the Web is his way of taking a page from the master's playbook. In 2001, Arpaio fed images from Madison Street Jail booking areas over the Internet. Court challenges stopped it. But that didn't matter. Just as it doesn't matter if humiliating those convicted of DUI does not stop others from driving drunk. It draws attention to the county attorney. It makes voters feel good. And it makes Thomas the first local politician to play George Costanza to Arpaio's Jerry Seinfeld. Or is it Cheech to his Chong? Or Bart to the sheriff's Homer? Reach Montini at ed.montini@arizonarepublic.com or (602) 444-8978.