Click the play button on the video window to the see the storyPHOENIX -- An embattled County Supervisor in Arizona asked to travel to Washington for a briefing on President Barack Obama's $787 billion Economic Recovery package will no longer attend, according to Vice President Joseph Biden's office.
Maricopa County Supervisor Don Stapley is facing an indictment on 118 criminal charges, 50 of which are felonies. Because of that, he is not allowed to leave Arizona.
Elizabeth Alexander from The Office of the Vice President released a statement on Wednesday afternoon, saying, "Mr. Stapley, in his role as President of NACO [National Association of Counties], was invited to attend a briefing for approximately 100 local officials on the Recovery Act, and has participated in conference calls on the Act. He was not, however, invited to join any Task Force or any formal group related to the Act."
Alexander later said the NACO had informed her that they would not be sending Stapley, and had decided to send someone else to the briefing.
The indictment against Stapley alleges that he failed to disclose millions of dollars of financial information and lied on financial disclosure statements that are signed under the oath of perjury.
In a statement to ABC15, Stapley's attorney Paul K. Charlton said his client's understanding was that he was appointed to a task force, that he accepts the White House's position and has decided to no longer participate in the meeting because it's become too great of a distraction.
Earlier, Charlton had said his client had filed a motion in Arizona Superior Court requesting that he be allowed to travel to Washington to attend the meeting scheduled for next week.
Charlton released a statement saying, "In this nation, we are presumed innocent, even when charged, and Mr. Stapley is presumed innocent."
Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas said that he had planned to draft a letter to the Secret Service to notify them of the Stapley indictment.
Thomas said he had reason to believe that the administration was not aware of supervisor Stapley's legal issues and pending indictment.
He also said many of the failure to disclose counts in Stapley's indictment focus on his business and financial relationship with Conley Wolfswinkel, a Phoenix developer who in the early 90s was convicted in federal court of bank fraud, conspiracy and misapplication of bank funds.
Thomas said his office was going to strongly object to defendant's motion to amend travel restrictions to be part of any task force, saying Stapley should be treated like every other person charged with a crime.
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