Recall Effort Against Sheriff Chris Nanos Gains Momentum

Sheriff Chris Nanos, responsible for the investigation into the case of Nancy Guthrie, is facing a significant recall campaign initiated by frustrated local citizens. This comes amidst accusations that his actions have “embarrassed” the county, according to reports.

Republican Congressional candidate Daniel Buttiles has confirmed he has begun the lengthy process of the recall. He mentioned that around 500 volunteers are actively working to gather the necessary signatures to remove Nanos from office.

Buttiles emphasized that this is a bipartisan initiative, stating, “We’re not trying to collect signatures from one political party or the other,” during a conversation from his home in Pima County.

He expressed strong criticism of Nanos, saying, “He has shamed Tucson and Pima County with this Nancy Guthrie case,” noting that recent allegations about the sheriff lying under oath about his employment history were particularly concerning.

Buttiles, who is running against Democratic Representative Adelita Grijalva in the upcoming November elections, decided to commence the recall process after discussions with unhappy Pima County employees.

He shared that some deputies had expressed a desire to initiate a recall themselves but were fearful of retaliation from Sheriff Nanos. “I decided to do it because I’m a parliamentary candidate, I’m already in the spotlight, and I don’t think Nanos is interfering with me,” he explained.

Upon receiving his recall serial number, Buttiles has 120 days to gather the requisite signatures from 25% of voters who participated in the last sheriff’s election in 2024, which translates to approximately 120,000 votes.

However, Buttiles is optimistic about the effort, stating, “We’re probably going to collect 135,000 signatures.” He added that they currently have nearly 500 volunteers assisting with the signature collection and five notaries available to authenticate the pages.