Blog For Arizona

Recess update from Steve Gall

by David Safier

Recess guru Steve Gall has an update on the recess amendment passed this last legislative session.

Attention parents of elementary school children. A recess amendment to HB 2725 Education Omnibus Bill was passed by the Arizona State Legislature and signed into law by Governor Brewer in May.  It states that all Arizona public school districts and charter school boards must have open hearings on their recess policies and if they have a policy they must include a 30 minute daily organized recess program implemented by the teachers. I strongly recommend that parents attend their local school board meetings and ask about the recess policies. The TUSD Governing Board Meetings are scheduled for July 13 and August 10. This amendment was designed to allow the parents to have a voice in the Board's decision making.

If you need any additional information, you can contact me at 520 777-3000.

Thank you. Dr. Steve Gall

Is Rodney Glassman having a Sarah Palin Moment?

By Jenn

Like crabs in a barrel, the Democratic candidates competing for a shot at Sen. John McCain's Senate seat seem hellbent on dragging one another into the muck, much to the chagrin of fellow Democrats like myself. 

Last night, Rodney Glassman, former Tucson City Council Member, appeared at Drinking Liberally. This is nothing new -- political hopefuls routinely make a showing at DL during the campaign season in hopes of increasing their public profile, and (since DL has the reputation of hosting one of the most difficult political audiences in Southern Arizona) showing off their mental muscle on the relevant issues. And, since Glassman is a relatively unknown local Tucson politician who has been criticized as being too "wet-behind-the-ears" to hold a U.S. Senate seat, he needs to do both if he hopes to make it out of this year's primary. 

What was surprising about Glassman's appearance last night was the drama surrounding the event.

It turns out that earlier this month, a blogger named Three Sonorans (who writes over at the Tucson Citizen and who volunteers for Glassman's Democratic opponent, Randy Parraz) was planning to broadcast last night's DL event live. Three Sonorans wanted to confront Glassman with "a yes or no question" based on a recent interview with Arizona Illustrated wherein Glassman refused to state whether or not he supported deportation of undocumented immigrants. (You can see the anti-Glassman attack video documenting the relevant parts of the interview on YouTube here.)

According to an email circulating the DL listserv, Glassman's campaign -- fearing a political ambush -- requested that event organizers discourage the use of video cameras at last night's meet-and-greet. This request translated into the owner of The Shanty (where the event was hosted) stipulating that Three Sonorans (and possibly other attendees) leave their cameras in their cars so that the bar didn't become a political warzone.

At this point, I want to note how bizarre it was that cameras were barred last night. DL's mission is to increase politcal participation in part by facilitating access between voters and candidates -- which video recording clearly does. Cameras have always been allowed at every meet-and-greet hosted by DL that I have ever attended, even when event organizers were aware of a potential political ambush. Heck, even Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords -- arguably one of the most high-profile guests DL has had -- was not immune; she was videotaped at a DL event being put through the ringer by a number of anti-war protesters a couple of years ago. So, why was that policy changed for last night's event with Rodney Glassman?

In any event, I tend to agree that staging a political ambush on a fellow Democrat is a questionable tactic, even in a hotly contested primary. True, primaries (sort of by definition) tend to have all the grace and sophistication of a barfight; this is the time when candidates -- who frequently agree with one another on 99% of the issues -- make political hay out of that other 1%. But muck-flinging and ambush tactics benefit no one but incumbents, particularly when the infantile finger-pointing results in the kind of inflammatory he-said-she-said drama exemplified by Three Sonorans' anti-Glassman Tucson Citizen blog post wrapping up the events of last night. If Three Sonorans wanted a straightforward answer to his straightforward question, he shouldn't have asked that question in the context of trying to catch Glassman in a "gotcha" moment. Let's leave such underhanded tactics to the Republican party.

That being said, I'm disappointed by the Glassman campaign's efforts to limit recording of last night's public event. I can appreciate wanting to protect your candidate from being immortalized in embarassing video and audio, but Glassman is putting himself up for a national Senate seat. He has already made headlines by refusing to commit to debates against fellow Democratic primary candidates. That coupled with this latest flaptrap cultivates a perception amongst undecided voters that Glassman can't handle unscripted situations -- or, worse yet, that he isn't interested in publicly interacting with colleagues and opponents who disagree with him.

Rodney Glassman may be campaigning to be the Democratic Party's Scott Brown, but his attempts to control being caught unscripted in a "gotcha" moment is a little less Scott Brown and a little more Sarah Palin, who routinely barred press and pre-screened questions at her campaign events.

As a U.S. Senator, Glassman will have open mics contantly shoved into his face. He will have to debate Republicans and fellow Democrats in a cogent and compelling manner so as to best represent the interests of Arizonans on the Senate floor. Political opponents with greater clout and savvy than Randy Parraz will try to stage political ambushes with more dire consequences. I (honestly) have no opinion on whether or not Glassman is qualified to be our next senator, and as a hardcore Democrat, I support any Democrat over John McCain (or ultra-right-wing J.D. Hayworth). But, from a political strategy standpoint, if Glassman hopes to have a shot at the Senate this year, he can't afford to appear ill-prepared for the rigors -- and the unrelenting spotlight -- of this job. 

Yet, sadly, even if we take nothing else from last night's drama, we learn from his reluctance to be filmed that even Glassman has doubts about his own readiness for the big leagues. How, than, can he hope to convince the rest of us?

Melvin's boycott of Star's ed pages nothing new

by David Safier

AZ Blue Meanie pointed out something I had forgotten: that Melvin and his S. AZ conservative counterparts boycotted the Star's editorial pages awhile ago. This from the Tucson Sentinel, Jan. 29, 2010:

Tucson-area state legislators Melvin, Antenori, Gowan and Stevens don't seem to be fans of the morning daily. They sent the a letter to the Arizona Daily Star today, saying that they won't discuss the issues with the Star's editorial board.

Follow the Sentinel link to read the letter.

"Atomic" Al has upped the ante, though, adding the Republic and KUAT's Arizona Illustrated to the mix in yesterday's piece in The Range. And even for Melvin, this is an amazingly revealing line:

"[The editorial boards are] totally slanted to the left,” he says. “There is nothing fair and balanced about it and we’re not going to be a party to it.” [italics added]

Melvin complains these media outlets aren't "fair and balanced." Now where have I heard that term before? Oh yeah, it's the motto of a news source I imagine Melvin thinks should be the model for reporting and editorializing everywhere: good ol' Fair and Balanced Fox News.

It's time to start talking about ballot questions

Posted by Craig McDermott

Lost in the excitement over the races for various offices on this fall's ballot have been the large number of important questions being placed before the voters in November.

The Arizona Legislature's Legislative Council (basically a group of lawyers who take legislative bill proposals and write them into "legalese) will be holding a public meeting on Wednesday at 10 a.m. in House Hearing Room 4 (HHR4) to consider, possibly amend, and adopt some draft analyses of the various questions scheduled to go before the voters, including two active initiatives that haven't turned in their petitions yet.

The short version of my take on the questions:

Other than the Medical Marijuana question, they're all crap. Pretty much everything proposed by the legislature is aimed at destroying any parts of Arizona's social safety net that have previously been approved by the voters. The other two, which may not make it on the ballot, are part of the same extremist, anti-government/anti-society, ideology.

However, this post isn't about my visceral reaction, it's about the Lege Council's analyses of the questions. Analyses that appear to be, and are supposed to be, impartial.

The Secretary of State's list of current ballot questions is here.

Note: all analyses linked to are drafts and are subject to change.

In the order of the SOS' list, not the Lege Council's list of analyses, because that is the order that the questions will appear on the ballot -

Question 106 (full text here) - an anti-health care reform amendment to the Arizona Constitution. Lege Council analysis here. Proposed in 2009, even before HCR passed. Referred to the ballot by the House and Senate on party-line votes.

Question 107 (full text here) - an anti-affirmative action amendment to the AZ Constitution. Lege Council analysis here. Referred by the House and Senate on party-line votes.

Question 108 (full text here) - an anti-"card check"/anti-labor amendment to the Arizona Constitution. Lege Council analysis here. Referred by the Senate and House on party-line votes.

These three questions are more about the Republican legislative majority's staunch pro-business/anti-minority and working class ideology than about good government.

Question 109 (full text here) - the first "pro" question of this year's ballot, this one would make the "right" to hunt, fish, or otherwise "harvest wildlife" a right protected under the AZ Constitution. Lege Council analysis here. Ensuring that Arizona continues as the punchline to political jokes nationwide. Referred by the House and Senate with all Rs and a few rural Ds supporting.

Question 110 (full text here) - an amendment to the Arizona Constitution relating to the sale of state trust lands. Lege Council analysis here. This measure includes a provision allowing for the sale or lease of state trust lands without "advertising or auction." In a ballot chock full o' stinkiness, this one may quietly be the most rancid proposal of all. It will be worthy of a full post of its own as the summer drags on and the November election looms ever closer. Referred by the House and Senate unanimously. Something tells me that a lot of the D members of the lege were snookered by the "protect military installations from development" language in the measure.

Question 111 (full text here) - an amendment to the Arizona Constitution that would change the job title of the Arizona Secretary of State to "Lieutenant Governor." Lege Council analysis here. Nothing about the measure changes the functions of the job, so the current job title is more descriptive of the job function than the proposed title. Referred by the Senate unanimously and by the House with a few Rs opposing.

Question 112 (full text here) - an amendment to the AZ Constitution to change the deadline for submitting initiative petitions to allow more time to verify the petitions. Lege Council analysis here. Possibly the least bad measure up for consideration, but since the source is the legislature... Referred by the House and Senate with a few Rs (and one D) opposing.

Question 203 (full text here) - the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act. Lege Council analysis here. This is a good measure, so not surprisingly, this one is a citizen-based initiative, not a legislative-based one.

Question 301 (full text here) - zeroing out the Land Conservation Fund. Lege Council analysis here. Why conserve land when there are corporate tax cuts to pay for? Referred by the House and Senate on party-line votes.

Question 302 (full text here) - repealing the Early Childhood Development and Health Fund and sweeping the money in the Fund. Lege Council analysis here. Why work to ensure that Arizona's child get a healthy start to life when there are corporate tax cuts to pay for? Referred by the House and Senate with all Ds and a couple of Rs opposing.

Not on the ballot as yet, and may not qualify for the ballot, but ones that the Lege Council has draft analyses for are -

- the End Photo Radar Initiative, full text here, Lege Council analysis here. What it sounds like.

- Prop 13 Arizona, full text here, Lege Council analysis here. Would institute strict limits on property taxes, hikes to property taxes, and increases to valuations of property.

Later...

SB1070 Update: Analyzing the "Secure the Border" rhetoric

by David Safier

The Republic's Dennis Wagner presents a very interesting analysis: Political rhetoric ignores reality at United States border with Mexico.

Amid a growing national angst about illegal immigration, Americans keep hearing a chorus: Secure the border first. Then talk about immigration reform.

The idea appeals to public sentiment, and it seems like a simple demand.

But what do pundits and politicians mean?

Is a border secure only when no one crosses illegally and when no contraband slips through?

If some permeability is acceptable, what is the tolerable amount?

Political leaders mostly dodge those questions, and for good reason: Anyone with a minimal knowledge or understanding about the nearly 2,000-mile swath of land between Mexico and the United States realizes that requiring a secure border establishes an impossible standard.

So long as "securing the border" has to be accomplished before we do anything else, politicians who don't want comprehensive immigration reform will be able to say, rightly, "The border isn't secure yet" no matter how few immigrants or drug smugglers slip through.

And the cry for more forces on the border can go on endlessly as well, even though we have far more people on the border now than we used to.

Today, there are 22,800 U.S. Border Patrol agents, five times the number in 1993. About 17,000 agents work along the Southwest corridor, double the number from seven years ago. They are supported by National Guard troops, local police and thousands of port officers using everything from drug-sniffing dogs to gamma-ray machines.

When will we have a big enough force guarding the border? When will the border finally be "secure"? The answer from Pearce, Arpaio, et al, will always be, "It's not secure yet."

The anti-immigrant crowd will never -- never -- say, "OK, now we're ready for an immigration reform package like the one McCain and Kennedy proposed." They'll just keep moving the goal posts. "Nope, sorry, the border's not secure yet."

Weekly: Melvin refuses debates, boycotts major local media outlets

by David Safier

Wow. Just, Wow.

Tucson Weekly's blog, The Range, has an amazing piece about "Atomic" Al Melvin's strategy for the 2010 elections.

Basically, it comes down to "Run away! Run away!"

First, Melvin refused Cheryl Cage's invitations to a series of debates. Here's one of his reasons.

“I told her I’m busy,” Melvin says. “I’m going door to door.”

Right. He can't afford to take a few hours out of his "busy" schedule to sit down for a few debates.

And, Melvin says, there are already scheduled forums, though most of them involve all the LD-26 candidates, so Melvin and Cage have little chance to go head-to-head. If the voters want more than that:

Melvin says the voters can learn about the candidates on their own.

“I would encourage people to look at her website and look at my website,” Melvin says. “You know politics is education—there are many different ways for the voters to see the positions of the candidates.”

Right. Because there's far too much information about the candidates out there already. (As an extra bonus, Melvin's comment shines a revealing light on his educational philosophy, which seems to be, "Look it up yourself, dummy!" No wonder he thinks we spend too much on education.)

In fact, Melvin thinks there's such a glut of information, he wants to cut down on the amount we read about him in liberal bastions like the editorial pages of the state's major dailies, the Star and the Republic, and KUAT's Arizona Illustrated.

No, I'm not kidding.

Melvin says he and other southern Arizona Republican lawmakers are issuing a boycott of the major local media outlets until the news organizations hire at least one “center-right” person to their editorial boards.

“They’re totally slanted to the left,” he says. “There is nothing fair and balanced about it and we’re not going to be a party to it.”

Though they are still talking to reporters from the papers, Melvin says they will not have anything to do with the editorial boards—and will not participate in endorsement interviews.

“The outcome is so obvious from the beginning that it makes no sense for us to participate (in the endorsement process),” he said.

The Week in Cartoons

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

 

 

Political Calendar: Week of June 20, 2010

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Today is Father's Day, so Happy Father's Day to all of you dads. This will be the first Father's Day without my dad, who passed away last year. Miss you, Dad.

Political Calendar For The Week of June 20, 2010

Sundays, 6:00 p.m.: Drinking Liberally, at The Shanty, 401 E. 9th Street (at 4th Avenue). An informal, inclusive progressive social group, and lively discussion. Contact: www.livingliberallytucson.org.

Monday, June 21, Noon: Democrats of Greater Tucson luncheon, Dragon's View Restaurant (400 N. Bonita, south of St. Mary's Road between the Freeway and Grande Avenue, turn south at Furr's Cafeteria), buffet lunch costs $8.50. Featured speaker is Randy Parraz, candidate for U.S. Senate. Also: Special election to replace 1st Vice President/Program Chair. Visit DGT's new web site at www.tucsondemocrats.org. Upcoming: 6/28 John Dougherty, candidate for U.S. Senate.

Monday, June 21, 5:30 p.m.: Legislaltive District 25 meeting, at the Wheeler Taft Abbett, Sr. Library, 6800 N. Schisler Drive, Marana (southeast corner of Cortaro and Silverbell). For more information please contact Luis Castañeda, (520) 682-6619 or mrlcnaz@msn.com.

Monday, June 21, 5:30 p.m.: Legislative District 27 hosts its annual Summer Solstice Party, this year at Grijalva Campaign HQ, 425 S. Stone Avenue (Tucson). Join us for pizza from your favorite pizzeria and pale ale from Tucson's own micro brewery, Cabeza Cerveza. Donations are $15 per person. Please RSVP by June 16. To RSVP or for more information, please contact Jim Hannley at (520) 792-1229 or jim@jimhannleyllc.com.

Monday, June 21, 6:30 p.m.: Saguaro Eastside Democrats meeting, at the New Spirit Lutheran Church, 8701 E. Old Spanish Trail (northeast corner of Camino Seco). The club is sponsoring a debate between the Democratic candidates for Attorney General: Rep. David Lujan, Felicia Rotellini and Vince Rabago. Socializing period begins at 6:30 p.m., the debate begins at 7:00 p.m. Free and open to the public. For more information please call (520) 850-6755.

Tuesday, June 22, Noon, 5:30 p.m.: Tucson City Council meeting, council chambers, 255 W. Alameda. The council will take up proposed changes to the Tucson City Charter during its study session at Noon, and a public hearing on the proposed changes to the Tucson City Charter (item #8 on the Agenda) will be taken up at the regular session at 5:30 p.m. Tell the Tucson City Council to not refer any proposed changes to the Tucson City Charter to the November 2010 ballot. Agenda http://www.tucsonaz.gov/agdocs/20100622/20100622reg.pdf

Tuesday, June 22, 6:30 p.m.: Pima Area Labor Federation (PALF) "Show Our Solidarity" rally, at the TUSD Governing Board meeting, 1010 E. 10th Street (Tucson). Come support the unions of TUSD! Show the strength of unity to the TUSD Governing Board and urge them to negotiate in good faith. Wear your Union Colors and stand proud.

Wednesday, June 23, 3:00 p.m.: Apache Junction Democrats meeting, at the Superstition Skies Restaurant, 945 E. Scenic Street (Apache Junction). For more information please contact Mary Desio at pinaldemocrat@gmail.com.

Wednesday, June 23, 6:30 p.m.: The Coffee Party hosts "Meet Rodney Glassman," candidate for U.S. Senate, at the Oro Valley Library, 1305 W. Naranja Drive (Oro Valley). Coffee and coffeecake will be served. Questions from the audience. For more information please contact Marlene Schiller at (520) 575-1743.

Friday, June 25, 2:00 p.m.: Grand Opening of the Havasu Campaign Office, 2169 Swanson Avenue, just downhill (west) of intersection of Acoma and Swanson (Lake Havasu City). Food, candidate speeches, meet and greet, music. Confirmed attendance by candidates Glassman and Weisser. For more information please contact Kay Lilland at (928) 505-8065.

Friday, June 25, 6:00 p.m.: Friends of Legislative District 28 are hosting a picnic at Reid Park, Ramada 31 (Northwest of Hi Corbett stadium). Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 after June 23 for food and drink. Discounted tickets to the Tucson Toros (vs. the Maui Ikaiaka) are available. General admission tickets are $5 per person. First pitch is at 7:00 p.m. Fireworks display follows the game. For tickets and more information, please contact Wood Sanders at 319-0345 or ld28chair@gmail.com.

Saturday, June 26: Terry Goddard/Pima County Democratic Party Day of Action

 9:00 AM Rally and canvass with the Congressman and "A Whole Lot of People for Grijalva" at Campaign HQ, 452 S. Stone Avenue, Please contact (520) 629-0050.
 9:00 AM Canvas with Team Giffords at Campaign HQ, 3911 E. Pima Street, Please contact (520) 512-0012.
 10:00 AM Catalina Democrats Brunch, Please contact: Adam Kinsey (520) 834-6384.
 11:00 AM Northwest Field Office Grand Opening, 2860 W. Ina Road, Suite 100, Please contact: Adam Kinsey (520) 834-6384.
 2:00 PM Green Valley Fundraiser, Please contact Jim Woodbrey (520) 270-3154.
 3:00 PM Green Valley Field Office Grand Opening, Continental Mall Plaza, 230 W. Continental Road, Please contact Jim Woodbrey (520) 270-3154.
 5:00 PM Goddard for Governor Southern Arizona Volunteer Briefing, PCDP HQ, Please contact Cathy Nichols (520) 282-0111.

Saturday, June 26, 11:00 a.m.: Grand Opening of the Northwest Campaign Office (Tucson), 2860 W. Ina Road, Suite 100 (next to Oro Valley Bicycles) at NE corner of Ina and Shannon. Please join the Pima County Democrats for our grand opening of our Northwest Office! Enjoy refreshments as we hear from our special guests, including Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and Attorney General and governor candidate Terry Goddard, State Rep. Nancy Young Wright (LD 26) and State Senate candidate Cheryl Cage (LD 26).

Saturday, June 26, 3:00 p.m.: The Democratic Club of the Santa Rita Area will have a grand opening party at its Green Valley headquarters, in the courtyard at the Continental Mall Plaza, 230 W. Continental Road (Green Valley). Several local and state political candidates are expected to attend, including special guests Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and Attorney General and governor candidate Terry Goddard. The festivities will include music, refreshments, and tours of the Headquarters, located in the Mall next to the CVS store. This is the first year round Headquarters for the Democratic Party in the Green Valley area, and will be a space for voter registration and candidate information, phone banking and canvassing, and a variety of activities aimed at the election of Democratic candidates locally and at the state and national level. All are welcome at the Grand Opening and at the exciting new space for Democratic activism in Southern Arizona. For more information, please call DCSRA Headquarters at 520-838-0590.

Saturday, June 26, 5:00 p.m.: Southern Arizona Volunteers for Goddard for Governor organizing meeting, at Pima County Democratic Party headquarters, 4639 E. 1st Street (one block south of Speedway west of Swan Road). Terry will share his goals for the campaign and a brief message about where the campaign stands. It will be followed by a quick description of how the campaign hopes you can make this race a success.

Special Announcements:

Annual 4th of July Party (Tucson)

Sunday, July 4, 6:00 p.m.: Pima County Democratic Party Annual 4th of July Party, hosted by Renee Morton at her home, 526 S. Stone Avenue (Tucson). Food, beverages and fun. Watch the fireworks display on "A" Mountain. Cost TBA.

Pima Area Labor 2010 Kickoff (Tucson)

Wednesday, July 7, 5:30 p.m.: The Pima Area Labor Federation (PALF) hosts its 2010 Kickoff, at IBEW 570, 750 S. Tucson Boulevard, Tucson. Come meet the candidates and hear Rebekah Friend, Secretary-Treasurer of the Arizona AFL-CIO let us know why this election is critical to working families in Arizona. The stakes are higher than ever. Food, fun and politics! Please RSVP at Facebook | Labor 2010 Kickoff (Tucson) or contact Laura Hogan at lhogan@azaflcio.org

Arizona AFL-CIO Labor 2010 Kickoff (Phoenix)

Thursday, July 8, 5:00 p.m.: The Arizona AFL-CIO hosts its 2010 Kickoff, at IBEW 640, 5808 N. 7th Street, Phoenix. Come meet the candidates and hear Rebekah Friend, Secretary-Treasurer of the Arizona AFL-CIO let us know why this election is critical to working families in Arizona. The stakes are higher than ever. Food, fun and politics! Please RSVP at Facebook | Labor 2010 Kick Off (Phoenix) or Contact Beverly Fox-Miller at bfoxmiller@azaflcio.org.

Arizona Borderlands Democrats Monsoon IV Fundraiser

Saturday, July 10, 4:00 p.m.: Arizona Borderlands Democrats hosts its Monsoon IV Fundraiser, at the Sonoita Fairgrounds in Sonoita. Live music, dancing, silent auction, good food and friends. This event is always well attended by candidates for federal, state and southern Arizona political offices. Tickets are $20 if purchased before June 10, $30 until July 9, and $35 at the door, so order early. Mail payment to: Arizona Borderlands Democrats, P.O. Box 707, Sonoita, AZ 85637, don't forget your occupation/employer with your ticket order. See Arizona Borderlands Democrats: Monsoon IV for order form.

Lois Pfau Birthday Bash

Please join the Arizona Democratic Party and co-hosts on July 10 to celebrate a pillar in Arizona Democratic politics!  Lois Pfau will turn 80 years old this summer. She has dedicated almost all of her 80 years to fighting for Democrats and Democratic causes here in Arizona. We are thrilled to celebrate this momentous year with her!

Date: Saturday, July 10
Time: 1:00 - 4:00 pm
Location: Mountain Preserve Reception Center, 1431 E Dunlap Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85020

Ticket levels:  

$40 ~ Includes 1 ticket
$64 ~ Includes 1 ticket & quarter page birthday message
$80 ~ Includes 1 ticket & half page birthday message
$120 ~ Includes 1 ticket & full page birthday message

If you are interested in purchasing a ticket plus a birthday message as indicated above, please contact Debra Boehlke, dhboehlke@gmail.com, to include your message in the official birthday card! For any other questions or to RSVP for an individual ticket, please e-mail RSVP@azdem.org or call (602) 234-6801.

Revised and Updated

SB1070 Update: Tea Party split on immigration

by David Safier

Tom Tancredo admits, the tea party is split on immigration and SB1070. The more pro-immigration, libertarian wing of the TP-ers want to shut the hell up about immigration, since they know it's a wedge issue in the TP ranks. The Tancredo wing wants to shout their anti-immigrant rhetoric from the rooftops. 

Tancredo is not pleased with Dick Armey.

. . . the national Tea Party Patriots, which is affiliated with Richard Armey's Washington, D.C.-based Freedom Works organization, has been vocal and systematic in excluding immigration-related concerns from its "Contract from America." Touted as a grass-roots poll of tea-party members, the poll from its inception has barred any attempt to add immigration concerns to the poll's menu of issues.

Tancredo is also not fond of the libertarian strain of the right wing, and he names names:

[A] group of tea-party leaders who have fought the inclusion of immigration in the tea-party agenda are open-borders libertarians who support amnesty. They are folks found at Freedom Works, the Club for Growth and the editorial board of the Wall Street Journal.

And he issues a warning.

Local tea-party activists from California to Florida and from Idaho to Massachusetts now see the immigration issue the same way 71 percent of Arizona citizens see it – as a matter of national security, public safety and fiscal necessity. They want their legislators to enact Arizona-style laws in their own states, and they join 88 percent of Americans in saying they want more border security.

Self-proclaimed tea-party leaders in Washington, D.C., who want to deny or obstruct this new tea-party consensus do so at their peril.

I hope Democrats are aware of this split in the right wing ranks over immigration. Tancredo could have included Arizona's own Goldwater Institute in the list of conservative groups whose libertarian tendencies have kept them tight-lipped about somewhat pro-immigration stance, for fear of alienating other right wingers. (In the case of G.I., of course, the greatest fear is alienating their donor base and jeopardizing their cushy 6 figure salaries.)

SB1070 Update: SB1070, Path to Citizenship polling equally

by David Safier

An ABC News/Washington Post poll conducted this week found that 58% of Americans support SB1070, and 57% support a path to citizenship for immigrants.

You can interpret this result in lots of ways. I read it to say this: People are frustrated that our immigration laws are a mess and any move to control immigration is better than nothing, but they don't hate or fear illegal immigrants, and they don't want to send them home. They want those who are here  to be able to come out of the shadows, and they want firmer controls on others who want to enter the U.S.

Another interesting result from the poll is that the 57% who favor a path to citizenship is down from 61% in 2009. But that 61% figure was a spike in support. In the last 2 years of the Bush administration, the highest number was 52% in 2007.  That means that, during the Obama administration, there has been an overall increase in the numbers of people wanting illegal immigrants to have a path to citizenship.

Candidate challenges update: Shaw out, Cheuvront out; Huppenthal in

Posted by Craig McDermott

Only a couple of challenges remain unresolved, but most of the "big" ones have been adjudicated -

- Augustus Shaw, Republican House candidate in LD17, is OFF the ballot for a minor technicality - he lives in LD20. OK, so that's not so minor. :)

- John Huppenthal, Republican candidate for State Superintendent of Public Instruction is ON the ballot after a judge found that even though the applicable law states that a candidate must form a campaign committee before collecting nomination signatures, the fact that Huppenthal collected sigs under only an "exploratory" committee is not a violation.

- Democrat Ken Cheuvront, a term-limited state senator (LD15) and candidate for Justice of the Peace in the Encanto justice precinct in Phoenix, is OFF of the ballot for using non-partisan petitions to gain the ballot in a partisan primary. His removal from the ballot leaves only incumbent Encanto JP C. Steven McMurry on the ballot.

There are a couple of challenges remaining; once those are heard next week, the final list of ballot-qualified candidates will be available.

Let the "Debate!" debates continue: this time in LD-26

by David Safier

Much ink has been spilled over Senate candidate John Dougherty asking candidates to agree to a series of debates and Rodney Glassman saying he wouldn't commit. Glassman's people have said he wants debates, but he wants neutral groups to set them up.

Score a political point from Dougherty on that one. But Democratic senatorial debates are gonna happen, one way or another.

A very different situation is shaping up in LD-26. Challenger Cheryl Cage has challenged Sen. Al Melvin to a series of debates. According to Cage's press release, Melvin gave her a flat out No.

Melvin sent an e-mail [in response to Cage's invitation to debate] refusing the invitation, stating a commitment to only two forums before limited audiences with time given to all house, senate and state office candidates. These forums are run by the Oro Valley Church of the Nazarene and with the SaddleBrooke League of Women Voters.

Cage has already committed to participating in the Clean Elections debate. Melvin stated that he was “not required to attend,” but looked forward to doing so.    

The Grand Canyon-sized chasm between Cage's and Melvin's views could fill endless hours of debating time.

And one issue in particular, Melvin's love of all things nuclear -- he wants huge nuclear power plants dotting the Arizona landscape and thinks Arizona should be the nuclear waste dump for the nation -- is unique to LD-26 and deserving of serious media and voter attention.

Bottom line: If Melvin returns to the Senate, he'll champion nuclear power plants and nuclear waste dumps and have a good chance of having his schemes come to life. If Melvin loses to Cage, the foremost proponent for adding a radioactive glow to the state will be back home in SaddleBrooke trying to interest his neighbors in his nuclear obsession.

REPEATED FULL DISCLOSURE: I've mentioned this before, but it bears repeating. I'm in LD-26, and am involved peripherally with the campaigns of both Cheryl Cage and Rep. Nancy Young Wright. That's one reason you'll read a lot about their races here. But there are other reasons. First, Cap'n Atomic Al is among the most flamingly dangerous right wingers in the Senate. Uber-crazy Russell Pearce, sensing a kindred spirit, has taken Melvin under his wing. And LD-26 is one of 3 or 4 LDs in the state where candidates from both parties have a shot at winning. So I would be focusing on 26 even if I lived elsewhere in Southern AZ.

Rep. Steve King's "Sixth Sense" - The Movie

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) is one of the most offensive individuals ever elected to Congress. It still amazes me that it is Iowans who elect this rabid wingnut. There is an old joke in Minnesota that IOWA is an acronym for "idiots out wandering around." Maybe so. You Minnesotans should not laugh -- you gave us Michele Bachmann, Nuff said.

Anyway, Rep. King has offered  his expertise to Arizona law enforcement, who have spoken out strongly against the state’s new profiling law, SB 1070, because of the way that it inhibits community policing and fighting real crime. Crooks and Liars reports:

Rep. King's advice to worried police has been simple: “just check their shoes!”

Shoe fetish aside, Rep. King also made the absurd statement Monday that law enforcement could spot those here illegally by either noting indicators such as, “What kind of clothes people wear…what kind of shoes people wear, what kind of accent they have, the type of grooming that they might have…” or:

“…just a sixth sense...”  

America's Voice decided to have some fun envisioning King’s worldview as a horror flick.

"1 Million Strong" at 1.5 million and counting

by David Safier

Commenter marilyn wrote:

wanted to update you "1 MILLION Strong AGAINST the Arizona Immigration Law SB1070" is now at (drum roll) 1,597,451 MEMBERS june 18,2010 5:04 pm

Marilyn must be on eastern time. My time, 2:59pm, the number has edged up to 1,597,464. The numbers are outdated the second you write them down.

Another "shakedown" media release from the DNC

by David Safier

Just because some commenters on El Blog think Obama's negotiation with BP which resulted in a $20 billion escrow account was reprehensible, I can't resist posting the latest DNC media release which maintains the reprehensible ones are those who stick up for big oil instead of looking out for Gulf Coast residents whose water, land and livelihoods are being smothered by a preventable oil spill.

Why are Reps. Flake, Franks and Shadegg, Defending BP and Opposed to Holding them Accountable?

Flake, Franks and Shadegg Are Part of the Republican Study Committee; That Committee Defends BP, Calls the $20 Billion BP Escrow Account a “Chicago-Style Political Shakedown”

June 18, 2010 – Even as BP CEO Tony Hayward testified before the House Energy and Commerce Committee about the disastrous irresponsibility of the big oil company that led to the worst environmental disaster in US history, some people in Washington amazingly defended both Mr. Hayward and BP.  The Republican Study Committee, a group of conservative Members of the House of Representatives, released a statement calling the $20 billion BP escrow account a “Chicago-style political shakedown.”  Not a single Republican member denounced this position when it was released.  Not one.

In fact, this Republican industry-friendly approach was echoed by RSC member and the highest ranking member of the committee that oversees the oil industry, Joe Barton (R-TX), who not only called the BP accountability fund instituted by the President a “shakedown” but went on to apologize to BP and BP CEO Tony Hayward.

The statement from the Republican Study Committee, which includes Arizona Reps. Flake, Franks and Shadegg, reads: “BP's reported willingness to go along with the White House's new fund suggests that the Obama Administration is hard at work exerting its brand of Chicago-style shakedown politics… These actions are emblematic of a politicization of our economy that has been borne out of this Administration's drive for greater power and control.”

Please see below for a statement from DNC spokesman Ricardo A. Ramírez:

“It is very evident by this statement that Reps. Flake, Frank and Shadegg care more about the bottom line of  BP – a company that, through its disastrous irresponsibility and carelessness, resulted in the worst environmental disaster in US history – than the people of the Gulf, our environment and the countless lives that have been affected by their actions. While President Obama works tirelessly to ensure that BP is held fully accountable to the families and small businesses who they have affected, these Arizona Republicans are making it clear they are only accountable to big corporations like BP. Their astonishing misplaced priorities should be taken as an insult to the people of the Gulf and the American people who, if the Republicans got their way, would be footing the bill for the atrocious actions of a big oil company.”

UPDATE: Oh, and there's this video, hot off youtube:

GO(B)P forces Barton to retract his apology to BP - But what about the Republican Study Committee?

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX) created a political furor Thursday by apologizing to BP chief executive Tony Hayward at a hearing on the Gulf oil spill for what the Texas Republican called a White House "shakedown" that created a $20 billion escrow fund. Texas Rep. Barton decries 'shakedown,' then retracts remark:

In a highly unusual joint statement, House Minority Leader John Boehner of Ohio, Minority Whip Eric Cantor of Virginia and Republican Conference Chairman Mike Pence of Indiana said, "Congressman Barton's statements this morning were wrong. BP itself has acknowledged that responsibility for the economic damages lies with them and has offered an initial pledge of $20 billion for that purpose."

Many Republican lawmakers, including Rep. Jeff Miller of Florida, who represents Pensacola, where oil from the spill has washed ashore, called for Barton to be stripped of his powerful committee position.

"Mr. Barton's remarks are out of touch with this tragedy, and I feel his comments call into question his judgment and ability to serve in a leadership position on the Energy and Commerce Committee," Miller said.

Boehner and Cantor met with Barton about his remarks and the negative image they created for Republicans.

Rep. Barton then issued the classic "non-apology" apology when he returned to the committee hearing, apologizing only if people had "misconstrued" his remarks. Way to stay classy, Joe.

That further enraged Republican leaders who demanded, and got, his written retraction and full apology.

* * *

Barton issued a statement late Thursday afternoon retracting the apology he made in the morning at an Energy and Commerce subcommittee hearing - a statement that mobilized Republicans as well as Democrats, including Vice President Joe Biden.

"I apologize for using the term 'shakedown' with regard to yesterday's actions at the White House in my opening statement this morning," said Barton, "and I retract my apology to BP."

Although few Republicans rushed to his defense, Barton was not alone in his criticism of Obama, reflecting a split between the party mainstream and an increasingly confrontational wing of the GOP. Barton remark draws a barrage of criticism:

On Wednesday, the Republican Study Committee, a conservative policy group in the House, called the agreement with BP "a Chicago-style political shakedown." Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, a reliably provocative favorite of the "tea party" movement, called the escrow account "a redistribution-of-wealth fund."

The DNC has issued a press release regarding the Republican Study Committee. See David Safier's post on the press release that follows.

Note: According to opensecrets.org, a nonpartisan website that monitors Federal Election Commission data, Barton's top corporate contributors are from the oil and gas industry, with individuals and political action committees giving him a total of $1.49 million back to 1989.

H/T (Image by Karen Wehrstein).

Protests against school integration -- in Israel

by David Safier

I usually stay out of all matters having to do with Israel on the blog. It's such a frighteningly complex issue. When I listen to the heated debates, with each side hurling grievances and injustices at the other, I keep hearing the words of an old 60s song in my head: "Nobody's right if everybody's wrong."

[For the record, I'm Jewish and lean strongly toward the pro-peace, two-state side of the debate.]

But as someone who writes about education, this is an issue I can't ignore.

There was a huge -- as in up to 100,000 person -- protest by ultra-Orthodox Jews in Jerusalem. They were protesting a Supreme Court ruling that a religious girl's school which has only girls of Ashkenazi (European Jewish) descent must also allow girls of Sephardi (Mideast and North African Jewish) descent to attend.

The protesters say the Sephardi girls aren't religious enough and will pollute the minds of the more devout Ashkenazi girls.

But it also happens that the Ashkenazi schools offer higher quality education than most Sephardi schools, in part because ultra-Orthodox Jews wield lots of political power, which means money and resources flow to their schools.

This sounds like an echo of our own shameful history with separate-but-unequal education. Jews in Israel are not above shameful racism and xenophobia within the Jewish community.

For those who look at the Jewish community in the U.S. and/or in Israel from the outside and imagine there is general unanimity on important issues or that Jews belong to one big, exclusive, cohesive club, it ain't so.

BY THE WAY, IF YOU'RE PLANNING TO COMMENT: I will delete any comments that get into Israeli-Palestinian issues, Gaza, anti-Israel/Jewish/Arab/Muslim comments etc. That's not what this post is about, and I won't let it be hijacked by people on any side of those polarizing issues. If you want to comment on something directly related to the issue I address in the post, feel free.

SB1070 Update: No training for officers in schools

by David Safier

Question: How should police officers implement SB1070 in schools?

Answer: It's pretty much up to them.

The Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board is developing training for the state's 16,000 law enforcement officers to prepare them for July 29, when the law goes into effect. Executive Director Lyle Mann said the training will not cover the specifics of handling students and the role of school resource officers.

"We decided that unique situations such as SRO is too problematic and the issues too specific (to be) included in a statewide training program," Mann said in an e-mail.

The state Department of Education has also not provided any guidelines. "It's the school's decision on how they handle their school resource officers," said spokeswoman Amy Rezzonico.

Let me spotlight 2 amazing phrases in Lyle Mann's statement. Officers in schools are in "unique situations," so how they should handle SB1070-related situations is "too problematic" to give them any training.

Translation: It's too complicated to tell you how to handle your job, so we're not going to give you any guidance or training.

For those of you who haven't taught high school, here's the situation in a nutshell.

You have a village composed of 1,500 to 3,000 teens with adult employees in charge of their education and supervision. Like any village, some of its members misbehave, and some of the misbehavior is criminal or borders on the criminal -- fights, thefts, drug sales and use, etc.

Often, one of the employees of the village is an actual police officer. When that's not the case, officers are called in to deal with situations beyond the scope of the administration.

So how do officers bound by SB1070 handle a situation where there is a "reasonable suspicion" one of the students they are dealing with is undocumented? And remember, an officer will often "stop" or "detain" students who are witnesses or suspects in a crime but are innocent of any wrongdoing. Does SB1070 obligate officers to ask "suspicious" students for papers, creating a general fear of police officers in Hispanic students, both documented and undocumented?

And if a student who is asked for papers doesn't have a driver's license but is here legally, does the officer detain that student until a parent or guardian can come to school or to a police station to provide documentation? And if the parent or guardian says, "His birth certificate is with his grandmother in LA"? Then what?

Nobody knows what the officer should do, not the AZ Police Officer Standards and Training Board, not the Department of Education, both of whom have said to schools and officers, "Your guess is as good as mine."

It's just another indication that last-in-per-student-funding Arizona's official policy is to consider its children unworthy of serious consideration. And if the children are Hispanic, even the most innocent among them are helpless victims of bad legislation. Top police and education officials shrug their shoulders and say, "Sorry, there's nothing we can do."

(h/t to Kristi Eaton at Campus Progress for the link.)

DNC Video: "I Apologize"

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

From the DNC:

Despite his half-hearted and insincere effort this afternoon to walk back his troublesome apology made to BP CEO Tony Hayward earlier this morning, and in the face of one analyst after another billing the President’s successful demands yesterday forcing BP to create a $20 billion escrow fund “a huge victory” for the Gulf, Representative Joe Barton continues to face ridicule for siding with BP over Gulf Coast residents. “I APOLOGIZE” offers an empathetic angle on Barton’s apology to BP, pointing to the attention Barton’s rash remarks have stirred and to his fellow party members who have fallen in line with the same sentiments.

Terry Goddard honored with Kelley-Wyman Award from the National Association of Attorneys General

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Attorney General’s Office Press Release - Terry Goddard Honored with Highest Award from Nation’s Attorneys General

6.17.10 

(Phoenix, Ariz. – June 17, 2010) Attorney General Terry Goddard received the prestigious Kelley-Wyman award last night from the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) at the organization’s annual summer meeting in Seattle, Washington.

The Kelley-Wyman Award is the association’s highest honor and is presented to the Attorney General who has done the most to advance the objectives of the association. It is sometimes referred to as the “Attorney General of the Year” award. Goddard was selected to receive this honor in recognition of his work on the $94 million Western Union recovery, as well as his leadership on a number of law enforcement initiatives, including mortgage fraud and the multi-state tobacco settlement. 

“Attorney General Terry Goddard demonstrates the collegial and collaborative efforts that NAAG strives to facilitate among its membership,” stated NAAG President Jon Bruning, the Republican Attorney General of Nebraska.

“His guidance and perseverance led to the groundbreaking agreement among the four Southwest border states and Western Union that will provide substantial resources for law enforcement to combat money laundering,” Bruning added.  “General Goddard has been instrumental in combating Mexican drug cartels that threaten the security of the U.S.-Mexican border.  He has worked with Mexico’s top law enforcement officials to increase cross-border cooperation.” 

"AG Goddard very much deserves this prestigious award," said Paul Charlton, former U.S. Attorney for Arizona. "Terry has taken on the drug cartels, human smugglers, and border crime in effective and creative ways.  He is a thoughtful prosecutor whose good work has now been recognized nationally by his peers."

 "As a border Sheriff, I know how hard the Attorney General has worked to provide resources to local law enforcement in the battle against the drug cartels,” stated Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik.  “He understands that only through close partnerships with local law enforcement, the federal government, and Mexican law enforcement officials can we truly win the battle against these criminals. I congratulate the Attorney General and his team for winning this prestigious award."

"Attorney General Goddard has led the way in working with local law enforcement and prosecutors in fighting drug cartels and border crime,"

said Sheila Polk, Yavapai County Attorney. "I applaud NAAG for selecting him for this prestigious award."

“I would like to thank my fellow Attorneys General for this recognition of the great work we have done fighting border crime and mortgage fraud,” Goddard said. “This award is a welcome pat on the back to the hard-working men and women of the Arizona Attorney General’s Office and our law enforcement partners.  For almost eight years, I’ve had the privilege to work with my fellow Attorneys General across political and regional divides to find common ground to benefit our citizens.  We have a proud tradition among the AGs of independence from outside pressure and dedication to the law.”

The National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) was founded in 1907 to help Attorneys General fulfill the responsibilities of their office and to assist in the delivery of high-quality legal services to the states and territories. The Association fosters interstate cooperation on legal and law enforcement issues, conducts policy research and analysis of issues, and facilitates communication among the states’ chief legal officers. . The Association’s members are the Attorneys General of the 50 states and the District of Columbia, the Commonwealths of Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands, and the territories of American Samoa, Guam and the Virgin Islands.

Goddard is the third Arizona Attorney General to win the Kelley-Wyman Award. Prior winners were Grant Woods in 1994 and Gary Nelson in 1970.  

For additional information, contact Press Secretary Molly Edwards at 602.542.8019.

GOP apologizes to BP, sides with Big Oil over the American people

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Eleven Americans are dead due to the negligence of their employer BP (British Petroleum); the Gulf of Mexico is becoming a dead zone for sea life as giant plumes of oil pollute the water; fragile ecosystems along the Gulf Coast of the United States are being destroyed as oil washes up into marshlands and estuaries; Gulf Coast residents, many of whom for generations have made a living fishing in the Gulf, see their livelihood and way of life being destroyed as BP delays paying their economic losses resulting from BP's negligence; BP tried to pull a fast one on these same Gulf Coast residents by hiring them for clean-up jobs for a few thousand dollars, with a contract that contained a "waiver of claims" provision ("you're screwed, suckers!"); clean-up crews and wildlife rescue workers are becoming ill due to exposure to toxic substances and inadequate safety equipment; BP has been lying to the U.S. Coast Guard and government regulators for two months now about the size and scope of the leak, and what BP has the capacity to do to stop the leak; it is now the worst environmental disaster in U.S. history.

Despite this environmental disaster, Republican Governors Bobby Jindahl (LA) and Haley Barbour (MS) pleaded with the president not to suspend off-shore oil drilling. Louisiana in particular is a wholly owned subsidiary of the petro-chemical industry. These Gulf Coast governors still want "drill, baby, drill" at the same time they demand federal disaster funds and government assistance. They talk big about the so-called GOP values of self-reliance, smaller government, and reducing the federal debt. But Southern Republicans are always the first with their hands out for government money and assistance every time there is a flood, tornado, hurricane, or man-made disaster of their own making (ask Gov. Jindahl about what environmental regulations Louisiana imposes on the petro-chemical industry. "What environmental regulations?" is the correct answer.)

The tools of ignorance at FAUX News blame the president for the oil spill, not BP. The tools conveniently ignore that it was two Texas oil men, George W. Bush and Dick Cheney (of secret Energy Commission fame) who deregulated Big Oil and stacked the Minerals Management Services with their industry cronies to green-light more off-shore oil drilling in ever deeper water. While demanding that "Barack the magic Negro" (Rush Limbaugh) use his "magical powers" to stop the leak, the tools of ignorance at FAUX News continue to preach deregulation and an unfettered free market for "drill, baby, drill" for Big Oil.

The Minnesota Loon, Rep. Michele Bachmann, has emerged as BP's chief defender. She worries about poor BP being "fleeced" by the president. You read that right. BP should not have to pay for the damage it has caused, despite its public promises to do so. Oh no, you the American taxpayer are once again going to be asked to pay for another company "too big to fail" -- it is you who should be fleeced. Republicans vs. making BP pay:

Leading off the crazy was Michele Bachmann, who called the escrow fund a "redistribution of wealth fund." She told Dave Weigel that she worried that BP was being "fleeced" by the Obama administration.

Now today, Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX) unbelievably apologized to BP's Tony Hayward, saying that he is "ashamed" how America has treated BP. If a Democrat did this, FAUX News would be running screaming chyrons across the screen accusing the Tory traitor of treason against his country and demanding his prosecution. Hayward hearing: Republican apologizes to BP CEO:

Here's the first (and probably the biggest) jaw-dropping moment of today's hearing with BP CEO Tony Hayward: GOP Rep. Joe Barton, the top Republican on the House Energy Committee’s subcommittee for investigations, apologizing to BP CEO Tony Hayward, saying he’s "ashamed" of the American response to BP’s oil spill.

According to Barton, asking BP to set up an escrow account to compensate victims of BP's disaster was a criminal action -- a "shakedown" as he put it.

More at Daily Kos: The GO(B)P:

The GOP becomes the party of BP and Republican Joe Barton goes full on belly up for his European masters:

I apologize ... I think it is a tragedy of the first proportion that a private corporation can be subjected to what I would characterize as a shakedown, in this case a $20 billion shakedown ... I apologize ...

(Image by Karen Wehrstein).

The GOP sides with Big Oil over the American people. Rather than hold BP accountable, Republicans want to blame the U.S. government -- which is "We the people" -- and rather than BP pay for the cost of clean-up and economic damages, Republicans want "We the people" -- the taxpayers, to once again bail out a company "too big to fail" -- a foreign company no less. Why? Because the super-wealthy international "investor class" wants its dividends from the global corporations that the Republican Party represents and defends. The American people be damned. 

Once again, Republicans want "free market" capitalism so long as there is a profit to the investor class, but want socialized debt when investments go bad. Republicans want to eliminate any risk to the super-wealthy investor class. The American taxpayer is their insurance policy against loss.

That's it! Not one goddamn Republican should be elected to office at any level of government. They have sold this country out time and time again to global corporations, and now they want to do it again. The "corporatocracy" that Republicans seek to impose is a threat to the continuation of our democratic Republic.

Justice Dept. Will Sue Arizona over SB 1070

By Jenn

To the surprise of virtually no one, it looks like the federal government will be filing a lawsuit against Arizona over SB 1070 soon. In an interview with Ecuadorean media, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton let it slip that a lawsuit over Arizona's anti-immigrant bill will be happening:

I think the biggest surprise (at least to me) is that Secretary Clinton confirmed the news of a pending lawsuit to a reporter in Ecuador, even while the White House and the Justice Department has been exceptionally cautious to avoid tipping their hand on future plans. In fact, Justice Department spokesman Matt Miller refused to confirm Clinton's statement, saying only "the Department continues to review the law."

DNC responds to "shakedown" charge

by David Safier

Obama managed to get a $20 billion escrow account set aside by BP so that claims can be paid quickly without endless delays.

Republicans called it a Chicago style shakedown, a phrase that was repeated by Joe Barton (R-TX) at today's committee hearing.

The DNC response:

Reaction to Republicans apologizing to BP for $20 billion accountability escrow account

Amazingly, despite the devastation in the Gulf caused  by the recklessness of BP, Republicans across the board have excoriated the President for holding BP accountable to the families and small business of the Gulf by ensuring that they pay $20 billion to an accountability escrow fund.   This morning, Republican Congressman Joe Barton, the ranking member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, took the astonishing step of APOLOGIZING TO BP and BP CEO TONY HAYWARD.  Please see below for reaction from DNC National Press Secretary Hari Sevugan:

“While the President has worked to ensure that BP is held fully accountable to the families and small businesses of the Gulf, Republicans and Joe Barton are proving that they are only accountable to BP and the oil industry.  While the President has secured a guarantee of at least $20 billion for Gulf Coast residents, Republicans and Joe Barton have lined their pockets with BP contributions.   While the President has gotten BP to rightfully apologize to the American people for their reckless behavior, their inexcusable response and their insulting approach, Republicans are apologizing to BP.  Republicans could not have this more backward, and it raises serious questions as to why they are on the side of BP and the oil companies instead of that of the American people.  The only people Republicans and Joe Barton should be apologizing to are the people of the Gulf who they’ve turned their backs on to defend BP.”

 Joe Barton (R-TX):

“I'm ashamed of what happened in the White House yesterday.  I think it is a tragedy in the first proportion that a private corporation can be subjected to what I would characterize as a shakedown -- in this case a $20 billion shakedown -- with the attorney general of the United States, who is legitimately conducting a criminal investigation and has every right to do so to protect the American people, participating in what amounts to a $20 billion slush fund that's unprecedented in our nation's history, which has no legal standing, which I think sets a terrible precedent for our nation's future.

"I'm only speaking for myself. I'm not speaking for anyone else, but I apologize," Barton added. "I do not want to live in a county where anytime a citizen or a corporation does something that is legitimately wrong, [it is] subject to some sort of political pressure that, again, in my words, amounts to a shakedown."

SB1070 Update: Right playing into hands of National ID leftists?

by David Safier

Oh. My. God. Is Russell Pearce an unwitting agent of Janet Napolitano and her DHS storm troopers?

That's the sense I get from a post on Sonoran Alliance.

[OK, this is strange. For the third time in 2 days, I'm linking to Sonoran Alliance. I hope there are no cosmic repercussions like the unexpected appearance of comets or sunspots.]

Interestingly, the SA post, like the E.J. Montini column I posted about below, brings up a topic I've mentioned here and in the Explorer.

The right wing considers National ID cards to be one of those left wing conspiracies to rob us of our freedoms. Yet they applaud SB1070 which will, in essence, require all Hispanics in Arizona to carry some form of identification which indicates they are in the country legally -- a driver's license from a state like Arizona (and unlike New Mexico) that requires proof of legal U.S. residence, or some other type of papers proving their legal status.

Shorter SB1070: If you're white, you're all right. If you're brown, don't come to town without ID in your pocket.

MadArizonan on Sonoran Alliance is worried about this aspect of SB1070.

. . . the right, in its vigor to try to stem the problems of illegal immigration, is actually advancing the leftists agenda of national id and north american integration.

[snip]

For example, the state of Arizona, has always traditionally resisted handing over data from its law abiding citizens.  However, recently under SB1070, the anti-immigration law, SB1070 removes ALL RESTRICTIONS from sending and exchanging license data for ANY LICENSE for ANY PERSON (legal or illegal), with ANY AGENCY of the federal government.

[snip]

So, whereas Arizona opted out of the federal mandate program called “REAL ID” wherein the federal government attempted to pull data from Arizona to complete its national id database data on Arizona citizens, under SB1070, Arizona turns around and hands Janet Napolitano and G_d only knows who else, including the IRS, all data it has on you as a law abiding Arizona citizen.

[snip]

Conservatives have ALWAYS opposed national ids, since day 1 when FDR wanted them, in the 1980s, Ronald Reagan was vehemently opposed, in the 1990s the conservatives stopped every Clinton and democrat attempt at creating them.

Now, conservatives are supporting them.    Worse, it’s conservatives advancing the leftist globalist agenda, which has always been to number and catalog citizens as a form of control and……..

I would love to hear Russell Pearce respond to this right wing concern. Even he can't say out loud, "Don't worry, you're white, we're not coming after you."

SB1070 Update: Church and SB1070

by David Safier

Among the examples I've used here and in columns in the Explorer about the consequences of SB1070 is this:

If a pastor or church-goer picks up people to drive them to Sunday worship and knows some of them are undocumented, everyone in the car, including the driver, can be in serious trouble if the car is pulled over for a broken tail light.

Now Republic columnist E.J. Montini has picked up this topic and done it far more thoroughly than I have.

The first person arrested under SB 1070 might not be an illegal immigrant, but your pastor.

"Yes, we're very aware of that and have had many discussions on the subject," said Rev. Jan Olav Flaaten, executive director of the Arizona Ecumenical Council, a collective of many different denominations.

Among other things, SB 1070 makes it a crime to knowingly transport, harbor, conceal or shield an illegal immigrant if you do so while committing a separate criminal offense.

Since no one transports more illegal residents around town than good-willed, good-hearted church people, it's likely that one of them will be the first arrested under the law. Assuming they have the guts to carry on with ministries that had no such dangers before, but will now.

[snip]

If a church bus or van has a broken taillight or makes an illegal U-turn - in other words, commits a separate criminal offense - while illegal immigrants are onboard, it's possible the driver could be charged.

Because of this, one of the lawsuits challenging SB 1070 is based on the notion that the law inhibits First Amendment freedom to worship.

Tucson's own Southside Presbyterian Church is involved in the lawsuit, and Montini discusses the issue with the church's former pastor, Rev. John Fife.

The entire column is worth a read.

And then Hupp said, "they brought six 'fricking' video cameras into my office"

by David Safier

It really looked like Huppenthal had dodged the bullet.Then he goes and shoots himself in the foot.

The high school journalism video that seemed to make him look like an idiot was downgraded to a mere embarrassment, only making him look goofy and unprepared.

Then he went and opened his mouth to The Republic.

[Huppenthal] also said he was surprised that Wagner brought multiple video cameras to the interview, crowding his Senate office.

"Part of the challenge was they brought six 'fricking' video cameras into my office," Huppenthal said. "These guys were loaded for bear.

"They brought enough equipment in there to bring an elephant down to his knees."

Poor me! Hupp moans, I was attacked by rampaging journalism students, armed to the teeth with loaded video cameras!

Listen, Hupp. If you want to be Ed Supe, you should understand something about the process of education. If a teacher can get a crew of students wielding 6 cameras to shoot an interview, every one of them gets that real life experience. Then they go back to the editing room, look at all 6 tapes and get even more experience cutting the story together. How great is that? It's not just one reporter and one camera person learning from the experience. It's a group, working together, sharing their abilities, pulling together a product. That's real education, even if it doesn't show up on standardized test scores.

You should have said how great it was that so many kids participated. You should have praised the teacher for creating that kind of enthusiasm in his/her class.

Instead, you made it sound like a gang of students assaulted you with "six 'fricking' video cameras," enough equipment "to bring an elephant to his knees."

Hupp, trust me, you do a fine job of humiliating yourself. You don't need much help from others.

LD-26 Senate race goes nuclear

by David Safier

When I say the LD-26 Senate race is going nuclear, I'm not speaking metaphorically.

Cap'n Al Melvin, who will heretofore be referred to as Atomc Al, has come out in favor of dotting Arizona with nuclear power plants, each the size of the huge Palo Verde facility outside Phoenix. But that doesn't begin to describe the nuclear future he sees for Arizona. Atomic Al wants to make Arizona the nuclear waste dump for the nation.

Challenger Cheryl Cage thinks this is a disastrous, out-of-touch idea, and she has issued a strong reply to Melvin's nuclear notions.

Melvin wrote an op ed in last week's Explorer detailing his love for all things nuclear. Except he doesn't use the word "nuclear" much. He prefers "atomic." "Nuclear" sounds so . . . so dirty, I guess.

He writes about "atomic energy producers" -- otherwise known as nuclear power plants -- and "atomic energy recycling" -- otherwise known as nuclear waste dumps that reprocess some of the radioactive waste for reuse in nuclear power plants and leave the rest to be disposed of somehow, somewhere in Arizona, where it will remain dangerously radioactive for thousands of years.

How much atomic energy recycling nuclear waste does Melvin see in Arizona's future? Enough to put about $5 billion a year in our state tax coffers and cover the entire cost of K-12, community college and university education for the state.

Try to picture it. Arizona would collect highly radioactive nuclear waste from all over the country, truck it down our poorly maintained highways, then stick it . . . somewhere. No one in the world knows what to do with nuclear waste in the long term, and in the U .S., no one wants to offer their state as the final resting place for everyone's radioactive garbage. No one, that is, except Atomic Al, who says, Ship it all here -- make sure there's enough to generate $5 billion annually in taxes -- and we'll figure out what to do with it.

Cage wrote a counter op ed in this week's Explorer. She's appalled at the idea of a radioactive Arizona future and debunks many of the facts and figures Melvin throws around in his op ed.

Expect to hear more about this in the future, from me and, I hope, from traditional media outlets. This is a question about what Arizona's future should be, and the answer we choose will be with us for a long, long time.

Politics, meet Strange Bedfellows

by David Safier

Sonoran Alliance goes after McCain's connection to lobbyists by . . . now that's something you don't see every day . . .

By using a video put together by the very progressive Robert Greenwald, who creates his videos under the BraveNew Films Production banner.

Sonoran Alliance is none too fond of McCain, and when McCain attacked Hayworth as a lobbyist in a recent video, SA decided it was time to show that McCain has a few insider connections himself. Hence the Greenwald video, which I'm pretty sure came out during the 2008 presidential campaign.

SA is also helping the Hayworth cause by beating the drum about McCain's connections with Scott Rothstein and others who have been convicted of participating in ponzi schemes and have given heavily to McCain campaigns. I don't know all the details, so I don't know if SA has it all correct (AZ Blue Meanie covers the story in more detail here, but it's good fun to see the two candidates trashing one another. Keep it up, guys.

Even more on the Huppenthal video

by David Safier

Democratic Diva, which was the source of my story about the Hupp video, has issued a mea culpa.

. . .  it seems that the snippet of the interview I got from youtube was taken out of context and that Huppenthal did return after he’d left the room and completed the interview. . . . I blogged in haste and I humbly apologize.

I won't go as far as the Diva. I watched both the shorter piece and the entire report by the high school journalist. The shorter piece showed the entire Hupp interview, so it wasn't "edited" in that sense. Its only mistake was a statement at the end saying Hupp left and didn't return. In fact, that's the impression left by the original piece, which has no visuals or comments about Hupp returning. The inference was incorrect, but it didn't come from any editing tricks.

And since it's possible the reporter misunderstood the bill in question, Hupp's confusion might have been a result of that misunderstanding.

A correction is in order. With that said, watch the video and form your own opinion about how well Hupp weathers the interview.

UPDATE: Phoenix New Times, which also covered the story, went back and corrected the record. I'm pleased to see that people who covered and mischaracterized the interview, myself included, have felt the need to write about the incident again based on new information, rather than just moving on.

John McCain's other lobbyist problem

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

David Safier told you about John McCain's campaign fundraiser-bundler Fred Malek, and how the Arizona Daily Star is not reporting the story.

Well, John McCain's other lobbyist problem is also not being reported by the Star. The J.D. Hayworth campaign has been hammering away at the story on the Sonoran Alliance blog (it's not often we cite this blog). It's not often when J.D. is right, but on the rare occasion he is, I will give him his due -- especially when it exposes the hypocricy of John McCain.

Sonoran Alliance: Arizona Politics for Conservatives » John McCain fundraiser-bundler sentenced to 50 years for $1.2 Billion Ponzi Scheme

Here is the latest update on Scott Rothstein, one of John McCain’s close friends, fundraisers and bundlers. According to available records, Rothstein raised over $109,000 for John McCain’s 2008 failed Presidential bid.

Rothstein was sentenced to 50 years for defrauding investors of $1.2 BILLION in an elaborate Ponzi scheme.

-- Several video reports.

Sonoran Alliance: Arizona Politics for Conservatives » McCain’s Convenient Loss of Memory

On Thursday [June 10], Dan Nowicki [of the Arizona Republic] finally breached the topic of John McCain’s connections with convicted felon and $1.2 Billion Ponzi schemer, Scott Rothstein. Rothstein was one of John McCain’s largest donors and cash bundlers during the 2008 Presidential campaign.

When John McCain’s Communications Director, Brian Rogers was asked by Nowicki about the association, his reply on Rothstein was, “He wasn’t an adviser. John McCain couldn’t pick him out of a lineup.”

Well maybe I can help jog the convenient memory loss of our senior Senator John McCain with the following photo gallery:

-- series of photos of John McCain with Scott Rothstein -- oops!

Sonoran Alliance: Arizona Politics for Conservatives » Feds investigating McCain campaign donors; campaign lied about money

Phoenix, AZ (JUNE 10) – Sen. John McCain must personally and publicly explain why he allowed his staff to lie to the media about returning all $1.1 million given to his presidential campaign by a convicted felon; if he accepted even more from the felon’s law partners; and why he has not donated all the dirty money to charity as his campaign claimed.

Federal authorities have been investigating 30 lawyers who worked in the now-defunct firm of Scott Rothstein, who yesterday was sentenced to 50 years in prison for running an elaborate Ponzi scheme.

According to his lawyer and media reports, the convicted felon is giving up the names of people involved and has even gone “undercover” which will likely lead to the arrest of lawyers, business associates and perhaps even politicians.

Tomorrow, Rothstein’s chief operating officer, who personally gave McCain’s political committees at least $30,000, is scheduled to plead guilty to assorted criminal activity.

The lawyers, along with 15 other Rothstein employees, made about $2.2 million in state and federal campaign contributions while he was running the Ponzi scheme from 2005 to 2009.

: :

Sonoran Alliance: Arizona Politics for Conservatives » JD Hayworth calls McCain to confess connection to $1.2 Billion Ponzi scheme

Phoenix, AZ (JUNE 15) - U.S. Senate Candidate J.D. Hayworth (R-AZ) today said he is dismayed by claims that Sen. John McCain does not know McCain’s number one contributor who is now serving 50 years in prison.

Hayworth called on McCain to admit he knows Scott Rothstein, the convicted Ponzi scheme artist, return all the dirty money he received over the years from investment scams, and promise to return and reject contributions from shady characters.

“Sen. McCain likes to talk about how character matters, how political leaders must rise above even the appearance of impropriety,” Hayworth said. “It’s time his actions match his rhetoric. It’s time for him to clean his own house and start acting like a U.S. Senator.”

-- videos of J.D. Hayworth press conference.

I guess the local news media in Tucson did not have the time or inclination to cover this press conference.

More on the Huppenthal video

by David Safier

One thing is clear. In the video created by high school journalism students, Ed Supe candidate John Huppenthal looks like a very dim bulb. Give him a question outside of his comfort zone, and he gets a blank look on his face and reveals a blank space in his gray matter.

But other things aren't as clear.

First, someone who used the handle "Mandy" posted a comment pointing me to a News 12 piece that was supposed to show that the Huppenthal video was an edited, Democratic hit piece. In fact, the Hupp interview was presented just as it aired in the original piece, with added commentary at the beginning and end -- and, as you'll see, the commentary is probably inaccurate. Someone else left a comment saying "Mandy" is actually Jason Rose, who, according to the commenter, does PR work for Huppenthal. If that's true, Rose should admit who he is. After all, if what he says is worth saying, it's just as worth saying from his mouth as from "Mandy's."

Second, a Capitol Times Yellow Sheet piece gives credence to the idea that Huppenthal did return after he walked out of the room in the interview, and that his vote wasn't as deplorable as it was presented.

I don't have a Capitol Times subscription, so I'm taking the Yellow Sheet report from Sonoran Alliance. I'm going on faith that SA quoted the piece accurately.

YELLOW SHEET REPORT
Arizona Capitol Times
6/15/2010

High School Journalist ‘Upset’ At How Video Being Used

The student journalist who interviewed State Senator John Huppenthal about vocational education funding in a video that is now making the rounds told our reporter this morning the edited version that was posted by Democratic Diva blogger Donna Gratehouse does not accurately portray what happened in his meeting with the senator.  Huppenthal did leave, Keith Wagner said, but he didn’t disappear and abandon the interview, as the video posted on Gratehouse’s blog purports. (Huppenthal defeated the Dem blogger in the 2006 election for LD20 Senate.)

Wagner said the senator returned with more information on education funding. “He did come back and he was very polite,” he said. Wagner also said he was irked that some are using the video, which was a class project, to score political points. “I am a little upset that the focus of that has been changed to ‘high-schooler interviewing a state senator and kind of catching him off guard,’” Wagner said.

As for the legislation Wagner asked Huppenthal about – he described it in the story only as a bill that cut $550 million from K-12 and decreased the career and technical education funds from $11 million to about $57,000 – the student said he was referring to H2028 (Laws 2009, Chapter 5), which lawmakers approved May 13 last year.

However, the student seems to have misunderstood what the bill did, as it didn’t cut $550 million from K-12 and didn’t wipe out funding for vocational programs. The bill, which was part of a two-bill package that closed a $650 million deficit in FY09, did three things: roll over $100 million in university funding; roll over $300 million in K-12 funding; and cut $250 million from K-12, but backfill the cuts with an equal amount of federal stimulus money. Additionally, budget documents from JLBC show the career and technical education funding levels are unchanged from FY09 at about $11.5 million.

I post the Yellow Sheet piece without knowing all the details, but the Capitol Times tends to be a reliable source. If all this is true, Hupp doesn't look as bad as he appears in the video. The deer-in-the-headlights thing is still there, but it sounds like he returned to the interview with more information, and his vote may not have been a serious cut, which is how it was portrayed in the piece. I'll even go so far as to say, it's possible some of Hupp's confusion in the interview was due to his being presented with information that was inaccurate.

I'm posting all this in the interest of getting the facts out there. The Capitol Times piece adds more to the mix, and, as I've said before, I don't necessarily have to be 100% fair or balanced on El Blog, but I do try to be accurate.

Just a thought

by David Safier

Instead of the Star printing two AP analyses of Obama's Oval Office speech, both pretty critical . . .

Obama promises progress on spill, but public grows leery

In address, president fails to note some facts of oil spill: Obama doesn't say gov't won't control compensation fund [I couldn't find a link on the Star website on this one] [Oh, and the subhead is inaccurate and misleading]

. . . how about printing at least one story about the speech? You know, one of those overview pieces of journalism that summarize what Obama said?

After all, the first duty of a newspaper is to give its readers the news -- hence the name "newspaper." Analyses are usually secondary articles and side bars.

Just a thought.

Star continues to Speak No Evil about McCain

by David Safier

The Star has an almost perfect record for avoiding stories that might put John McCain in a bad light. If a tree in the political forest falls on McCain's record or his credibility, no one in Southern Arizona hears it from the Star.

Here's the latest example. Yesterday I put together a thorough post about Fred Malek, who just co-hosted a McCain fundraiser in Virginia. The short version about Malek is this: He was a "Jew counter" for the Nixon administration -- the Nixon tapes revealed a strong current of antisemitism in Nixon -- tallying up the number of "ethnics," as they were euphemistically referred to, in the Bureau of Labor Statistics. And more recently, he participated in defrauding the Connecticut state pension fund. He and his company paid a $250,000 fine, and someone else in the scheme went to jail.

Malek is a big time Republican fundraiser. He was also chair of McCain's campaign finance committee for his 2008 presidential campaign.

It looks like John Mr. Clean McCain doesn't care too much about the integrity of people who he hangs with and appoints to high positions in his campaign.

Am I simply being a nutty partisan to think this story is important enough to run in the Star? Maybe not, since the Republic saw fit to cover it this morning. The Republic story included a summary of Malek's Nixon connections, a comment from the McCain campaign and another from Democrats. I wish the story had also covered Malek's more recent financial transgressions, but you can't have everything.

But the Speak-No-Evil-about-McCain monkeys at the Star didn't think this story was worth reporting. John will retain his squeaky clean image in Southern Arizona if the Star has anything to say about it.

Huppenthal is still the same deer in the headlights

by David Safier

I posted a few days ago about Senator and Ed Supe candidate Huppenthal being taken to school by some high school journalists who had done their homework and asked him questions he wasn't prepared for. That he showed such disrespect for the people who he wants to oversee as Ed Supe is stunning. The excellent work the students did is an affirmation of the fact that lots of the best stuff that goes on in our schools can't be measured by standardized testing.

Yesterday, commenter Mandy said the video I posted had been doctored and cited a TV 12 News report as proof. She called it a Democratic dirty trick.

Since I don't like to be played by Democrats or anyone else, I checked the news story, ready to post a correction if necessary. But only the slightest correction is necessary. My story stands. Huppenthal looks like a deer in the headlights in the interview, and the news folks get it mostly wrong when they said the video was edited to make Huppenthal look bad.

The TV 12 news report says "a high school journalism student gets the best of Huppenthal," and "the candidate may be regretting he didn't know the answers." Even Huppenthal admits they were prepared and he wasn't. So those statements validate what I wrote.

But the story gets it mostly wrong when it says the video I posted was "edited to embarrass the Senator."

The version I posted takes the Huppenthal portion of the student's story and leaves out the rest, but it shows that entire portion unedited. The original version ends the Huppenthal interview portion with him walking out, just like the shorter version. The only thing the shorter video did is add a written intro, then a written finish which says Huppenthal didn't return.

Did he return? I don't know. The original version doesn't say. Huppenthal says he returned. If he did, then the original story didn't make that clear, and the shortened version was definitely incorrect on that point.

But regardless, Huppenthal looked -- let's face it -- like an idiot. The walking out was inconsequential, nothing more than an exclamation point on an interview that didn't really need one.

Keith Wagner, the student in the story, knows whether Hupp returned to answer more questions, I don't.

Keith, if you happen to see this, I would appreciate your giving us the answer in the comments, or you can email me at safier@schooltales.net. And if you're reading this, I want you to know, this old high school English teacher, who advised the school yearbook for a number of years, loved the intelligence and diligence you showed putting that piece together. I know how much hard work went into it. And I want to add, though you're clearly an exceptional young man, you are one of many exceptional students out there. People who put down our schools and the young people who attend them need to understand: exceptional work by exceptional students, taught by caring and often exceptional teachers, is not unusual. Wonderful things are happening in our schools on a regular basis.

Here is the original video as Wagner and the others working with him put it together.

Candidate challenges: updates

Posted by Craig McDermott

Update to the update at the end of the post...

There were a number of challenges to state-level candidates filed last week, and they are starting to be heard in court.

The complete list of challenges, from the Secretary of State's office, here.

Going down the list -

Tom Gordon, GOP candidate for Governor - withdrawn

Joe Penalosa, GOP candidate in CD4, challenged by another GOP candidate - challenge overruled. He will appear on the primary ballot. Coverage from the Phoenix New Times here.

Anna Maria Brennan, GOP candidate for state senate in LD11 - withdrawn.

John Kowalski, GOP House candidate in LD6 - hearing scheduled for Thursday.

William Wallace, Democratic House candidate in LD26 - hearing scheduled for today, then rescheduled for tomorrow. A call to the number on his website brought forth a statement that he is withdrawing from the race.

Augustus Shaw, GOP House candidate in LD17. Hearing scheduled for Thursday. Said he was thinking of withdrawing before vowing to fight the good fight. Grab some popcorn for this one.

Bob Thomas, GOP Senate candidate in LD15 - hearing scheduled for Thursday.

Anthony Goshorn, Green House candidate in LD17 - hearing scheduled for Thursday.

W. John Williamson, Democratic House candidate in LD8 - hearing scheduled for Friday.

Sharon Spane, Democratic House candidate in LD21 - hearing scheduled for Thursday.

John Huppenthal, GOP candidate for State Superintendent of Public Instruction - hearing scheduled for Friday. He will probably stretch this out to the very end, but his credibility as a candidate for the state's top educator is cratering. More popcorn for this one. Lots more.

Scott Bergren, GOP House candidate in LD21 - withdrawn.

Joseph Sweeney, GOP Congressional candidate in CD7 - hearing scheduled for Thursday.

Larry Gist, Green candidate for Governor - hearing scheduled for Wednesday.

Manuel Cruz, Democratic candidate for State Mine Inspector - hearing scheduled for next Monday.

Dave Ewoldt, Independent State Senate candidate in LD28. This one is in Pima County Superior Court, and I couldn't find any info online.

Complete list of withdrawn/removed candidates, courtesy the AZSOS' website, here; write-in candidates here.

More updates as they become available...

Note: I attempted to link to the actual case info where possible from the Maricopa County Superior Court's website, but apparently their website isn't designed with static addresses for their online documents. Apologies.

Edit to update the update:  W. John Williamson, Democrat in LD8 has withdrawn; the cases against Larry Gist, Green candidate for Governor, and Manuel Cruz, Democratic candidate for Mine Inspector, have been dismissed and those candidates will be on the ballot.

SB 1070 Update: U.S. Conference of Mayors Condemns SB 1070

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

The Associated Press reports Mayors group condemns Arizona immigration law:

The U.S. Conference of Mayors approved two resolutions Monday condemning Arizona’s new immigration law and asking Congress to overhaul federal immigration policies.

The estimated 200 mayors at the conference approved the resolutions on a voice vote, but there was some opposition to each, conference spokeswoman Elena Temple-Webb said.

The first resolution opposing the Arizona law was sponsored by Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon, who received a standing ovation when he spoke to the group Sunday. The resolution also opposes the enactment of similar laws in other states, supports court challenges to the Arizona measure and calls on Congress to approve comprehensive immigration reform.

* * *

The resolution says many people nationwide “have expressed outrage at the Arizona law and concern for the civil rights violations to which it will lead.”

The second resolution, sponsored by Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, calls for the repeal of the Arizona law and also urges Congress to overhaul the nation’s immigration laws.

“The current lack of a comprehensive immigration policy has resulted in the breaking up of families, the exploitation of undocumented workers by employers (and) the deportation of workers who provide needed goods and services to their communities,” Villaraigosa’s resolution said.

It also condemned “the needless deaths of hundreds of people attempting to cross the border illegally under hazardous and deadly conditions.”

A Tale of Two Press Releases

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Blog for Arizona receives numerous press releases from campaigns and organizations. Most are fundraising pleas that we will not publish. We exercise discretion with the other press releases we decide to post. I generally look for substantive releases over puffery. Substance over style. Keep this in mind.

Which brings me to two press releases Blog for Arizona received on Monday. As readers know, U.S. Senate candidate Rodney Glassman has been under fire recently for not agreeing to a series of debates with his primary opponents. It is now one week and counting, and still no announcement from the Glassman campaign that he has agreed to debate.

Instead, Blog for Arizona received this "puffery" press release from the Glassman campaign -- flag pins and yet another damn silly contest! WTF!

Rodney Glassman: Putting Arizona First

PHOENIX, Ariz. -- U.S. Senate candidate Rodney Glassman announced today that he will be adding an Arizona flag pin to his lapel, right next to his American flag pin, as a symbol of his dedication and commitment to the people of Arizona first.

"I respect and appreciate McCain's service to his country, but Arizona needs a U.S. Senator who is committed to Arizona," said Glassman. "Arizona needs someone willing to compete with other U.S. Senators to stop sending our tax dollars to other states and start bringing some of our money back home. Arizona needs a U.S. Senator who calls Arizona home and puts Arizona first."

"In 1777, the Second Continental Congress adopted Old Glory as the official flag of the United States. I celebrate our country every day by wearing the American flag pin. Starting today, I will also wear the Arizona flag as a symbol of my dedication to Arizona first," said Glassman.

The Glassman campaign also announced Monday an "Arizonans for Glassman" photo contest. Supporters will download an official Glassman for Arizona sign and take a photo of the sign somewhere in Arizona . The top photos will be used in campaign marketing. The contest will last through July 4, and the First Place winner will get a Flip camera. Second place is a dinner for two in Tucson or Flagstaff with Rodney Glassman and a special guest, and third place is a Rodney Glassman for U.S. Senate Supporter Pack.

Supporters of Rodney Glassman for U.S. Senate can enter the contest at http://www.rodneyglassman.com/puttingazfirst

###

Now compare this "puffery" press release to the press release below that we received from candidate for U.S. Senate John Dougherty. Now this is the kind of substantive press release I tend to consider posting. (Helpful Hint: Too long, shorter releases.)

Want to slash federal spending?
Start with cutting the military's bloated budget

Statement from John Dougherty for U.S. Senate

June 14, 2010

A bipartisan Congressional report released Friday outlines a plan for cutting defense spending by nearly $1 trillion -- approximately 10 percent of the projected budget -- over 10 years without threatening national security or reducing funds for ongoing wars.

The Sustainable Defense Task Force is offering cost-cutting proposals covering the full range of Pentagon expenditures: procurement, research and development, personnel, operations and maintenance, and infrastructure.  For details, visit http://www.c-spanarchives.org/program/294024-1&showFullAbstract=1.

"I support the bi-partisan task force's cost-cutting recommendations, particularly regarding a new array of expensive weapons systems that are prone to failure and huge cost overruns," Arizona Democratic Senate candidate John Dougherty said. "Reducing unnecessary military spending is a crucial step in cutting the nation's unsustainable budget deficit."

Dougherty said that he supports quick and orderly draw down of troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, while ensuring security of Pakistan's nuclear arsenal. Massive spending for those wars -- estimated at $1 million per soldier per year -- is not even included in the annual Pentagon budget, though both are adding significantly to the U.S. deficit.

The Sustainable Defense Task Force was formed in response to a request from Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA), working in cooperation with Rep. Walter B. Jones (R-NC), Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX), and Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), to study how the defense budget could be trimmed to stem runaway deficits, without compromising the essential security of the United States.

"Our military must be strong and capable," Dougherty said. "But it must also be efficient and used as a means to strengthen our economy rather than weaken it by adding unnecessary debt to the deficit."

Spencer Ackerman of the Washington Independentreports the proposed "cuts are supposed to come across the board, from nuclear forces, missile defense and space programs (nearly $200 billion saved over 10 years); big service priorities like the Joint Strike Fighter, the KC-X refueling tanker, the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle and the Osprey helicopter (nearly $90 billion saved over 10 years); getting rid of two Air Force tactical fighter wings and cutting the Navy to 230 ships (nearly $167 billion saved over 10 years); reforming DOD's increasingly expensive health care system (nearly $50 billion saved over 10 years); and many, many other canceled, delayed or reformed programs. You can read the full (PDF) report here." [no link]

In a separate report released earlier this month, the Government Accountability Office found that the Defense Logistics Agency had no use for parts worth $7.1 billion, more than half of the $13.7 billion in equipment stacked in Defense Department warehouses on average from 2006 to 2008.

"The waste of taxpayer dollars is unbelievable," said Senator Bernie Sanders, a Vermont Independent and Senate Budget Committee member who requested the study.

Unfortunately, many political observers predict the task force recommendations to slash wasteful military expenditures will never be enacted because too many members of Congress work to protect military spending in their home states.

"Unnecessary spending on duplicative and wasteful defense programs is the biggest pork barrel in the federal budget," Dougherty said.

"I will focus on slashing spending on unnecessary federal programs across the board, including the defense sector which has grown rapidly over the last decade and now exceeds $1 trillion annually," the former investigative journalist said.

The defense task force report states the bulk of savings could come from rolling back the size of the U.S. military over the next decade as the United States withdraws from Iraq and Afghanistan.

"No other nation or likely combination of nations comes close to matching U.S. conventional forces," the task force said. "Our options in this area seek to match conventional force capabilities more closely with the actual requirements of defense and deterrence."

The task force stated that reducing the U.S. nuclear arsenal to 1,000 warheads, on 160 Minuteman missiles and seven Ohio-class submarines would save the country $113 billion by 2020. The United States currently has 5,113 nuclear weapons in its stockpile, including 2,468 operational warheads.

Including the cost of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the U.S. defense budget for fiscal 2011 is $708 billion, up from $691 billion this year. When other defense-related costs -- such as aiding domestic counter-terrorism operations and providing veterans' health care -- are added, defense costs this year exceed $1 trillion.

U.S. military spending outpaces annual outlays by China, Russia, the United Kingdom and France, plus the next 10 nations combined.

"As a U.S. senator, I would see that we stop wasteful spending," Dougherty said. "The defense budget is riddled with waste and duplication, and that amounts to a rip-off of the taxpayers."

###

Now before any of you claim that I am supporting one senate candidate over another, I am not. I have heard each of the four candidates speak and I have had a chance to speak with each of the candidates. My evaluation is that all four candidates have unique strengths, and each have substantial weaknesses. Let's just say there is substantial room for growth and improvement.

That being said, there is a general unease among Democrats around the state from whom I have heard regarding the Glassman campaign. They are tired of the silly contests and singalongs and they want to hear more substantive positions on the big issues of the day that confront this country. The best way to demonstrate that Rodney has command of the facts and the substantive issues is to debate his primary opponents. Seize this opportunity to shine in the spotlight.

If not, I have the Sue Lowden chicken video remix in the que and ready to go. Don't make me do it. Do the right thing and agree to a series of debates.

Robocall with voice activation

by David Safier

Has anyone else gotten one of these calls?

It was from something like the Policemen's Widows and Orphans Fund -- I didn't really catch the name -- asking for money.

A very personable male voice launched into the pitch, but it didn't feel quite right. He didn't ask me how I was or any of the usual intro questions to warm me up.

So I asked, "Are you a real person?"

He/It kept right on with the pitch.

"Well, are you?" I asked.

"Yes," it answered.

"Really?"

"No."

"That's amazing."

"I don't understand."

"This is a recording, isn't it?"

Then the voice launched right back into its pitch.

I asked, "Tell me, are you a [rather rude and colorful, semi-obscene phrase]?"

"Yes," it answered.

I began laughing.

"I don't understand," it answered.

"I'm not surprised you don't understand."

"I see," the voice said politely. "We will put you on our Do Not Call list."

And it hung up.

The whole thing was a surreal and absurd experience, in a Eugene Ionesco kind of way.

Anyone else ever get a call like that? If you ever do, have fun with it.

Tell the Tucson City Council: Do not refer proposed City Charter changes to the November 2010 ballot

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Pamela asked in a comment why this blog has not addressed the proposed charter changes to the City of Tucson Charter. Short answer, it is because the proposed changes have been the subject of much discussion and much division within the Pima County Democratic Party in recent weeks. I was waiting upon an official party position, but it appears that one is not forthcoming before this Agenda Item is set to be heard by the Tucson City Council this Tuesday, June 15 at Noon.

The Southern Arizona Leadership Council and Tucson Charter Change Coalition (TC³) are the proponents of these charter changes. I can only state my position: there are some proposed changes with which I fully agree and I have suggested myself. There are other proposed changes with which I vehemently disagree, in particular, vesting power in the City Manager for all hire and fire decisions, and holding city elections in even-numbered general election years, which would bury city elections at the bottom of the ballot and attract no media attention.

This is precisely what the Tucson Charter Change Coalition (TC³) is attempting to do this Tuesday. They want the Tucson City Council to approve their charter changes and refer them to the ballot this November (2010). I strongly urge you to contact your city council member to oppose this rush to judgment.

The Tucson City Charter changes should be referred to a study committee for further study and refinement to achieve a consensus, or if a consensus is not possible, referring competing proposals to the ballot in the usual city election cycle in 2011. The proposed City Charter changes should be fully vetted and receive adequate consideration from the voters and should reflect the informed consent of the voters. Remember, a City Charter is the equivalent of a constitution for city government. Constitutions (and city charters) are not to be modified willy-nilly on a whim. A mistake cannot be undone by simple legislative action. It requires the vote of the residents of Tucson, and the expense of an election. So let's get this right and try to come to some consensus, shall we? A consensus does not presently exist for the current proposals sought to be rushed through the Tucson City Council on Tuesday.

Here is a copy of the press release I received today:

Tucson Charter Change Coalition Seeks Referral from Mayor and Council

Organization Aims to Refer Recommendations to City of Tucson Voters in November

 

TUCSON, Ariz. (June 14, 2010) – A diverse group of community organizations and individuals dedicated to strengthening the City of Tucson’s governance structure is asking Mayor Robert Walkup and the City Council to refer charter change recommendations to voters.  

The Mayor and Council will consider Charter Change Coalition (TC³) recommendations at noon Tuesday, June 15 in the Council Chambers at Tucson City Hall, 255 W. Alameda Drive. The coalition expects a decision on a referral to the ballot Tuesday, June 22. 

Ron Shoopman, president of the Southern Arizona Leadership Council, which initiated the TC³, said it is time to allow the voters to review and update the charter, which was enacted in 1929.

“We further believe the City of Tucson’s leadership needs these tools and structure to help our city reach its full potential,” he said. 

The coalition’s four proposed changes will be discussed in-depth during the session. The suggested changes include increasing the city manager’s ability to build an effective managerial team and strengthen the council’s ability to hold key staff accountable; indexing the mayor and council salaries to those of the Pima County Board of Supervisors; moving elections for mayor and council to even-numbered years, which be a cost savings and will increase voter turnout; and giving the mayor parity and an equal vote with city council members. 

If the Mayor and Council vote for a referral, City of Tucson voters should see the proposed changes on their November 2010 ballot. 

Previously, TC³ had considered other recommendations, including allowing the mayor and council to increase the number of wards. However, after listening to national experts on city governance and to local officials and citizens’ concerns, this proposal was among those that are not being recommended, according to Shoopman. 

“All input we’ve gathered in meetings over the past 11 months has been extremely valuable and helped us craft the best recommendations possible to submit to our city government,” he said. 

More than 150 people from organizations throughout the Tucson community have signed documents indicating their desire to be a coalition partner. Coalition partners represent a variety of organizations and interests, including business, nonprofit groups, environmental group and labor unions. 

For more information about the upcoming, public study sessions, visit www.TucsonCharterChange.org.

 

 

ABOUT THE TUCSON CHARTER CHANGE COALITION (TC³)

TC³ is a fast-growing coalition of community groups and individuals in Southern Arizona dedicated to strengthening the City of Tucson’s governance structure and positioning the city and its residents for prosperity and a higher quality of life. It is a diverse coalition, committed to an open and inclusive process. The creation of TC³ was initiated by the Southern Arizona Leadership Council. For more information, visit www.TucsonCharterChange.org or call (520) 327-7619.

 

###

GOP's Gimmicks-R-Us Shop recycles a bad idea

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Back in 2006, Barry Goldwater's nephew, Don Goldwater, ran for governor of Arizona. Don had a rather extreme solution to illegal immigration. Don Goldwater proposed building a "tent city" where undocumented immigrants would be indentured "as labor in the construction of a wall [along the border] and to clean the areas of the Arizona desert that they're polluting." Latinos Lean Left: Bringing Down the GOP's Big Tent | The Nation (December 18, 2006). How'd that work out for you Governor Goldwater, er... never mind.

The GOP's Gimmicks-R-Us Shop has recycled this bad idea in 2010, this time for GOP gubernatorial candidate Dean Martin. Last week, Martin unveiled a multi-pronged border security plan that calls for the immediate deployment of 3,000 troops to the Arizona-Mexico border, and a new partnership with Sheriff Joe Arpaio to house illegal immigrants in "tent city" style jails. Dean Martin's border plan includes statewide tent city for migrants:

Martin said if elected, his first action as governor would be signing an executive order to deploy troops to the Arizona border at state expense — despite the state's ongoing budget woes. He proposes to pay for the $50 to $60 million per year cost by refinancing the state's debt and by utilizing existing prison space — rather than building new prisons.

Part of that plan involves working with Arpaio to establish a "statewide" tent-city style jail system, specifically designed to house illegal immigrants who have been convicted of crimes at low cost. "There is no reason the state of Arizona should be building comfy new prisons for those who are violating our laws," Martin said.

Other components of Martin's effort include the completion of a border fence, to be funded both through private citizen donations and state monies, and the creation of a rancher relief fund that would compensate Arizona ranchers and border property owners for damages they incur when "illegal aliens and smugglers cross their property."

He said the funds for that would come from property seizures generated by Racketeer Influence and Corrupt Organization Act (RICO) cases.

First, I find it disturbing that every Republican politician in this state pays homage to a demagogue like Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, a man who is under investigation by the U.S. Justice Department and a grand jury in Maricopa County for engaging in political witchhunts against his political opponents. There are separate investigations into his misuse of county funds, and for unlawful racial profiling - you know, that unlawful practice Republicans claim would never occur in Arizona - associated with Arpaio's immigrant sweeps. This is not the kind of person with whom smart politicians should associate. I guarantee that if Arpaio is indicted, all of these politicians will soon be saying "Joe who? Never met the guy."

The second disturbing thing here is that our current State Treasurer is proposing yet another Republican "something for nothing" idea. "We can do all this and it won't cost you one red cent more in taxes." When are damn fool voters going to stop falling for this GOP shell game?

I am curious to know how "Governor Martin" arrived at 3,000 new border troops as the appropriate number. How does this half-measure square with the Kyl-McCain "10 Point Plan" which calls for 6,000 new border troops? I can hear it now, "Dean Martin is soft on the border!" Republican politicians love to play the "escalation game," more is never enough.

I am disappointed in the news media coverage of this press conference. Maybe I missed it, but I do not believe one reporter asked Dean Martin about recycling Don Goldwater's plan from 2006. Now, its true Martin did not expressly say to build a tent city along the border and indenture undocumented immigrants to build the border wall and police the border for garbage at prisoner wages. But Joe Arpaio makes his prisoners work, even for their meals. The Don Goldwater plan is understood with a wink and a nod. Maybe a reporter will ask this question during the Citizens Clean Elections debate this week.

Finally, I am curious to know how Dean Martin proposes to resolve jurisdictional issues. Joe Arpaio is the Sheriff of Maricopa County, not the state of Arizona. I know residents of Maricopa County always confuse the two. It's a safe bet that Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik, the sheriff with the longest expanse of international border with Mexico, is not going to permit Joe Arpaio to run tent cities within his jurisdiction. And there are other county sheriffs in Arizona who feel the same way.

-- With my apologies to the real Dean Martin, who was a decent guy. This Dean Martin, who is playing off the name with his slogan "familiar name, new voice," (get it?) is offensive.

"Reformed antisemite" co-hosts McCain fundraiser in Virginia

by David Safier

Thanks to the Blue Virginia blog, I found out about tonight's far-from-home private dinner/fundraiser for McCain in Virginia.

I'm sure McCain is more at home in, and familiar with, the D.C. environs than Arizona, so holding a fundraiser in his home away from home is nothing special.

But one of the co-hosts is something of a big deal: Fred Malek. Malek, who headed the campaign finance committee for McCain's 2008 presidential race, was part of the Nixon White House root-out-the-Jews brigade and since then was implicated in a scheme to bilk the Connecticut state pension funds.

He's also a huge Republican donor.

John "Mr. Clean" McCain, who claims he learned his lesson about hanging out with the wrong crowd when he was part of the Keating Five, clearly doesn't choose his friends, funders or finance committee chairs as wisely as he should.

Here are some details about Fred Malek.

Nixon was well known from his antisemitism, and Malek was Nixon's special assistant. From February to December, 1971, Malek was part of the push to identify members of the Jewish "cabal" at the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Malek gave Nixon a list of people who had what he thought were Jewish surnames. These suspect people were described euphemistically as "ethnics."

Here's an example of his handiwork.

The memo [to H.R. Haldeman] includes the following annotation: "It is interesting that of the top 17 positions, 10 are ethnics." It was followed by Malek's typed initials: "FVM."

When the "Jew counting" came out in 1988, Malek first ducked and dodged, then partially admitted his involvement (more has come out in the past few weeks) and gave a half apology, which led to his resignation from the Republican National Committee.

But there's nothing like a steady flow of cash to rehabilitate a guy in the eyes of McCain and his fellow Republicans.

Thirteen times in the past decade, [Malek] has written checks to Republicans for more than $20,000 apiece, and his total contributions over the past two decades exceed $1.03 million.

On top of that, Malek is currently "chairman of the American Action Network, which has pledged to spend $25 million this year targeting Democratic members of Congress."

Along with being McCain's 2008 campaign finance committee chair, Malek was a Palin advisor. They love their sugar daddy.

Malek hasn't been exactly squeaky clean since his 1971 Jew-counting and his 1988 half-apology, however. In 2007, he and his firm, Thayer Capital Partners, had to pay $250,000 in a civil fraud lawsuit. Malek got off easy.

[Paul J. Silvester, Connecticut's state treasurer] was later sentenced to four years in jail after pleading guilty to federal charges that included racketeering and conspiracy to launder money, according to the Hartford Courant. Silvester was also working on deals with other investment companies.

Malek's Thayer Capital Partners hired William DiBella, former majority leader of the Connecticut Senate to do . . . nothing except assure that Thayer got a $75 million investment bundle from Connecticut's state pension funds. In return, DiBella got a percentage of the money invested -- about $375,000.

What's a little fraud perpetrated on a state's pension fund between Republican friends? Certainly nothing to get you kicked out of the party's inner circle.

Fred Malek, McCain's buddy, benefactor and fundraiser co-host. Quite a guy.

Citizens Clean Elections Debate Schedule (legislature)

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

The full schedule of mandatory Citizens Clean Elections debates for Clean Elections candidates and the video replay of debates can be found at Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission - CCEC. Debates begin this week. Schedule subject to change.

District 11 Republican Candidates Senate and House of Representatives
June 14, 2010
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Embassy Suite Paradise Valley
4415 E. Paradise Village Parkway South
Phoenix, AZ 85032

District 19 Republican Candidates House of Representatives
June 15, 2010
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Country Inn and Suites
6650 E. Superstition Springs Blvd.
Mesa, AZ 85206

District 23 Republican Senate Candidates/ Democratic Candidates House of Representatives
June 16, 2010
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Holiday Inn Casa Grande
777 N. Pinal Avenue
Casa Grande, AZ 85122

District 13 Democratic Candidates House of Representatives
June 17, 2010
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Hilton Garden Inn
11460 W. Hilton Way
Avondale, AZ 85323

District 4 Republican Candidates House of Representatives
June 22, 2010
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Windmill Suites at Sun City West
12545 W. Bell Road
Surprise, AZ 85374

District 2 Democratic Candidates Senate and House of Representatives
June 23, 2010
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Woodlands Radisson Hotel
1175 W. Route 66
Flagstaff, AZ 86001

District 7 Republican Candidates Senate and House of Representatives
June 24, 2010
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Appalossa Library
City of Scottsdale
7377 E. Silverstone Road
Scottsdale, AZ 85255

District 5 Republican Candidates House of Representatives
June 29, 2010
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Best Western Payson Inn
801 N. Beeline Highway 87
Payson, AZ 85547

District 8 Republican Candidates House of Representatives
June 30, 2010
6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Kerr Cultural Center
6110 N. Scottsdale Road
Scottsdale, AZ 85253

District 9 Republican Candidates House of Representatives
July 6, 2010
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Thunderbird Executive Inn and Conference Center
AT&T Auditorium at Thunderbird Management School
1 Global Place
Glendale, AZ 85306

District 18 Democratic Candidates Senate
July 7, 2010
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Phoenix Mesa Marriott Hotel
200 N. Centennial Way
Mesa, AZ 85201

District 26 Republican Candidates House of Representatives
July 7, 2010
6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Pima Community College Northwest Campus
7600 N. Shannon Road
Tucson, AZ

District 16 Democratic Candidates Senate and House of Representatives
July 8, 2010
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
ASU Mercado
Room C145
502 E. Monroe Street
Phoenix, AZ 85004

District 25 Democratic Candidates House of Representatives
July 8, 2010
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Benson City Council Chambers
120 W. 6th Street
Benson, AZ

District 27 Democratic Candidates House of Representatives
July 8, 2010
6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Pima Community College District Office
Community Board Room
4905 E. Broadway Blvd.
Tucson, AZ

District 21 Republican Candidates House of Representatives
July 12, 2010
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Chandler City Council Chambers
Downtown Chandler Library, 2nd Floor
22 S. Delaware Street
Chandler, AZ

District 28 Democratic Candidates House of Representatives
July 13, 2010
6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Pima Community College District Office
Community Board Room
4905 E. Broadway Blvd.
Tucson, AZ

District 3 Republican Candidates House of Representatives
July 14, 2010
6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Bullhead Area Chamber of Commerce Conference Center
1251 Highway 95
Bullhead City, AZ 86429

District 10 Republican Candidates House of Representatives
July 14, 2010
6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
ASU West Campus, La Sala Ballroom
4701 W. Thunderbird Road
Glendale, AZ 85306

District 1 Republican Candidates House of Representatives
July 15, 2010
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Prescott City Council Chambers
201 S. Cortez Street
Prescott, AZ 86303

District 30 Republican Candidates House of Representatives
July 20, 2010
6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Pima Community College East Campus
8181 E. Irvington Road
Tucson, AZ

District 22 Republican Candidates House of Representatives
July 22, 2010
6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
ASU Polytechnic Campus, Cooley Ballroom
7001 E. Williams Field Road
Mesa, AZ 85212

NO PRIMARY DEBATES SCHEDULED - August 23, 2010

District 14
District 15
District 17
District 20
District 24
District 29

SB1070 Update: Why do Brewer, Pearce hate Arizona's economy?

by David Safier

Wasn't it bad enough, all their legislative attempts to completely cripple Arizona's economy in the short and long term? They had to add SB1070 to the mix?

In a best case scenario, Arizona has to climb out of a deep, deep economic hole. Nothing is ever "best case" with the Republicans in power, of course, the party that has never seen a tax break or a tax credit for big business and the wealthy it doesn't like.

But still, there's no reason to dig the hole any deeper by creating a craziest-in-the-country anti-immigrant bill. Yet that's exactly what they did.

Immediately, the bill created all kinds of official and unofficial boycotts across the country, making Arizona the U.S. equivalent of apartheid-era South Africa. Convention, concert, business and tourism dollars that would have been ours are staying away, costing us who knows how many millions.

Then, to make sure people who might decide to come to Arizona anyway change their minds, Brewer and Pearce made us sound like the crime capital of the world, when the fact is our crime rates have been falling steadily for years.

And now, a few articles are talking about how the possible Hispanic exodus from Arizona will further decimate our real estate markets.

Some illegal immigrants own homes. Others rent. If they leave, that puts houses and rental units on the market, helping to flood an already over-saturated real estate sector. And reports indicate legal Hispanic residents may be picking up and leaving as well, leaving more homes and apartments empty.

Of course, other potential home owners and real estate investors, seeing this trend, will predict further price declines and be even more wary about investing in Arizona housing. And so the cycle of foreclosures and plummeting prices feeds on itself.

Our ideologically driven Republicans should think about the consequences of their actions. They couldn't have picked a worse economic moment to chase people out of the state while discouraging others from coming in.

Citizens Clean Elections Debate Schedule (statewide offices)

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

The full schedule of mandatory Citizens Clean Elections debates for Clean Elections candidates and the video replay of debates can be found at Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission - CCEC. Debates begin this week. Schedule subject to change.

GOVERNOR (R)

Republican candidates for Governor
June 15, 2010
7:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Televised on KAET
Horizon Channel 8

ATTORNEY GENERAL (R)

Republican candidates for Attorney General
June 22, 2010
7:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Televised on KAET
Horizon Channel 8

ATTORNEY GENERAL (D)

Democratic candidates for Attorney General
June 23, 2010
7:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Televised on KAET
Horizon Channel 8

SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION (R)

Republican candidates for Superintendent of Public Instruction
June 29, 2010
7:00 PM to 7:30 PM
Televised on KAET
Horizon Channel 8

SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION (D)

Democratic candidates for Superintendent of Public Instruction
June 30, 2010
7:00 PM to 7:30 PM
Televised on KAET
Horizon Channel 8

TREASURER (R)

Republican candidates for Treasurer
July 6, 2010
7:00 PM to 7:30 PM
Televised on KAET
Horizon Channel 8

CORPORATION COMMISSION (R)

Republican candidates for Corporation Commission
July 20, 2010
7:00 PM to 7:30 PM
Televised on KAET
Horizon Channel 8

CORPORATION COMMISSION (D)

Democratic candidates for Corporation Commission
July 21, 2010
7:00 PM to 7:30 PM
Televised on KAET
Horizon Channel 8

Let's Debate!

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

I attended a political event recently at which John Dougherty, candidate for U.S. Senate, announced that he had challenged his Democratic primary opponents to a series of debates. Dougherty stated that Randy Parraz had accepted his challenge.

Two sources tell me that they attended an informational meeting in Tucson this past week for U.S. Senate candidate Cathy Eden. A board member for Arizona Public Television was present at the meeting, and when told about Dougherty's challenge to debate, he indicated the matter would be taken up with the board to see whether the debates could be televised on Arizona Public Television.

Two things have to happen here. First, the political media elite in this state have to stop focusing all of their hopes on a J.D Hayworth/John McCain debate. It ain't gonna happen. McCain is never going to give Hayworth equal status by appearing on a stage with him. If there is a debate, it will be because McCain's internal polling shows that he is in trouble.

The political media elite have an obligation to the voters of this state not to focus all of their coverage on the childish antics of the J.D. Hayworth/John McCain contest. The media has an obligation to let voters know that there are other candidates besides an old man who can no longer remember who he is or what he believes, and a disgraced former congressman whom the voters have previously rejected. The political media elite need to make venues available to the candidates for a debate and to serve as debate panelists to ask the questions.

Secondly, the candidates have to agree to a debate format and schedule. The Arizona Daily Starreported last week that all of the Democratic candidates but Rodney Glassman had agreed to John Dougherty's debate proposal. Glassman uncertain he will be at debates. On Sunday, the Arizona Republicreported that Glassman is still "going through our normal process for evaluating and scheduling events." Senate hopefuls make debate plans a debate.

A word to the wise: none of the four Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate have much name recognition outside of their own region and voter base. All need the public exposure that a series of debates would bring to build statewide name recognition. All should be jumping at the chance to debate -- package a road show and barnstorm every corner of the state in a series of debates. Take the state's political media elite along with you (but don't ignore the local media). Democrats have an opportunity to provide substantive policy discussions (and column space) to fill the void left by the media's infatuation with the childish antics of the J.D. Hayworth/John McCain contest. Give the voters of this state a real choice. Give the media a show and make them a participant. Seize this golden opportunity.

Fair warning to any Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate who does not agree to participate in a series of primary debates: I will use this space to call you out for being chicken and blowing this golden opportunity for media coverage. Don't make me rent the chicken costume and go all Sue Lowden on your ass. You know I will.

You'll get media coverage alright, just not the kind you want.

We Win!

Yay?

SB1070 Update: NY Times gets it wrong

by David Safier

Look, this is an important distinction. If SB1070 merely "allows" police officers to question people about immigration status, we most likely wouldn't have state and national protests over the law.

But SB1070 mandates that officers check immigration status whenever there is "reasonable suspicion" the person may be undocumented. That's one of the major complaints about the law.

Add the NY Times to those who got it wrong:

The disputed law, known as SB 1070, allows the police to check the documents of anyone they stop whom they suspect of being in the country illegally. [boldface added]

No. Not "allows." Mandates.

Here's the relevant passage from the law:

For any lawful stop, detention or arrest made by a law enforcement official or law enforcement agency . . . where reasonable suspicion exists that the person is an alien and is unlawfully present in the United States, a reasonable attempt shall be made, when practicable, to determine the immigration status of that person . . ." [boldface added]

Though a few exclusions are thrown in, the basis of the passage is that "a reasonable attempt shall be made," not "an officer is allowed to make a reasonable attempt." Huge difference.

LACK OF INFORMATION ALERT: I'm ignorant about this, so I would appreciate if someone could enlighten me. Is there any place in Arizona where a police officer currently is not allowed to make an attempt to determine someone's immigration status? I believe in some states, police are specifically prohibited from asking about immigration status, but I don't think that's true in Arizona.

Political Calendar: Week of June 13, 2010

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Political Calendar For The Week of June 13, 2010

Sundays, 6:00 p.m.: Drinking Liberally, at The Shanty, 401 E. 9th Street (at 4th Avenue). An informal, inclusive progressive social group, and lively discussion. Contact: www.livingliberallytucson.org.

Sunday, June 13, 2:00 p.m.: Legislative District 26 Annual Monsoon Margarita Madness fundraiser, at the home of David and Joan Safier, 4125 E. Bujia Segunda (Tucson). Featuring a live mariachi band, Mexican cuisine, and Lena's marvelous margaritas! Tickets are $26.00. Please RSVP by Tuesday, June 8th to Tom Cuevas at zingue@msn.com or (520) 440-5458. Volunteers also needed.

Monday, June 14, Noon: Democrats of Greater Tucson luncheon, Dragon's View Restaurant (400 N. Bonita, south of St. Mary's Road between the Freeway and Grande Avenue, turn south at Furr's Cafeteria), buffet lunch costs $8.50. Featured speakers are Emily Brock and Amy McCoy of the Sonoran Institute on the topic "Ecological stability of the Sonoran Desert." Visit DGT's new web site at www.tucsondemocrats.org. Upcoming: 6/21 Randy Parraz, candidate for U.S. Senate; 6/28 John Dougherty, candidate for U.S. Senate.

Monday, June 14, 6:00 p.m.: Legislative District 29 meeting, at the Sam Lena Library, 1607 S. 6th Avenue. Featured speaker is John Dougherty, candidate for U.S. Senate. For more information please contact Laura Elías de la Torre, (520) 465-5390 or LD29Chair@gmail.com.

Monday, June 14, 7:00 p.m.: Democrats of Oro Valley meeting, at the Oro Valley Library, 1305 W. Naranja Drive (Oro Valley). Featured speakers are the Democratic candidates for Secretary of State, Rep. Chris Deschene and Sam Wercinski. Their presentation will be followed by a question and answer period. For more information please contact Mike Dayton at (520) 742-3774.

Monday, June 14, 7:00 p.m.: Oracle Democrats Club meeting, at the Oracle Fire Department, 1475 W. American Avenue (Oracle). For more information please contact Renee Barbaree at reba520@q.com.

Tuesday, June 15, 7:00 p.m.: Legislative District 26 meeting, at Metro Water (Board Room), 6265 N. La Cañada Drive. For more information please contact Don Jorgensen, (520) 742-5182.

Tuesday, June 15, 6:00 p.m.: Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and the Pima County Public Library present "Solar Power 101: A Community Education Series on Solar Energy," at the Murphy-Wilmot Public Library, 320 S. Wilmot Road. Featuring: University of Arizona Solar Race Car Team update; representatives from ECOtality and TEP on "Electric Vehicle Infrastructure in Tucson and Arizona;" and Technicians for Sustainability on "The Basics of Solar Electric and Hot Water," a detailed overview of how solar energy works, what it costs, and who should go solar. Space is limited; please RSVP by Friday, June 11th to RSVPsolar@mail.house.gov or (520) 881-3588. For more solar energy information, please visit www.giffords.house.gov.

Wednesday, June 16, 6:00 p.m.: Pinal County Democratic Party meeting, at the Pinal County Democratic Party HQ, 350 N. Main (Florence). For more information please contact Barbara Njos at (520) 868-0072.

Thursday, June 17, 6:00 p.m.: Casa Grande Democrats meeting, at Eva's Restaurant, 2033 N. Pinal Avenue (Casa Grande). For more information please contact Paula at maniscko@msn.com.

Thursday, June 17, 7:00 p.m: Legislative District 6 meeting, at the Deer Valley Community Center, 2001 West Wahalla Lane (Phoenix). Featured speakers are the Democratic Candidates for the Arizona Corporation Commission: David Bradley, Jorge Luis Garcia and Renz Jennings. For more information please contact Bill Engler: Phone: (623) 551-9300 E-mail: billengler@q.com or www.d6demsaz.com.

Thursday, June 17, 6:30 p.m.: Pima County Democratic Party Election Integrity Committee meeting, at the Pima County Democratic Party HQ, 4639 E. 1st Street (one block south of Speedway west of Swan Road). The committee will review reports on recent election monitoring activities and discuss preparations for the Primary Election. The committee is also electing a recording secretary and volunteer coordinator. For more information please contact Sandra Spangler at sanspang@gmail.com.

Special Announcements:

Bisbee Pride Days

Friday, June 18 to Sunday, June 20: For a list of scheduled events, see Bisbee Pride EVENTS, on Father's Day Weekend in Old Bisbee, AZ. Several organizations will be doing voter registration and PEVL sign-ups throughout the weekend.

Saguaro Eastside Democrats: Attorney General Candidate Debate

Monday, June 21, 6:30 p.m.: Saguaro Eastside Democrats meeting, at the New Spirit Lutheran Church, 8701 E. Old Spanish Trail (northeast corner of Camino Seco). The club is sponsoring a debate between the Democratic candidates for Attorney General: Rep. David Lujan, Felicia Rotellini and Vince Rabago. Socializing period begins at 6:30 p.m., the debate begins at 7:00 p.m. Free and open to the public. For more information please call (520) 850-6755.

Legislative District 27 Annual Summer Solstice Party

Monday, June 21, 5:30 p.m.: Legislative District 27 hosts its annual Summer Solstice Party, this year at Grijalva Campaign HQ, 425 S. Stone Avenue (Tucson). Join us for pizza from your favorite pizzeria and pale ale from Tucson's own micro brewery, Cabeza Cerveza. Donations are $15 per person. Please RSVP by June 16. To RSVP or for more information, please contact Jim Hannley at (520) 792-1229 or jim@jimhannleyllc.com.

Friends of District 28 Democrats Picnic in the Park and Toros Baseball Game

Friday, June 25, 6:00 p.m.: Friends of Legislative District 28 are hosting a picnic at Reid Park, Ramada 31 (Northwest of Hi Corbett stadium). Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 after June 23 for food and drink. Discounted tickets to the Tucson Toros (vs. the Maui Ikaiaka) are available. General admission tickets are $5 per person. First pitch is at 7:00 p.m. Fireworks display follows the game. For tickets and more information, please contact Wood Sanders at 319-0345 or ld28chair@gmail.com.

DCSRA Grand Opening of Green Valley HQ

June 26, 3:00 p.m.: The Democratic Club of the Santa Rita Area will have a grand opening party at its Green Valley headquarters, in the courtyard at the Continental Mall Plaza, 230 W. Continental Road (Green Valley). Several local and state political candidates are expected to attend, including special guests U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and Attorney General and governor candidate Terry Goddard. The festivities will include music, refreshments, and tours of the Headquarters, located in the Mall next to the CVS store. This is the first year round Headquarters for the Democratic Party in the Green Valley area, and will be a space for voter registration and candidate information, phone banking and canvassing, and a variety of activities aimed at the election of Democratic candidates locally and at the state and national level. All are welcome at the Grand Opening and at the exciting new space for Democratic activism in Southern Arizona. For more information, please call DCSRA Headquarters at 520-838-0590.

Pima Area Labor 2010 Kickoff (Tucson)

Wednesday, July 7, 5:30 p.m.: The Pima Area Labor Federation (PALF) hosts its 2010 Kickoff, at IBEW 570, 750 S. Tucson Boulevard, Tucson. Come meet the candidates and hear Rebekah Friend, Secretary-Treasurer of the Arizona AFL-CIO let us know why this election is critical to working families in Arizona. The stakes are higher than ever. Food, fun and politics! Please RSVP at Facebook | Labor 2010 Kickoff (Tucson) or contact Laura Hogan at lhogan@azaflcio.org.

Arizona AFL-CIO Labor 2010 Kickoff (Phoenix)

Thursday, July 8, 5:00 p.m.: The Arizona AFL-CIO hosts its 2010 Kickoff, at IBEW 640, 5808 N. 7th Street, Phoenix. Come meet the candidates and hear Rebekah Friend, Secretary-Treasurer of the Arizona AFL-CIO let us know why this election is critical to working families in Arizona. The stakes are higher than ever. Food, fun and politics! Please RSVP at Facebook | Labor 2010 Kick Off (Phoenix)  or Contact Beverly Fox-Miller at bfoxmiller@azaflcio.org.

Arizona Borderlands Democrats Monsoon IV Fundraiser

Saturday, July 10, 4:00 p.m.: Arizona Borderlands Democrats hosts its Monsoon IV Fundraiser, at the Sonoita Fairgrounds in Sonoita. Live music, dancing, silent auction, good food and friends. This event is always well attended by candidates for federal, state and southern Arizona political offices. Tickets are $20 if purchased before June 10, $30 until July 9, and $35 at the door, so order early. Mail payment to: Arizona Borderlands Democrats, P.O. Box 707, Sonoita, AZ 85637, don't forget your occupation/employer with your ticket order. See Arizona Borderlands Democrats: Monsoon IV for order form.

Lois Pfau Birthday Bash

Please join the Arizona Democratic Party and co-hosts on July 10 to celebrate a pillar in Arizona Democratic politics!  Lois Pfau will turn 80 years old this summer. She has dedicated almost all of her 80 years to fighting for Democrats and Democratic causes here in Arizona. We are thrilled to celebrate this momentous year with her!

Date: Saturday, July 10
Time: 1:00 - 4:00 pm
Location: Mountain Preserve Reception Center, 1431 E Dunlap Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85020

Ticket levels:  

$40 ~ Includes 1 ticket
$64 ~ Includes 1 ticket & quarter page birthday message
$80 ~ Includes 1 ticket & half page birthday message
$120 ~ Includes 1 ticket & full page birthday message

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16 candidates face a challenge to their petitions

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

I'm not absolutely certain, but I believe this may be a new state record for legal challenges to candidate petitions. This happens every election cycle, but with the passing of the 10-day challenge period on Thursday, the Arizona Capitol Times now reports that 16 candidates face a challenges to their petitions this week. Huppenthal, Shaw among 16 candidates targeted in petition challenges:

Sixteen challenges were filed in Maricopa County Superior Court against candidates’ nominating petitions, including allegations that Sen. John Huppenthal collected thousands of invalid signatures and that House candidate Augustus Shaw lives in wrong legislative district.

The Arizona Democratic Party is challenging Huppenthal’s petition in his run for superintendent of public instruction, alleging that all 11,053 of the signatures he filed are invalid because they were collected before he filed his official candidate committee. The challenge alleges that the signatures were all collected by Huppenthal’s exploratory committee.

Huppenthal and others were previously investigated by the Pima County Attorney's Office earlier this year on allegations that they had violated Arizona's resign-to-run law by running for another office before the last year of their term. The legal opinion of the Pima County Attorney effectively rendered the resign-to-run law unenforceable. This "GooGoo" (good government) reform is likely to be repealed by the next legislature because it is a law without any purpose or consequence.

The question presented in the instant case appears more problematic for Huppenthal. The statutes are pretty clear that one must file a candidate committee, as opposed to an exploratory committee, before one can begin collecting valid petition signatures. If the court was to interpret the statutory scheme to permit signatures to be collected during an exploratory committee phase and then "carried over" into a candidate committee once it is filed, the court would be erasing a clear distinction intended by the legislature in the statutory scheme. The court would be judicially rewriting the law to remove any distinction between an exploratory committee and candidate committee. I would argue this violates the rules of statutory construction. However, nothing surprises me anymore. We'll see what happens.

The challenge against Shaw, a Republican seeking a District 17 House seat, claims he is ineligble for office in that district because he actually lives in District 20. A private investigator hired by the law firm Perkins, Coie, Brown & Bain, which is closely associated with the Arizona Democratic Party, reported that during three days of surveillance he witnessed Shaw at his home in District 20, but never at the District 17 home where he lists as his address.

District 20 takes in Ahwatukee, west Chandler and southwest Tempe, while District 17 is comprised of north Tempe and south Scottsdale.

Shaw said he moved to his in-laws’ home in District 17 because he and his wife planned to move there for the benefit of their 6-year-old autistic son. They delayed the move because his wife wanted to keep their son near his school, where he attends a program for autistic children, but Shaw decided to move into his in-laws’ home in July 2009 to begin preparing for the family’s move, he said.

Shaw said he often spends his weekends at the District 20 home where his wife and children still live, but stays at his in-laws’ house during the week. He said his driver’s license, bank records, car payments and other documentation all list the District 17 house as his address. He said his family will join him in District 17 in the fall.

“I am a resident (of District 17), and it shouldn’t matter where my family lives,” Shaw said.

Mr. Shaw may want to familiarize himself with the concept of "domicile," the place where a man has his true, fixed and permanent home and principal establishment, and to which whenever he is absent he has the intention of returning. (Black's Law Dictionary). Many people own more than one home; but they only have one domicile. By his own admission, Mr. Shaw's "domicile" is the home he shares with his wife and family in District 20. His wife and family have a present future intention to move to the home in District 17 this fall -- it is not presently the Shaw family domicile.

Two minor gubernatorial candidates were also challenged. Republican gubernatorial candidate Buz Mills challenged rival GOP candidate Tom Gordon, claiming the former lawmaker submitted dozens of invalid signatures from Coconino and Gila counties. Gordon subsequently withdrew from the race. And the Arizona Democratic Party alleged that more than half of Green Party candidate Larry Gist’s 2,980 signatures are invalid as well.

Perkins, Coie, Brown & Bain, which filed six challenges on behalf of the Democratic Party, also sought to remove a second Green Party candidate from the ballot. The firm alleged that at least 47 of the 70 signatures filed by Anthony Goshorn, who is running for a District 17 House seat, were invalid.

The Arizona Republican Party challenged the nominating petition for Manuel Cruz, the lone Democrat running for state mine inspector. The challenge alleges that Cruz is ineligible for the position because he does not meet the constitutional requirements that candidates have four years of experience in mining or another industry overseen by the mine inspector.

Other complaints are against:

• Joseph Sweeney, Republican candidate for CD7: Rival Republican candidate Ruth McClung’s husband Michael filed a challenge against perennial Sweeney, alleging that 282 of his 577 signatures are invalid.

• Anna Maria Brennan, Republican candidate for LD11 Senate: Republican Brad Williams alleged that 293 of Brennan’s 657 signatures are invalid.

• William Wallace, Democratic candidate for LD26 House: District resident Francine Shacter alleged that 66 of Wallace’s 363 signatures are invalid.

• Jose “Joe” Penalosa, Jr., Republican candidate for CD4: Rival Republican candidate Janet Contreras alleged that some of Penalosa’s signatures were illegally collected by convicted felons, and that 542 of his 693 signatures are invalid.

• W. John Williamson, Democratic candidate for LD8 House: LD8 resident Craig Zirbel alleged that 42 of Williamson’s 369 signatures are invalid.

• John Adam Kowalski, Republican candidate for LD6 House: Rival Republican candidate David Fitzgerald alleged that 587 of Kowalski’s 878 signatures are invalid, and that Kowalksi was not a registered Republican during the time he collected the signatures.

• Sharon Spane, Democratic candidate for LD21 House: LD21 Republican Chairman Jerry Brooks alleged that 53 of Spane’s 409 signatures are invalid.

• Scott Bergren, Republican candidate for LD21 House: District resident Jeff Laux alleged that 304 of Bergren’s 651 signatures are invalid. Bergren promptly dropped out of the race June 11.

• Bob Thomas, Republican candidate for LD15 Senate: District resident Krista Pacion alleged that Thomas collected his 330 signatures before filing a campaign committee and that the signatures are therefore invalid.

• Dave Ewoldt, independent candidate for LD28 Senate: Independent candidate Ted Downing argued that an undetermined number of Ewoldt’s signatures should be invalidated because of alleged discrepancies, such as signatories who had also signed other LD28 Senate candidates’ petitions, and that several of the petitions did not include Ewoldt’s address.

This last one is interesting only because I am aware the Democratic Party was examining Ted Downing's petitions as well, because he had switched his party registration from Democratic to Independent at the end of April and his candidate status on May 4. Apparently Downing had enough valid signatures after the switch.

Under pressure, Yuma mayor apolgizes

by David Safier

I posted about Yuma Mayor Al Krieger's comment that should be jaw dropping but is the kind of thing we're hearing so often from Republicans in high places, it's almost losing its shock value. Which says more about the retrograde state of the Republican Party than the outrageousness of his comment.

On Memorial Day, speaking at the Desert Lawn Cemetery, gave his opinion on gays in the military:

I cannot believe that a bunch of lacy-drawered, limp-wristed people could do what those men have done in the past.

Friday, Krieger apologized, not for his views but for the fact that he should be more tolerant, even of people he finds extremely "disagreeable":

As mayor I must respect the lifestyle choices of others, no matter how disagreeable they are with my personal beliefs or my personal moral standards.

I apologize for my comments at the Memorial Day service at Desert Lawn cemetery on Memorial Day.

Lifestyle choices, Mayor? Kind of like deciding to have a latte at Starbucks every morning? I guess I shouldn't have expected anything better than that from you.

The only good thing about the apology is that Krieger felt the heat and knew he had to do something to put out the fire. The moral? Make people like Krieger feel the heat by exposing them for what they are.