PHOENIX — The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office communications director has resigned and cited an “untenable situation” of using the public office to defend Allister Adel personally about her sobriety and leadership.
Jennifer Liewer was walked out of MCAO headquarters the day after submitting her resignation letter, according to multiple sources.
BREAKING: Allister Adel’s communication director has resigned.
— Dave Biscobing (@DaveBiscobing15) February 10, 2022
MCAO sent @ABC15 this statement confirming the news but would not immediately release her resignation letter.
It’s another high-level exit for Adel’s office as she weathers multiple scandals. pic.twitter.com/5TPy5fRFbC
The county attorney’s office confirmed Liewer’s resignation and issued a short statement.
“On February 9, 2022 Communications Director Jennifer Liewer submitted her letter of resignation to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office. She will be assisting with the transition of her position until March 2. We thank Jennifer for her service to the office and wish her well in her future endeavors,” wrote a spokesperson.
MCAO did not immediately provide a copy of Liewer’s resignation letter, which ABC15 obtained through outside sources.
“As I have repeatedly conveyed, I believe the best use of the communications team is to communicate about the work of the office - - not in defending the county attorney individually,” Liewer wrote. “It is my hope that a third-party public relations consultant is engaged to handle the matter in its entirety.”
Liewer is now one of multiple high-level resignations from Adel’s leadership team.
Multiple executives resigned in the wake of ABC15’s “Politically Charged” investigation, and a top-level civil division lawyer resigned earlier this month.
Adel has been dealing with a public sobriety battle for months.
Last year, she admitted that she entered an out-of-state rehab facility. ABC15 later obtained correspondence showing Adel didn’t inform county supervisors that she was in treatment.
