It is being reported that sparks were flying at the LD 6 meeting last night. After Sen. Pamela Gorman, Rep. Sam Crump and Rep. Carl Seel gave their usual updates to the packed house of elected precinct committeemen and guests, it was Randy Pullen’s turn. The Chairman of the State Republican Party then berated Gorman and Crump for their “No” votes on the recent budget package, which included a referral of a sales tax hike to the ballot.
There were only a few Republicans who voted against this excellent budget package, Pullen reportedly said, and two of them are from right here in your district. So, he continued, are we supposed to believe that all the other good Republicans in the Legislature who voted “Yes” were wrong? I don’t think so, said Pullen.
And when Gorman and Crump tell you that the proposed tax cuts could have been repealed by a simple majority in the 2010 Legislature, “don’t believe them” said Pullen. There is no way that a Republican will vote to repeal tax cuts, he said.
So, in front of a crowd of conservative PCs who work hard to elect conservatives like Gorman and Crump, the AZ GOP Chairman took it upon himself to rake them over the coals for their principled disagreement on the budget.
Which begs the question: Who exactly asked Randy Pullen, anyway? Isn’t the main job of the State Chairman to increase Republican registration and raise money to get Republicans elected?
All of this drama comes on the heels of last week’s untoward email sent out by the LD 6 Secretary Horst Kraus, at the direction of Chairman Dave Braswell, urging all PCs to contact Sen. Gorman and pressure her to vote “Yes” on the budget package. It is no wonder, then, that Braswell and Kraus sat in silence while Chairman Pullen ripped into their own legislators.
Seeing Red AZ 
Very discouraging that Pullen would do this at the representatives home district meeting. It sounds like he inferred that they were lying.
He is welcome to his opinion, but there surely is a more respectful way to deliver his message and not question their veracity.
Pullen has been a ‘class act’ in the past. Wonder who is leaning on him?!?
What a shameful event! Pullen’s ego is ready for an amputation. If he runs for state chairman again, there’ll be a number of people who will toss their ballots rather than cast one for him. Count me among them!
This is the reason so many people are turned off of politics. Randy Pullen should be ashamed. His display last night is a clear indication that he has stayed too long at the GOP Fair. Time to move on, Pullen.
Pullen was the only person at the Mohave Co. Republican Picnic that raised his hand when Sen. Gould asked who believed that the tax increase would go away when the 3 years was up.
Sad.
READ THE BILL AND THE LAW! THE TAX INCREASE — IF IT PASSED — WOULD GO AWAY BY THE VOTE OF THE ELECTORATE BUTTRESSED BY PROPOSITION 105.
IT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PULLEN’S PLACE TO TAKE GORMAN AND CRUMP TO THE WOODSHED, BUT 47 OUT OF 53 REPUBLICAN LEGISLATORS VOTED FOR THIS PACKAGE.
I ALSO DISAGREE WITH THE POSITION THAT BOTH FAILED TO VOTE FOR THE PACKAGE FOR PRINCIPLED REASONS. ONE MAYBE, BUT NOT BOTH!
THIS WAS THE BEST, MOST CONSERVATIVE BUDGET PACKAGE PRESENTED FOR PASSAGE IN THE LAST DOZEN YEARS.
Since when did a permanent $730 to $850 per year reduction in taxes (over $5 Billion by 2016), the elimination of teacher tenure, the reduction of state spending by 1.2 Billion, the passage of real fraud reduction policies, etc. coupled with a referral to the voters of a temporary (yes, I said temporary, because it would be temporary by our state laws)possible sales tax capped at $2.2 billion become a tax increase.
Stop drinking the koolaid – it will surely kill us all.
John Q, The unexpected happens. Six months ago it would have been unfathomable this conservative majority legislature would ever refer a tax increase to the ballot under “any” circumstances. It did.
It is expected Obama amnesty is going to happen. That’s at least one million more Democrat voters in Arizona. A new Democrat controlled legislature can undo the “temporary” feature of this tax package.
Unlikely scenario? The unexpected happens.
Only Brewer is to blame for all of this vitriol. I fault no Republican members of the legislature for this budget mess. This mess is Brewer’s making through and through.
Pullen made a ridiculous mistake taking sides with Brewer. His popularity has plummeted right along with hers. It is OUTAGEOUS for Pullen to come into the legislator’s home District meeting and blast these two legislators. Pullen has lost all credibility with me. Sam Crump and Pam Gorman were elected to represent their district, not Randy Pullen.
Now you have to watch yourself around Pullen, you never know when he is going to go off the deep end and come beat you up in your district meeting. Next time he wants to address my district I hope they ask for his outline first. Randy Pullen has proven himself to be a loose cannon.
Pullen should have delivered a conciliatory message. All Republicans represented their district well this session. That’s his job! It is not his job to sell policy. He’s supposed to heal rifts, not create them.
Now this is truly rich. How many times have you sang praises of Randy when the circumstances and rhetoric were in your favor ? Only now do you get angry ? Over Crump and Gorman ? Give me a break.
Pullen is exactly right, he did what he had to do. I applaud him for it. That took guts. He may have lost a few hard-line votes, but he offset them by gaining others.
Gorman has her hand at the wheel and is steering the GOP ship right into the rocks. The madness needs to stop. A lot of elected officials will suffer for her reckless behavior next year. Randy knows it and is trying to grab the wheel before it is too late.
nightcrawler:
Get real! Pullen was far out of line with this arrogant action. He had no business coming to the district meeting with the sole purpose of publicly berating the legislators on their home turf. If he had a beef with them, he could have invited them to meet with him to discuss it. What he did instead was anger both the principles and the PC’s. I think he’s angling for a more elevated post on the national GOP stage. After this action, I hope he fails in his mission. There is nothing like a man with an inflated ego displaying his lack of substance to make you appreciate what integrity really is. Pullen has none.
I appreciated Pullen’s comments. He gave substance to Carl Seel’s stand. Our representatives were real people and true representatives standing for their principles. I personally have more confidence in all of them now.
Bottom line for me: The disappointment is far greater when originating within the GOP. Pullen had other options if he wanted to express his ire at these legislators. The actions reported here tell me more about the man than I ever wanted to know. His arrogance serves neither the party nor himself very well. I will never again view him with the same level of favorability. He has displayed a major character flaw in conducting himself in this manner. I will not support him again.
This is very inappropriate. It seems like it’s time that Mr. Pullen gets an attitude adjustment or needs to be replaced as chair asap.
This is a terrible budget. The only reason it is “balanced” is due to the injection of $2 billion in stimulus money along with $800 million sale and ase back of prisons, A trick to end run the Arizona Constitution’s debt limit of $350,000.
Out of $3.4 billion of Chairman’s options, the weaklings could only come up with $600 million in what I would loosely call cuts.
It is too bad we have so many “go along to get along Legislators” and too few that will actually fight back
When I was 5, I came home with a bloody nose. My mother scolded me for letting someone do that to me. Then she sent me outside to “take care of business”, so I did.
It appears that most Republican Legislators got a different version of the speech
Pullen was wrong in how he sent his message that Arizona needs legislators not obstructionists! His message was right on, but he should have delivered it behind closed dooors. Of course, it may be that he already did.
I voted to send conservatives to pass conservative legislation that would reduce government and protect Constitutional principles by working with the other conservative legislators.
True,
My Dad said to finish the fight with a bully, not to go to church and start a brawl in the middle of service.
Pearce, Harper, Verschoor, Huppenthal, C. Gray, S. Allen, Pierce, Burges, Seel, Stevens, Antenori, Gowan, Hendrix, Montenegro, Adams, Grover Norquist, Steve Voeller, Tom Jenney and Don Goldwater were conservative enough to be praised as our leaders a month ago.
47 Republicans are not wrong just because four disagree.
This is g.d. nonsense. The tax “cuts” will be reversed next year as soon as the governor and her McCain handlers claim that there’s a “crisis”. They are not guaranteed.
They are waiting on printing your tax bill because the permanent elimination of the Equalization Tax and the reduction in the Qualifying Tax Rate are retroactive to July 1. I know it defuses your argument, but the $330 million in annual tax reductions would be GUARANTEED under this package.
Stop drinking the Kool-Aid. It will not only kill you, it will kill your children and grand-children.
John Q, You’re pulling a “Pullen” yourself. The article is about Pullen’s very strange behavior and you’re using it to deamonize Crump and Gorman further. If we had 90 Sam Crump’s or Pam Gorman’s in the Leg. this state would be in excellent shape.
Sorry John Q but the cat’s out of the bag. Dems want Brewer to veto. Therefore, if Brewer vetos, as you want, she advances the Dem agenda – which is also your agenda.
First of all, I am not the state party chairman.
Second, I have the right to state that the job of a legislator is to show up, work within the process, find the best possible solution that can be passed, and work with like-minded people to defend the Constitution and the Party Platform.
In case you missed it, read Russell Pearce’s end of session letter. It is lengthy but explains the process and how good of a package the House passed.
Another:
You are right, the Dems want her to veto the budget so they can get all of the spending increased, the reforms killed, the tax cuts eliminated, etc. Which is why this package should have been passed.
Jack Brown, who has been in the legislature as a strong democrat for four decades, called this package the worst piece of legislation he had ever seen. That should tell conservative Republicans how good it is.
PS: to Another
Where did you get the irrational viewpoint that I wanted the governor to veto this package? I am praying that she signs it. Otherwise the Dems and the RINOS will control the next one sent to her.
NO MORE VETOS BREWER, STOP HURTING OUR STATE
DEMS WANT BREWER TO VETO
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/143417
Brewer veto = Dem win, GOP loss
The Republican Party only succeeds as a grassroots up organization. Remember Randy Pullen championing that concept over and over again?
The grassroots elected Rep. Crump and Sen. Gorman. PULLEN ANSWERS TO CRUMP, GORMAN AND THE GRASSROOTS. We DO NOT answer to him!
[…] is reported that at Arizona’s LD 6 meeting last night Chairman Randy Pullen had the audacity to berate Sen. Pam… for not voting for the latest budget agreement that would’ve put Gov. Brewer’s beloved […]
Through all of this, no question about it. We are better off with Chairman Randy Pullen than we would have been with McCainiac, Lisa James. That doesn’t excuse Pullen’s power crazed move at the LD6 meeting. Or, as Roger pointed out, Pullen’s new shift to Top-Down management of the State Party.
Brewer has squandered a great opportunity to let conservative principles shine in the process of cleaning up after J-No. Brewer turned a wonderful opportunity to show all voters conservative solutions work. Instead she has caused us to look like villians. Worse, she relished the role and beat up the State Party in the process.
“Those darn conservative Republican legislators.” That sums up Brewer and Pullen.
Almost Vince, “Those darn conservative Republican legislators” pretty well sums up the complicit LD6 Chairman, David Braswell and Horst Kraus too. They started beating up Sen. Gorman a week ago when they sent an email to all LD-6 PCs pointing out how “WRONG” Sen. Gorman is. Sen. Gorman was forced to defend herself against the crackpot LD6 Officers: David Braswell, Horst Kraus, Carrie Rausch and Bob Haran. WHAT A JOKE!
Brewer’s concern was for securing a new revenue stream that would fund contracts for firms and people that finance campaigns.
Chairman Pullen forgot that the legislators are elected by the voters in their own districts. He has no voice outside of the state political party apparatus.
These elected representatives are not his puppets. He needs a remedial course on etiquette.
I don’t recall any of the legislators winning by the paltry 4 vote margin that Pullen pulled in during his first chairman’s election.
He isn’t their boss, and his authority in no way extends to them. He needs to begin doing some fundraising in advance of the upcoming elections. THAT is his job!
You forgot that Pullen lost both of his races for Phoenix Mayor. Thanks to his lightweight campaigns we are stuck with Phil Gordon. Thanks for that Democrat, Mr. Pullen. It looks as though you’re trying to top your record and get more Dems elected in the district where you thumped the conservative Republicans. What’s up?
Thank you Amy for finally pointing out the District Chairman’s complicity in this. Wouldn’t it have been the District Chairman’s responsibility to speak after Pullen and commend all LD-6 Republican legislators for their outstanding work this session?
Isn’t this the same District Chairman who was just embroiled in another scandal for inviting Candidate, Chris Simcox to address LD-6 only to ambush him with a surprise 3-way debate once Simcox showed up for his “guest speaker” date?
Glad this “not my job man” District Chairman is confined to only one District.
The LD6 meeting was fascinating. Sen Gorman pointed out that Rep Seel voted in favor of the tax referral, while she and Rep Crump voted against it. The crowd was obviously a pro-Crump and pro-Gorman crowd, and reacted favorably to her explanation why she was against the tax referral. After wrapping up her remarks, she immediately left the meeting, which was unfortunate.
Rep Seel, obviously ticked off that he was singled out by who he referred to as “The good senator”, called out Sen Gorman for voting against a fraud reduction bill that he had sponsored and demanded an explanation from the absent senator.
There is obviously some bad blood between those two. Rep Crump, staying out of the tiff, simply gave his reasons for voting the way he did. He actually looked very statesmanlike that night.
In any event, without taking sides in the Seel vs Gorman soap opera, I think it is fair to say that Rep Seel is no way in favor of increasing taxes or the size of government. It is also fair to say that Sen Gorman is no way in favor of increasing fraud in the state. I think this simply points out that the process of making policy is not always a black-and-white proposition. There can be a lot of nuance in bills that weigh heavily on a legislator’s decision on how to vote. Reducing someone’s vote on complicated legislation to a sound bite — He voted YES – he must like big government!! She voted NO — she must not care about reducing fraud!! — is unfair no matter who is doing it. (Grassroots people are notorious for this, calling fellow Republicans RINO’s for not being in 100% agreement with them)
It is for this reason that party officials need to stay out of the details of policy and focus instead on the business of the party. Make no mistake — whether you are a district chair, the county chair, or the state chair, your main responsibility is to increase the number of registered Republican voters in the state, to increase the number of Republican elected officials, and to increase the size of the Republican Party coffers. If a party official takes a side in a policy debate, and alienates an important wing of his party in the process, he is hurting the party. Rob Haney and Randy Pullen are both frequently guilty of wading into waters where they do not belong. By taking sides in a Republican civil war, the Republican Party loses no matter how things turn out. One side has to lose. If both sides are the Republican Party, how is the chairman able to succeed in his primary responsibility?
The correct stance is for the chairman to recognize the difficulty of the situation and to thank the policy makers for their service to Arizona as they have a spirited (yet respectful) discussion of the issues.
Dave
Another interesting note at the meeting was the fact that the Chairman wouldn’t let Jim Deakin, who is running against McCain, speak. I found it very funny when the McCain representative was introduced that she only got a couple of people to clap for her. The rest of us sat on our hands.
Rep. Seel’s “fraud reduction bill” would not have reduced fraud, but would have provided a financial lifeline to a company owned by a former Mitt Romney presidential campaign staffer. Look into it!
[…] saga: Americans for Tax Reform weighs in on Pullen Citing Seeing Red AZ’s earlier post, Pullen pulls a fast one: AZ GOP Chairman rips legislators in their own district, Americans for Tax Reform leave no doubt as to their view of Randy […]
70 percent of all voters oppose Brewer/Pullen tax hike. 88 percent of Republicans oppose Brewer/Pullen tax hike. 78 percent of independents oppose Brewer/Pullen tax hike. EVEN 48 percent of Dems oppose Brewer/Pullen tax hike. And their response is that “extremists” in both parties are the reason for the failure of the $3 billion Brewer/Pullen tax increase on Arizona working families? Brewer/Pullen are to the left of 48 percent of the Democratic Party and 88 percent of the Democratic Party. It’s time to get rid of the Brewer/Pullen machine. Thank God we have people like Senator Pamela Gorman and Senator Ron Gould … and Senator Waring and Representatives Crump and Biggs who said “No!” to the Brewer/Pullen tax increase!! Keep fighting higher taxes and let’s send Pullen packing!