Getting it wrong again

The Republic erroneously reports leadership takeover of Maricopa County GOP

In today’s Political Insider column, the crack political reporting team of Amanda J. Crawford, Matthew Benson and Yvonne Wingett appear to have waged an ink-driven coup, removing Maricopa County Chairman Tom Husband from his leadership position. This team of ace politicos elevated executive director Tony Reinhard, to the top leadership position, describing him as “now leading the Maricopa County GOP.”

The thrust of the blurb is Camilla Strongin, who has been hired on a contractual basis to replace Reinhard in his former role as state GOP communications director. She plans to remain onboard in her current post as a partner with the Symington Group, a venture of former Gov. Fife Symington.

Interesting behind-the-scenes connective threads reveal that when engaged by business entrepreneur Dave Thompson, Symington’s firm was unsuccessful in the attempt to defeat Prop. 400, the 20-year transportation taxing authority.

High Ground, a political consulting firm run by former Symington aide and McCain staffer, Chuck Coughlin, was successful in advocating for the sales tax, that now funds light rail, Phil Gordon’s white elephant. The new law allocates only 55 % of tax dollars towards highways and roads, down from the previous 95%.

Unholy alliance: Using guise of religion to facilitate lawbreakers

Faith-based illegal sanctuaries at odds with rule of law

There is a new twist on concealing illegal aliens from deportation, according to an AP report carried by KTAR-Newstalk 92.3

Sanctuary organizer Alexia Salvatierra, a Los Angeles-based minister who recently visited Tucson said a network is in effect at houses of worship in 35 cities across the U.S., including Phoenix. The intent is to reestablish the movement in Tucson.

The Sanctuary Movement began at Tucson’s Southside Presbyterian Church during the 1980s, illegally bringing Central Americans into the United States. Claims at the time were that the they were political refugees facing persecution and death squads in their home nations. Critics charged most were merely seeking jobs.

According to sanctuary proponents, the new premise plays on what they characterize as being a unique juncture in history when divine law and human law are in conflict, and that God’s justice demands standing with those who break unjust laws. Salvatierra maintains the group’s workers do not believe they are doing anything illegal, although she cites immigration law that prohibits someone from helping an illegal immigrant, “in furtherance” of illegal entry into the United States.

“We are hoping for reform of those laws,” she said. “We believe Scripture says love is more powerful than hate, but love requires knowledge.”

Apparently the sanctuary proponents have laid aside the scripture that commands adherence to the law of the land:

And Jesus said to them, “Render therefore unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.” (Matthew 22:21)

Missed this in the morning newspaper

And the credit goes where?

The federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency expects to deport a record number of illegal immigrants from Arizona this year.

Vinnie Picard with ICE said almost 39,000 illegal immigrants have been deported from Arizona since last October, up more than 5,000 from the same timeframe last year. That number is expected to top 50,000 by this coming October, when ICE ends its fiscal year.

“A lot of credit goes to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office,” Picard said.

“Maricopa County, since the program began last year, has identified 14,209 foreign-born criminals that have been targeted for removal from the United States,” Picard said. “Those are the folks who are being processed through the [county's] Fourth Avenue intake facility here in the City of Phoenix.”

The Arizona Department of Corrections has identified another 4,200 illegal aliens for removal from the state prison system, according to Picard.

“The state of Arizona is ground zero for human smuggling in the United States,” Picard said. “A large percentage of the illegal aliens present in the United States came through the State of Arizona, where they’re on their way somewhere else or staying here.”

Thanks to KPHO CBS 5 News for this report.

Something is terribly wrong with this picture

Conservative Republicans feeling the sting of challenge in their home districts

With a contentious presidential campaign ahead, McCain campaign activists have been exhorting fellow Arizona Republicans to help out with the McCain campaign. They want Republican activists to work phone banks and provide other assistance, including financial, to help build McCain’s support in battleground states.

With all of this work to do, many McCain activists have also been trying to reach out to conservative Republicans in Arizona– to defeat them.

Howard Levine, Arizona editor of GOPUSA News, tells the stunning tale of how long-standing, elected conservative precinct committeemen and chairmen are being challenged with a write-in campaign, orchestrated by the liberal clique of devotees of the Republican president nominee.

Levine’s article: McCain reaches out to conservatives–to slap them down, is available here.

Sonoran News gets it right — again

Stop Illegal Hiring Initiative is a ruse to undermine Employer Sanctions law

In her well researched article, Poised to undermine the will of the people, Linda Bentley, investigative reporter for the Sonoran News, clarifies the stark differences between the Stop Illegal Hiring Initiative and the Legal Arizona Workers Act, which went into effect Jan. 1, 2008.

The Stop Illegal Hiring Act was heavily funded ($335,980) by Wake Up Arizona!, the consortium of businesses, led by McDonald’s franchise owner Mac Magruder, and supported by various chambers of commerce and trade associations, whose memberships rely on businesses being assured an endless supply of cheap illegal labor, and organizations that profit by exploiting illegal aliens, after efforts to thwart the Legal Arizona Workers Act failed in court.

While masquerading as a measure to stop illegals from gaining employment-the carrot that feeds the steady stream unlawfully breaching our southern border- Andrew Pacheco’s business-backed initiative actually provides additional protections to the employer and illegal worker. Pacheco, a former prosecutor, is well aware of the mind-boggling criminal industry that provides stolen and counterfeit documents to enable the illegal workforce to gain employment and desired services.

The Legal Arizona Workers Act, also known as Employer Sanctions, requires all Arizona employers use the Federal E-Verify program, which has an accuracy rate of 97 percent.

The Act was signed into law July 2, 2007 by Gov. Janet Napolitano, much to the dismay of the businesses desirous of a constant flow of illegal and exploitable laborers they can continue to pay substandard wages while displacing American workers.

Read Bentley’s article here. You won’t find this exposure in the pages of the Arizona Republic.

PAChyderm Coalition endorsements

Contested primaries front and center

CD1 - Sydney Hay

CD5 - David Schweikert

Corporation Commission - Joseph Hobbs, Rick Fowlkes, Keith Swapp

County Assessor - Kevin Ross

Justice of the Peace, Desert Ridge - Paul Henderson

Senate:

LD1- Steve Pierce

LD4 - Jack Harper

LD18 - Russell Pearce

LD22 - Thayer Verschoor

LD26 - Al Melvin

House:

LD3 - Nancy McLain

LD6 - Sam Crump and Carl Seel

LD12 - Jerry Weiers and Steve Montenegro

LD18 - Ron Middlebrook

LD20 - Jeff Dial and John McComish

While there are other conservative Republican candidates who are worthy of election and are more than acceptable to the PAChyderm Coalition, they did not rise to meet the rigid standards necessary for the PAChyderm Coalition to formally endorse their candidacy over their rivals.

Working within the caucus to ensure the best possible outcome on overarching critical issues is one significant standard. This year’s budget is a prime example. In our representative democracy, we expect our leaders to have the wisdom and discernment to work for the best possible decision - even when it hurts.

Hopefully, in the future, that lesson will be learned by all Reagan Republicans.

Following the money in AZ’s congre$$ional race$

Here are the numbers!

The Federal Elections Commission has released the second quarter listing of campaign finance fundraising and expenditure reports for Arizona’s congressional candidates. The figures were released yesterday in compliance with FEC requirements.

District 1

District 2

District 3

District 4

District 5

District 6

District 7

District 8

No surprise, incumbents have an edge. But many observers smell victory on the horizon for challengers, most notably Republican David Schweikert, who is mounting an aggressive challenge to freshman Democrat Harry Mitchell in the CD 5 race.

The CD 1 race could prove interesting as well, with Rick Renzi’s departure providing the open seat. It will likely be a race between two women. GOP hopes are pinned on Sydney Hay as she vies for the seat against Democrat Ann Kirkpatrick.

In Southern Arizona‘s 8^th Congressional District, Republican Senate President Tim Bee challenges freshman Democrat Gabrielle Giffords. President Bush is making a fundraising appearance, signaling the importance of that race.

Republican Congressmen Trent Franks (CD 2), John Shadegg (CD 3) and Jeff Flake (CD 6) are odds-on favorites to retain their seats.

Reminder: PAChyderm Coalition, Wednesday July, 16

We are fortunate to have both Rep. Russell Pearce and Speaker of the House, Jim Weiers as guest speakers.

El Paso Bar-B-Que

4303 West Peoria Ave

Dinner at 6:15, meeting begins at 7:00 PM 

Additional information available here.

Those irksome connective threads

Too close for comfort

Andy McCain, the son of John McCain, has recently taken over the reins of the Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce, as the new chairman.

The younger McCain is the vice president and chief financial officer of his step-mother’s Anheuser-Busch beer distributorship, Hensley & Co.

Check out this interesting statement from Andy McCain, which sounds more like a threat than a promise:

“Because of the recent downturn, businesses have concerns about what the future holds for them. We are actively representing our member’s interests at the Legislature and look forward to a sensible resolution of the State budget. Then we will turn our attention to the fall elections and our endorsement process. We’ll be engaging our member businesses in supporting the local candidates and initiatives that most closely align with our priorities.”

Remember the threats of retribution against the legislators who supported the employer sanctions law? It is not a quirk that Rep. Russell Pearce (R-Dist. 18) is being challenged by the brother-in-law of Congressman Jeff Flake, as Pearce campaigns for a state senate seat.

A new Chamber of Commerce board member is Scott Celley, who served as Regional Director for Senator Jon Kyl. And the biggest surprise of all is the fact that Celley worked eight years on the D.C. staff of Sen. John McCain. Will wonders never cease?

Now we read that lobbyist Jay Kaprosy, a member of the School District Redistricting Commission, is resigning his post in order to spearhead a political campaign. Scheduled for the November 4 ballot, the school district unification measure carries the catchy name Maricopa County Unified for Student Success.

Here comes another Aha! moment: Jay Kaprosy has served as one of the top officials at the Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce, heading the business group’s lobbying efforts. No surprise — he was a fierce opponent of Prop. 200, the voting reform measures passed into law by 56% of Arizona citizens in 2004. The law requires proof of residency to vote and proof of citizenship prior to registering to vote or applying for public benefits. The measure was opposed by Gov. Janet Napolitano and AZ Sens John McCain and Jon Kyl.

Kaprosy also lobbied on behalf of former state schools Superintendent Lisa Graham Keegan, who is now an education advisor to presidential candidate and Andy’s father, John McCain.

Who’d a guessed?

Judicial retention finds itself in a dither

The mostly feel-good exercise for judicial retention is based on the Judicial Performance Review, in which appointed commissioners vote to determine whether or not individual judges meet performance standards.

Heaven forbid judges in Maricopa or Pima counties should directly submit to an actual citizen performance review for what amounts to their lifetime appointments.

Yesterday the unthinkable happened. For the first time in the 16-year history of the JPR, one trial court judge in Maricopa County actually received more negative than positive votes.

Whether or not there is actual justification for the lopsided tally, this obviously is an embarrassing situation for the long-standing judge.

The commission, comprised of judges, lawyers and public members, conducts evaluations to determine whether judges meet requisite standards of performance.

The group met yesterday for their public vote. It’s clear from assessing this list of Arizona’s Supreme Court, Court of Appeals and Trial Court judges who are up for retention on the 2008 General Election ballot, it’s pretty much a slam dunk.

That’s what makes the sole upside-down vote a standout.