Piling on Arpaio, Parte Tres

To quote the venerable Ronald Reagan, “There you go again.”

The daily is determined to sink Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio. But his numbers are too high and theirs are too low to negatively impact him.

Recall effort targets Phoenix’s “Sanctuary City” Mayor Phil Gordon

Bad year complicated by inability to understand meaning of ‘illegal’

This has not been a good year for Phil Gordon. He has had personal issues dogging him, his Phoenix Police union publicly expressing discontent with his hand-tying policies and Sheriff Joe Arpaio nipping at his heels. His poll numbers are tanking at 42 percent, and now, Gordon is the target of a recall effort by American Citizens United.

American Citizens United spokeswoman Anna Gaines says supporters are angry that Phoenix police do not have unconditional authority to call Immigration and Customs Enforcement when they encounter a suspected illegal immigrant.

To recall Gordon, the group must gather 23,751 valid signatures in 120 days from the time they file their formal campaign paperwork.

In January, Gordon was quoted as saying, “And it’s outrageous conduct on the part of these individuals that have proclaimed themselves judges of who belongs in our country and who doesn’t belong in our country.”

Seems lawyer Gordon has great difficulty comprehending that those who enter this country in violation of our laws by openly defying our status as a sovereign nation, are here illegally. That’s why they don’t belong here, Mr. Mayor.

Were you sleeping through law school when the definitions of legal and illegal were being taught?

Contact Keith Lefebvre at 602-200-4646, or at keith.lefebvre@yahoo,com to get petitions. Beat the rising summer temperatures, and circulate these now.

Philly Gordon receives soft rebuke from fav mentor

The daily Fish-wrapper has mildly reproached Hizzonor Philly’s State of the City speech. In an editorial today the paper gives him a limp wristed slap for deviating from his grand plans for Phoenix and concentrating instead on the flagging economy and his ongoing feud with popular Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio.

Don’t be deceived. This scolding provides a modicum of cover, as the editorialists continue to elevate him to the ninth floor governor’s office perch they plainly desire for their mostly obedient and unmistakably anointed, heir apparent to Dem Gov. Janet Napolitano.

The editorial concludes, ” …the state of the city can’t be summarized in a single word or phrase. It’s in flux. And it’s complicated by economic malaise and a national immigration debate that has suddenly gripped Gordon’s city.”

Of course they are wrong. It’s not Gordon’s city. It belongs to the citizens. And, the immigration debate as it relates to the city of Phoenix, as well as the state of Arizona, is not exclusively “national,” although that allows for continued blame on federal inaction. We are a border state with unique problems, none of them “sudden,” that are not adequately addressed by our own elected officials.

This is the one arena where “Sanctuary City” Philly is a bright and shining star.

Illegal Update

Just a few more good people coming to do the work Americans refuse to do

The daily reports: Sheriff’s sweep results in 32 arrests.

A day after a verbal sparring match between the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office and Phoenix Mayor ‘Sanctuary City’ Phil Gordon, Sheriff Joe Arpaio deployed 200 members of his civilian posse and deputies to an east Phoenix neighborhood where day laborers congregate.

Arpaio said the effort came as a result of business operators complaining to his office about laborers loitering, littering and committing petty thefts in an area near 36th Street and Thomas Road.

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio continues to do the job Arizona citizens elected him to do.

“Common good” high-jinks exposed

Lindsay Boyd, Associate Editor at Townhall.com, provides updated coverage on the Goldwater Institute’s lawsuit against the City of Phoenix.

Read her insightful article here.

Illegal alien crime statistics come complete with a velvet glove

Republic neglects to note that ALL illegals are criminals, breaking the law as the enter

In an article titled, Migrant rate of crime even with numbers, the daily once again makes its case on behalf of its favorite Arizonans: illegal aliens–citing a 10 percent rate of crime committed by illegals.

Posing as a straight news article printed on the front page, it carries a conspicuous editorial flavor, both with its advocacy for illegals and disparaging comments regarding the people elected by Arizona citizens to enforce the law.

When discussing Maricopa County’s elected law enforcement officials, County Attorney Andrew Thomas and Sheriff Joe Arpaio, the daily blatantly slices through their statements with a dull blade.

This is a classic example:  (Thomas) “grudgingly issued a statement.”

Although the written slur intended to deprecate, the county attorney’s words ring true: “The link between crime and illegal immigration is well known and was recognized by the 78 percent of Arizonans who voted for Proposition 100 in 2006,” said County Attorney Andrew Thomas.

Yet carefully selected and sympathetic words are repeatedly used for the illegals entering our country in callus disregard of our national sovereignty and laws: “Migrant,” “undocumented,” “undocumented immigrants,” and “entrants,” reliably get quite a workout on the pages of the Fish wrapper.

Conspicuously missing is any mention of the rampant identity theft and businesses operating within the illegal community dealing in forged and counterfeit documents, which facilitate newly entering illegals in areas of employment, banking, medical care, schooling and housing. Other serious and violent felonies, including homicides, home invasions and auto theft are swept under the same rug that the young, murdered police officers who were victims of illegal criminals.

Haven’t we had enough?

Saban racking up endorsements in sheriff’s race

Arpaio remains immensely popular with voters

The Maricopa County Deputies Association is among six law enforcement associations endorsing Buckeye Police Chief Dan Saban in his bid to unseat Sheriff Joe Arpaio.

The daily reports that Saban said the endorsements, announced this week, come from groups representing nearly 8,000 law-enforcement officers statewide. Saban described the support as “one of the highest compliments I could be paid,”  

Arpaio said the Deputies Association’s name is misleading because it primarily represents detention officers. “When they’re trying to say my own people are against me, that’s garbage. I’ve got 4,000 employees,” Arpaio said.

Saban, who previously challenged Arpaio in 2004, has switched his party affiliation from Republican to Democrat to avoid a primary battle. Arpaio, previously a Democrat, switched his affiliation to run as a Republican in 1993. His popularity soared as he addressed citizen frustration regarding the increasing influx of illegal aliens into Arizona, with substantive office policies.

Panels stalling on illegal immigration reforms

Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon has long been a proponent of sanctuary city policies. With his feet held to the fire, he named a four-man panel to make recommendations regarding the controversial policy under which Phoenix police have been operating. Current policy bars officers from asking the immigration status of suspects they arrest.

The panel announced on December 30, 2007, that it needed more time to discuss the issue,and panel members have still not come forth with recommendations. Knowledgeable observers expect limited substantive revisions.

Today we are treated to the news that Phoenix Police Chief, Jack Harris, with a panel of his very own, is suggesting “special training” for officers dealing with the contentious Operations Order 1.4. “Racial profiling” is out, of course. His other concern is “impeding civil rights” of those stopped for criminal offenses.

Police officers have expressed frustration over having their hands tied by current city policies and being hampered in fulfilling their duties.

“We’re not asking to become immigration officers,” said Mark Spencer president of the 2,200-member Phoenix Law Enforcement Association. But, he said,” it should be easier for police to handle immigration matters.” Seventy-seven percent of Phoenix police officers support a change to the restrictive policy.

Currently, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is contacted only when suspected illegal aliens are encountered in drop-houses or smuggling vehicles, although ICE is automatically contacted when illegal immigrants are jailed.

Chief Harris will be remembered for using the daily newspaper to call citizens’ desirous of movement on this issue, “opportunists exploiting the death of Officer Nick Erfle (one of three Phoenix officers killed by illegals) to advance a racist political agenda.”

That should give a fair idea of the sort of recommendations to expect from Harris’ panel.

Do Buy Phoenix

Laying the groundwork for Middle Eastern investments in Phoenix

Mayor Phil Gordon seems to think Phoenix is just the place for the wealthy Arab emirate of Dubai to invest.

According to the daily, Dubai officials plan to watch the Super Bowl and meet with local business leaders and elected officials.

The Greater Phoenix Economic Council is hosting a delegation of government and business leaders from Dubai this weekend. The delegation includes Mohammed Bin Ali Alabbar, chairman of real-estate giant Emaar Properties, and Richard Rodriguez, who oversees Emaar’s developments in the United Arab Emirates.

“We would like Dubai’s center of the universe in the United States to be Phoenix,” said Barry Broome, GPEC’s president and CEO.

Dubai is one of seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates, and is moving to expand its investment in the United States.

Gordon visited the United Arab Emirates Embassy during his trip to Washington last month to introduce himself and make the case for Phoenix.
“We need to take advantage of every opportunity and not blink,” Gordon said. “In today’s world, I think that means establishing direct relationships with countries and cities.”

Huh?

According to the International Herald Tribune, Dubai royals have been investing heavily in American trophy properties. For example, Istithmar, the Dubai government’s investment arm, picked up the Helmsley Building, which straddles Park Avenue near Grand Central Terminal, for $740 million in 2005. In 2007, it sold the property to Goldman Sachs and Monday Properties for $1.15 billion.

“There’s no question that off-shore investors buy what they know - they want a postcard they can bring home,” said Dan Fasulo, managing director of Real Capital Analytics, a New York real estate research company.

“What if the Chinese start buying hard assets instead of T-bills?” Fasulo wondered aloud, referring to U.S. Treasury bills.

Mysterious breaks appearing in light rail track

Will contractors continue to receive bonuses for exemplary work?

The daily reports that the Valley’s $1.4 billion, 20 mile light-rail starter line, has broken in nearly a dozen places, although Metro officials are unable to explain the reason.. There was no estimate of what the repairs will cost. The rails are made imported Austrian steel .

“It’s not unusual for a rail-construction project to have breaks,” said Rick Simonetta, chief executive of Metro light rail.

A New Jersey consultant has been hired to investigate 11 breaks discovered on the line running from First Avenue and Fillmore Street in Phoenix to Apache Boulevard and Martin Lane in Tempe.

How grateful we are to Mayor Phil Gordon for providing Phoenix citizens (as well as his illegal alien friends) a basis for renewed faith in the overpriced and faulty light rail. “The system will be the safest system in the nation. I guarantee it,” he promised.