Greg Patterson: Regent nomination hits liberal nerve UPDATE

For those who have any doubts about its leftward tilt, the Arizona Republic starkly exposes its liberal underbelly today in a tantrum passing as an editorial.

The newspaper — actually disclosing its own bias against Greg Patterson in its third paragraph –  devotes its sole editorial effort today to a scathing condemnation of Gov. Jan Brewer’s selection of Patterson as a member of the Board of Regents. The screaming title, all in caps, leaves no mistaking the rage of the editorialist: GOVERNOR COULD DO BETTER WITH REGENT CHOICE.

Strikingly, the former state legislator and current elected member of the Maricopa County Special Health Care District, is derided as a “blogger” and vilified as a “lobbyist.” His law degree is acknowledged, though oddly omitted is his other degree as a CPA, which makes him an extraordinarily fine choice for the Regent position which oversees fiscal policies at the state’s three universities.

In this news release, the Board of Regents praised Patterson’s nomination, noting “Greg is well-versed in public policy issues affecting Arizonans and brings experience managing medical systems to the table, all of which will translate well to his work with the university system.”

Where were the editorial outrages when former Gov. Janet Napolitano made extremely partisan selections, including other lobbyists, identified as Government or Legislative Affairs directors, or mysteriously left unmentioned? There was no commotion when a far left retired U.S. Senator was appointed. How’s that for an example of raw politics? Now the newspaper’s position is that there are already lawyers and former legislators on the Board of Regents and “diversity” is needed. In a last ditch effort to persuade, the newspaper clamors for a “business leader“ — words suspiciously akin to those used by Rich Crandall who intentionally shelved Patterson’s senate hearing.

It is no mistake that this hit price on a worthy nominee runs the day before Patterson’s senate confirmation hearing, finally rescheduled for tomorrow, Monday April 9, at 11:30 a.m.

Last week, Seeing Red AZ covered the political machinations behind the ire over this excellent appointment, as the newspaper asserted that “Democrats were riled” over Patterson‘s nomination. It turns out that was true.  The Democrats most exercised just happen to be those who buy ink by the gallon at the daily endeavor, passing itself off as a disseminator of news. It’s clear its actual objective is an agenda of opinion. The Republic smarts over the sometimes stinging exposés of the local newspaper which appear in Patterson’s well written and researched blog. That should not be the determiner of quality of this well-qualified candidate.

For clarification, let it be known that Greg Patterson and those affiliated with Seeing Red AZ have no connection, and have no contact. 

These are the names of nominees who came before the Senate Education Committee for confirmation and the votes they received. The names will then be sent to the full senate:

STATE BOARD FOR CHARTER SCHOOLS:

Royce M. Jenkins             Passed unanimously

Todd A. Juhl                     Passed unanimously

STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION:

Amy E. Hamilton              Passed unanimously

Roger L. Jacks                 Passed unanimously

SCHOOL FACILITIES BOARD:

Jeffrey J. Smith                Passed unanimously

ARIZONA BOARD OF REGENTS:

Ram R. Krishna, M.D.      Passed unanimously

Gregory D. Patterson        Passed with 6 ayes and 1 no

The often jocular interactions with the first six nominees, took a decided turn When Gov. Brewer’s nominee to the state Board of Regents, Greg Patterson, stood before the senate committee. After giving an overview of his impressive resume — including his background as a legislator, RICO head, an elected member of the Board of Maricopa County Hospital, along with his degrees in accounting and law — Patterson was initially asked about his blog by the chairman and put on the hot-seat by Sen. David Schapira (D-Dist.17).  Schapira contentiously called Patterson’s response to a question his “Etch-A-Sketch” moment, and used his time to relentlessly hammer the Regent’s nominee, even reading from yesterday’s negative editorial.

Patterson was clear to state that Education is an investment in the individual and also the state, speaking of economic decisions and outcomes as they relate to the cost of a university education. “You have to learn skills, be able to compete,” he said. As to his blog, Patterson said it would go dark for a month or two, making a dramatic change, inferring a complete hiatus.

Sen. Jerry Lewis (R-Dist.18) asked for reassurance that Patterson would not be blogging regarding the Regents post. Patterson said he has long been thinking of writing an e-book, “but my days of predicting Sen. Schapira’s demise” are gone. My next post after a “thank you” will be titled “For Sale, Espresso machine, heavily used.”

Patterson recommendation passed out of committee with 6 aye votes and Schapira’s “no.”

Angry lawyer goes for the jugular

About to be fired, Don Dybus retaliates

Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne is the subject of an elections complaint which accuses him of violating Arizona law by coordinating some of his 2010 campaign’s efforts with an independent committee that sharply criticized his general election Democrat opponent Felecia Rotellini.

The complaint, released yesterday, was filed in February by Donnelly “Don” Dybus, a lawyer who worked on Horne’s campaign. He is currently employed at the Tucson Attorney General’s Office and was about to be fired. The complaint alleges that Republican Horne worked with a campaign consultant and others to arrange a $115,000 contribution from his brother-in-law to an independent expenditure committee. Such interaction is prohibited by state law.

Dybus, seeking “protected whistle blower status,” demands Horne’s resignation as seen in this letter to Secretary of State Ken Bennett, in his capacity as the state’s chief election’s officer. The link to this letter and Attorney General Horne’s response appeared in the Arizona Republic newspaper today.

The complaint also alleges that Horne broke the law in giving a job — after the election — to a supporter accused by Dybus of illegally coordinating between the campaign and the committee. Dybus claims that Horne and campaign supporter Kathleen Winn committed a felony by pre-arranging to have Winn work for the attorney general’s office after the election in exchange for her work for the independent expenditure group.

Horne denies the allegations, referring to Don Dybus the employee who filed the complaint as “disgruntled.” The Attorney General states there was no coordination between his campaign and the independent committee and that he made no promise to hire Winn.

Horne said Winn was involved in his primary election, but withdrew from that role to focus on the independent committee and had no further involvement with the campaign.

Meet John McCain’s new chum: Jack Abramoff

The strangest of McBedfellows

Back in 2005, playing the role of Capt. Pureheart, John McCain led the charge of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, as he showcased Jack Abramoff’’s shady dealings in his pre-presidential campaign crusade to reveal public corruption on Capitol Hill.

Now, nearly 7 years later, according to this report in The Hill‘s Briefing Room blog, Arizona’s self proclaimed “Maverick” is “lauding the disgraced former lobbyist’s efforts to reform campaign finance rules.”

Who can forget McCain’s unconstitutional campaign finance reform scheme, bearing the name McCain-Feingold?  He co-sponsored it with Wisconsin Democrat and former Sen. Russ Feingold, in another of his aisle-crossing maneuvers characterized throughout the years by alliances with liberals such as Ted Kennedy, Joe Lieberman, John Kerry and John Edwards. He has heaped praise on Nancy Pelosi and Al Gore as well as Janet Napolitano.

Fortunately, the McCain-Feingold effort at hamstringing Republicans was largely dismantled by court rulings, most notably the Supreme Court’s Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission decision in 2010.

What an amazing turnabout. The new McCain-Abramoff twosome is beyond odd, given that Team McCain tried to use Abramoff against former Congressman and consistent conservative J.D. Hayworth when he had the temerity to challenge McCain — after nearly three decades of disservice — in Arizona’s 2010 U.S. Senate race. Out came the long-knives attempting to link Hayworth to convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff — even though Hayworth was vindicated by the Justice Department and cleared of all allegations.

So typical.  So John McCain.

Santorum defends cursing: normal for “real Republican”

Earlier today during an appearance on Fox News, Rick Santorum defended cursing at a New York Times reporter as normal for a “real Republican.”

“If you haven’t cursed out a New York Times reporter during the course of a campaign, you’re not really a real Republican, is the way I look at it,” he boasted on “Fox & Friends.”

The reporter asked Santorum about comments he made yesterday in Wisconsin when he said GOP frontrunner Mitt Romney was the “worst Republican in the country to put up against Barack Obama.”

“You said Mitt Romney is the worst Republican in the country,” the reporter said.  “Is that true?”

“Stop lying,” Santorum said while angrily pointing his finger at him, claiming that he was only talking about Romney’s health care positions. “Quit distorting my words … if I see it, it’s bullsh*t.”

Then around 1:00 am this morning, Santorum’s campaign used the confrontation in an email fundraising solicitation to win votes among Republican primary voters scornful of the liberal newspaper. The email led with: “I’m Ready to Take On the New York Times.” He asked for $30 contributions — approximately the same price of a subscription to the newspaper.

This was Santorum’s own Etch-A-Sketchy view of Mitt Romney in the 2008 election cycle, as he compared him to Ronald Reagan.

Worsley’s new pals at Periódico de la República de Arizona

On Day One newspaper liberals already slobbering over political hired gun

Within a day of political unknown Bob Worsley announcing that he is running for the state senate in the newly crafted District 25, the incumbent Republican Sen. Rich Crandall –  first elected in 2007 — suddenly decided to step aside to provide Worsley a clear path.

This unprecedented move raises a few questions.

Former Senate President Russell Pearce is returning to the campaign trail, and political novice Worsley, the chosen pugilist in this round, has been quickly anointed as the imposing stalwart to try to remove him.

But by whom?

And why is he viewed as so formidable that the district’s incumbent senator is wiling to fall on his sword for him?

This source provides the answers to the vexing questions. Read the wording under the third and final bold-faced heading very carefully. The only words missing are SB 1070.

Be advised the left-wing support machine is in full gear and at heightened alert. In today’s Arizona Republic, compliant columnist Laurie Roberts is already giving the kid glove treatment to multimillionaire Worsley. She quotes him as claiming Pearce is a “boring…one note” candidate with a “depressing message.” Not a single word about Pearce’s jobs bill, his longtime legislative actions on behalf of a stabilized economy, opposition to raising taxes,  and his consistent message of less governmental intrusion. On the topic of illegal immigration, Worsley concedes “no question the federal government needed to be woken up.” Fluent Spanish-speaker Worsley supports a “humanitarian, comprehensive approach.”

“Woken up?”

Couple that with today’s derogatory editorial on Arizona becoming the ‘Birther’ state, which uses the same odd phraseology, beginning with the words “You’ve awoken the day after ….”

We can’t help but wonder if Worsley‘s been moonlighting for the newspaper of late.  If so, editorialist Linda Valdez might find herself kicked to the curb. With Worsley’s deep pockets, he’d probably crank out this same blather — factually incorrect and grammatically questionable — sans salary.

A few missing points about Russell Pearce that you’ll never see in the Arizona Republic or hear from its accommodating crew:

Pearce was the recipient of the 2009 “Legislator of the Year” award and was recognized as the top Hero of the Taxpayer legislator by the tax watchdog group, Americans for Prosperity.  The Goldwater Institute consistently rated Pearce as the #1 legislator who “proved to be the strongest ally against government encroachment on liberty.” The Pachyderm Coalition, a Reagan Republican group, recognized Russell Pearce as the #1 legislator. Pearce was one of only seven legislators in the entire nation and the only one in Arizona to receive the “Hero of the Taxpayer” award by the American Tax Reform Association. He also authored TABOR, Arizona’s Taxpayers Bill of Rights and sponsored tax reduction legislation, including the largest tax relief package in Arizona’s history. In 2011, Pearce was honored by Arizona School Public Relations Association for his outstanding contributions to public education

Mr. Worsley needs to pay attention. Sen. Pearce is anything but a “boring…one note” candidate with a “depressing message.”  He is a principled and consistent conservative with a proven record.

Santorum courting Michigan Democrats in robo call

New low for Santorum as he joins with DNC and Obama’s liberal allies

As Arizona and Michigan hold Republican presidential preference elections today, Rick Santorum’s campaign has been deceptively taking advantage of the fact that Michigan’s primary rules allow Democrats to vote in the state’s GOP primaries.  Here in Arizona only Republicans and Green Party members are eligible to cast ballots.

Using a deceptive tactic — reminiscent of  “Operation Hillary” — an all out effort to encourage Democrats to vote in open primaries selecting a Republican nominee — Santorum began running robo calls last evening sounding like they came from a union targeting Mitt Romney. The message focuses on Romney’s opposition to the auto bailout and calls on Democrats to vote for Santorum because of it.

The far-left-wing site Daily Kos and their radical liberal partners are hard at work drumming up enthusiasm for the effort to get Democrats to vote the GOP primary and skew the vote against Mitt Romney — who they view as presenting a genuine challenge to Barack Obama.  And Santorum?  He is working hand-in-glove with them.

Romney responded on FOX News’ Sean Hannity last night, saying “Senator Santorum did something today which I think is deceptive and a dirty trick, which is he’s put an ad out there sounding like a labor ad telling labor folks and Democrats to go vote against me and vote for Rick Santorum. And at the very end there’s a little trailer that he paid for this, but it’s confusing people. It’s a new low in this campaign,” said Romney.

This is not Santorum’s only use of such deceptive tactics.  He is also using robo calls designed to sound as though he has the support of the National Rifle Association — an endorsement which the NRA denies making. The group’s single commitment is to defeating Barack Obama. Read NRA’s CEO Wayne LaPierre’s recent speech to the conservative CPAC convention, confirming that fact.

Candidate Santorum’s 2012 convenient conservative cloak has been raised, and reveals him openly linking hands with the DNC and Obama’s liberal allies. Listen to Santorum in 2008, unequivocally endorsing Mitt Romney, and calling him a “conservative who really gets it.”

That was before Santorum’s ego turned him into a political contortionist. Don’t be fooled.

Sheriff Arpaio’s national fans show support

President Barack Obama, his Justice Department and U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder might hold Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio in disdain, but the cheering voices of the American people drown out their monotonous drone.

Grassfire Nation, a politically conservative group, has collected nearly 100,000 online petitions signatures from across the country to demand that federal authorities prove their allegations that Arpaio’s office has committed a range of civil rights violations.

Sheriff Arpaio, a Republican, has vigorously denied the accusations and called the investigation a politically motivated attack by the liberal Obama administration.

The group says the latest attacks are the apparent result of the state law mandated investigation into Obama’s presidential eligibility in Arizona and  his department’s unceasing efforts to curb crime – including immigration violations. The President is posturing for the Hispanic vote as he enters the 2012 election attempting to salvage his damaged political career.

Although Arpaio has agreed to work with the DOJ, they have yet to offer specifics regarding their allegations.

The popular sheriff has reelected to an unprecedented five 4-year terms. With over five decades experience in law enforcement, much of it with the feds,  Arpaio knows what the public wants. “The public is my boss,” he says, “so I serve the public.”

With the thousands of petition signatures, it’s clear his “bosses” have spoken and approve of the job he’s doing.

Fit of pique: AZ Republic ignores Pearce victory

Statewide triumph repudiates negative assault on SB 1070 author

As we reported Saturday, the Arizona Republican Party elected its officers for the next two years.  Elected state committeemen from districts statewide, traveled to Phoenix to meet, mingle, hear from their GOP officeholders and cast their ballots for leadership officers. It’s a big deal. The attendees, facing a major 2012 election cycle, are very aware of the impact of their mission.

Nearly all of the elected Republicans addressed the large crowd.  Sen. Jon Kyl, the entire GOP congressional contingent (U.S. Reps. Flake, Franks, Gosar, Quayle and Schweikert), state officials from Governor Jan Brewer and Attorney General Tom Horne, through State Legislators, Corporation Commissioners and County officers such as Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio and County Attorney Bill Montgomery took their turns addressing the eager assembly. Conspicuously absent, as usual, was John McCain.

All told, nearly 700 state committeemen cast ballots — including proxies — representing 1,158 individuals.

And by a wide margin of over 60 percent, state Republicans elected former Sen. President Russell Pearce the party’s 1st Vice Chairman. How’s that for poking their finger in the eye of the swaggering antagonists?

Without question,  this election sticks in the craw of the leftist newspaper, which begins its online report with the word “ousted’ in describing the popular Pearce. Try as we might to locate it, the article was nowhere to be seen in the Sunday edition.

The editorial crew must be mystified.  After all, they believe it was by virtue of their efforts, in conjunction with radical extremists and illegal alien promoters, that Sen. Pearce was removed from his state senate position.  They neglected to inform their readers that the election was not a intra-party primary as many thought, but a skewed effort, open to Democrats and registered Independents.

Russell Pearce doesn’t need the newspaper to give him authority.  He gets it from the people who know him best and respect him most: Arizona’s statewide Republican activists who assembled on Saturday and gave him their unqualified support.

Yearning for the days of Terry Goddard?

Recently Arizona Republican Precinct Committeemen received an email — replete with misinformation and outright lies — maligning a high-ranking state elected official — who, incidentally, happens to be a proven conservative Republican. 

How mystifying that supposed conservatives would engage in a petulant and pathetic display of puerile foot stomping, still angry that the former elected official they revered, lost his bid for higher public office and is now also facing legal sanctions.

That this written tantrum was sent out to a wide list, as well as simultaneously posted on a blog — which has since thought better of that decision and removed it — typifies what is wrong in the political arena.

When we finally replace liberal Democrats with conservative Republicans, there should be a unified rejoicing, rather than a concerted effort to affect a coup.

Church/state line blurs: Catholic leaders warn candidates

Republicans Santorum and Gingrich scolded in open letter

In advance of the South Carolina primary taking place today, more than 40 national Catholic leaders and university theologians, many with a decided liberal bent, released a strongly worded open letter urging “our fellow Catholics Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum to stop perpetuating ugly racial stereotypes on the campaign trail.”

The letter cited Gingrich’s repeated criticisms of Barack Obama as a “food stamp president” who encourages government dependency for the poor, especially for African-Americans.

They also criticized Santorum’s statement that he does not want “to make black people’s lives better by giving them somebody else’s money.”

It would be interesting to know how many of these church “leaders” supported Barack Obama in 2008. Our bet would be most, if not all.

The full text of the letter and the signatories can be read here at Faith in Public Life.