Pima County Attorney Laura Conover will enter a diversion program following complaints to the Arizona State Bar about her conduct.
“We’re all human beings,” Conover said in a statement Wednesday, rebutting the 22 complaints lodged by David Berkman, a former top prosecutor in the office. “Each one of us can learn from past events.”
Berkman filed the complaints “based on false statements Conover made during her last campaign, false statements concerning her employees, failing to represent the Board of Supervisors in an ethical manner, and failing to ethically administer justice in the Louis Taylor case,” he said.
While Conover admitted to no wrongdoing, she did enter an agreement with the State Bar to seek advice from experts on several topics, including ethics, communication and perception. She will also attend an educational seminar, she said.
Arizona State Bar Counsel Kelly Goldstein said she reviewed Berkman’s complaints against Conover during a disciplinary investigation, and it was agreed that Conover would participate in a State Bar diversion program.
Once Conover completes the program’s terms, the result will end with the “underlying matter being dismissed,” Goldstein wrote in a letter to Berkman.
And while she’s agreed to enter a State Bar diversion program, Conover remains steadfast that she’s done nothing to deserve a seat at that table.
“I have not been found guilty of any ethical transgressions, and I have not admitted to any,” Conover said.
Instead, Conover pointed the finger toward Berkman, who filed the Bar complaints against her, who she says is “treating public safety like a game.”
Berkman has been a steady critic of Conover’s performance since she took office in 2021. He’s criticized what he said was a conflict of interest in her handling of cases involving defendant Louis Taylor, the massive turnover in the office and even sued her office over failing to provide public records.
Conover said she refuses to give Berkman and his allegations even two more minutes of her time, refusing on Thursday to answer specific questions about his claims or give details about the diversion program.
Taylor Tasler, a spokeswoman for the State Bar, said only that the matter is closed “but has no public disposition.”
Details of diversion or not, Berkman said he’s just glad to see something being done about a saga that began years ago.
He reiterated that he didn’t file complaints with the Bar in a punitive way, but rather hopes that the actions taken will work, and that Conover changes her ways.
According to the State Bar’s guidelines, the purpose of the diversion program is to “protect the public through educational, remedial and rehabilitative programs so that attorneys modify ... conduct that does not comply with the Arizona Rules of Professional Conduct.”
Conover said Berkman’s attempts to see her penalized have fallen flat and that no one is above furthering their education, which is what she plans to do during her time in the diversion program.
“I’m not going to give him a full-blown trial,” Conover said. “I can learn more about communication ... But, I refuse to be distracted from my sacred oath of office.”
