Allister Adel is no longer Maricopa County Attorney as her resignation went into effect Friday evening.
In a statement released Monday afternoon, Adel stated, "I am proud of the many accomplishments of the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office during my tenure, including policies that seek justice in a fair and equitable manner, hold violent offenders accountable, protect the rights of crime victims, and keep families safe."
Her resignation comes after a growing list of scandals and failures dating back to her election in November 2020.
Adel has largely deflected responsibility for what’s happened under her leadership, causing many in her office and the community to criticize a lack of accountability in the office.
In early 2021, ABC15’s “Politically Charged” investigation exposed MCAO colluded with Phoenix police to invent a gang and falsely charge protesters as members.
Later that summer, Adel entered an out-of-state rehab facility, but kept it secret from county leaders.
On Friday, Mass Liberation Arizona gathered outside the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office to respond to the resignation with what activists called a celebration,
Mass Liberation AZ is one organization that has been calling for Adel’s resignation, in a press release, the group wrote, “Adel's resignation is a victory for all of the people who faced the brunt of Adel's abuses of power during her tenure as a prosecutor. It is also a win for every Black person in Arizona who has been told we are only five percent of the population or that our political interests are not a priority.”
Adel is facing multiple state bar investigations, including one for failing to properly supervise her office when prosecutors falsely charged dozens of protesters in 2020.
The latest scandal involved her office having to drop 180 misdemeanor cases because prosecutors missed filing deadlines.
“The victory also belongs to Mass Liberation Arizona and the directly impacted protesters who took on the third largest prosecuting agency in the nation, not because it was politically convenient, but because it was a fight for their lives. And we won,” Mass Liberation Arizona wrote.
