Greg Stanton: Phx’ tyrannical leftist mayor stifles voters’ voice

Political correctness overrides resident’s rights as arrogant Stanton plays name game, changing city policy to align with his whims

Who can forget the ham-handed tactics liberal former Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano used in 2003 renaming Squaw Peak, the landmark mountain favored by hikers in north Phoenix? Aided by her henchman Mario Diaz, she ramrodded  the politically correct change through despite protests from Valley residents.  Following her lead, far leftist Barack Obama  renamed North America’s tallest mountain, over objections. It had been  named in honor of the election of war hero and popular Republican President William McKinley in 1896. He was later assassinated by an anarchist at the beginning of his second term.

Now Phoenix is dealing with liberal Mayor Greg Stanton who has unilaterally decided to override the homeowners in the Squaw Peak neighborhood who want to keep the unique street name as their address. There have been protests from the residents who have called public meetings, signed petitions and spoken before the city council to let their voices be heard. Aside from wanting to retain the unique name, residents would be forced to update their addresses on bank and investment accounts, driver‘s licenses and legal documents, including mortgages, wills and trusts. They’d have to change their credit cards, their children’s school records, family medical records, requests for early ballots and contact all their creditors.

In his first stage response to their protests, Stanton ordered new signage erected directing hikers to Piestewa Peak. Now he’s enlarged upon that scheme.

Current city policy requires the support of 75 percent of affected property owners to agree to a name change, but that’s too democratic for the Democrat mayor. To address what he considers a problem of not enough inclusion of minorities in street names, he is on a mission to push his agenda forward and intends to accomplish that by changing the city policy to suit his whims.

Far leftist Stanton, who received a joint congratulatory call from then-President Obama and then-Homeland Security chieftain Janet Napolitano, has filed to run for Arizona Secretary of State. — a sleeper office often the direct route to the governor’s office since it is next in line of ascension if a sitting governor is unable to serve out his or her  term.

As we noted in our April 8, 2017 post “Back to the future with Squaw Peak,” Stanton lives on a street named Frier. Squaw Peak residents should petition the city to change it to something less offensive to vegetarians, vegans and members of PETA. Tofu Drive has a nice, non-offensive ring to it.

Back to the future with Squaw Peak

Phoenix residents will have no trouble remembering the renaming of the majestic mid town focal point that is a hiker’s haven, an artist’s delight and casts a long purple shadow over parts of the Valley. Squaw Peak abruptly fell into disfavor with the PC crowd who suddenly declared the name derogatory to female native Americans.

From there it grew.  In 2003 Janet Napolitano, Arizona’s far left governor, hung her fedora on it. Not only did the favored name have to go, but it was being replaced with one honoring Army Pfc.  Lori Piestewa, a Hopi tribal member killed in the Iraq War — in an attempt to eliminate once and for all objections to the newly out of favor name. Napolitano later abandoned the governorship to join the Obama regime. In 2015, Obama followed the same path renaming Alaska’s Mount McKinley honoring assassinated Republican President McKinley to Denali — one used by Alaskan tribes.

The latest mountain rumble in Phoenix is not actually about Lori Piestewa, but the young mother’s life, cut too short, provided the spin for Democrats to use for their own political benefit. Liberals are adept at creating dramas and wringing the last drops of empathy from them in an effort to configure themselves as compassionate.

Napolitano’s thuggish renaming of the mountain was nothing short of ham handed.  Now following in her tracks is Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton, who is ready to move on from his current political perch.  What he’s eyeing is following his good friend Napolitano to the governor’s office. A clever dude, he has opened an exploratory campaign for Secretary of State, frequently a direct route to the ninth floor of the executive tower. In past years Secretaries of State Wes Bolin, Rose Mofford, Jane Hull and Jan Brewer accessed that route to become governor.

Stanton is now attempting to override the homeowners in the Squaw Peak neighborhood who want to keep the unique name as their address. There have been outcries from the residents who have called public meetings, signed petitions and spoken before the city council to let their views be known.

In response, Stanton has ordered new signage erected directing hikers to Piestewa Peak.

The mayor lives on a street named Frier. Squaw Peak residents should petition the city to change it to something less offensive to vegetarians, vegans and members of PETA.. Tofu Drive has a nice, non-offensive ring to it.

Phx. Dist. 3 runoff election: Dirty tactics pay off for Stark

This is not just an election with consequences to those residing in District 3.  All Phoenix residents will be jeopardized by the votes that Debra Stark and the Democrat majority cast

Although the daily newspaper, clearly supportive of liberal Debra Stark, attributes her victory over Chris DeRose in Tuesday’s Phoenix City Council Dist. 3 runoff election to her focus on “quality-of-life issues such as repairing city infrastructure,” the facts speak for themselves.

Stark, the short-term interim appointee ran one of the dirtiest campaigns in memory, on par with John McCain’s blatant deception. Her numerous mailers repeatedly referred to author and former prosecuting attorney Chris DeRose as “a fraud” who “cannot be trusted.” One of the mailers posed as a legitimate tabloid size newspaper using the masthead, The Phoenix Press. It had sections labeled news, community, local, opinions and even a page devoted to entertainment, featuring an inane, self-serving crossword puzzle. The costly “newspaper” was a union effort on her behalf — the firefighter’s union — which has close ties to Democrat Mayor Greg Stanton.

Stark, also a Democrat,  was appointed to fill a vacancy on the council when Republican Bill Gates resigned to run for the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors. In his new perch, Gates remained silent during the campaign, not aiding his would-be successor in the north Phoenix district.  Councilmen Sal DiCiccio and Jim Waring both stepped up to endorse DeRose as did Arizona Governor Doug Ducey, Attorney General Mark Brnovich, Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery and Congressman David Schweikert. Corporation Commissioners Tom Forese and Bob Stump, and House Majority Leader Steve Montenegro all endorsed Chris DeRose.

DeRose, who ran a quality, issues oriented campaign, opposes sanctuary city status for the City of Phoenix. Debra Stark, who slickly voted to table the issue until after the election, has denied her affinity for this disastrous equivocation.

So what went wrong in this GOP majority district? Traditionally city elections are low turnout affairs. This one for a single district was destined not to generate much interest. Unions turn out the vote. Women often vote for women. Voters don’t pay close enough attention to the issues. The result? Republicans are now in the minority on the city council of the capitol city of red state Arizona.

The grand hoax is that the mayor and council represent non-partisan positions. Everyone knows that charade to be nothing more than a political pretense. Debra Stark presents a stark example of the sham.

Continually updating election results can be seen here.

Seeing Red AZ has previously written about this District 3 City Council race:

March 6, 2017: Mudslinger in Dist. 3 Council runoff has familiar fingerprint

Feb. 16, 2017: Phx City Council runoff: Why it’s crucial to elect Chris DeRose

Mudslinger in Dist. 3 Council runoff has familiar fingerprint

When it comes to the ability to run dirty, deceptive campaigns, no one does a better job than John McCain, who has honed his contemptible adeptness over decades. When a credible challenger comes within range, there is no trickery too low for him and his surrogates to engage in.

Phoenix residents who live in City Council District 3 (map) —  which encompasses Moon Valley, parts of  North East Phoenix,  Paradise Valley and Sunnyslope — are now getting a taste of those repugnant tactics as a March 14 runoff election approaches.

A bit of background. After seven years on the job, Dist. 3 Councilman Bill Gates resigned May 31 to run for a newly open seat on the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors when Andy Kunasek retired.

The council, which had several candidates to select from for the interim post, chose liberal Democrat Debra Stark to replace Republican and fiscal conservative Bill Gates. Chris DeRose was the only Republican in the mix, but the fallacy of non-partisan city elections persists. Nothing could be further from the truth. When Greg Stanton was elected mayor in 2011, he received a congratulatory call from then-Pres. Barack Obama and Homeland Insecurity Chieftain Janet Napolitano. Stanton has already filed to run for Secretary of State, frequently a dependable path to the governor’s office.

Candidate mailers have been increasing in intensity, filling mailboxes at breakneck speed. Most recently Stark’s campaign flyers have morphed into vicious, defamatory hit pieces, hurling incendiary language. The most recent ones carry the “paid for by” tag of a benign sounding group identified as The Arizona Voter Education Project (AVEP).  A check of the Arizona Corporation Commission records reveals delinquent annual reports including associated filing fees and threats of dissolving the corporation were filed against AVEP in 2014, 2015, and 2016.

And who is the man behind the curtain? None other than Max Fose, the President and CEO of IWS, a one-man show advertising and public affairs agency. And wouldn’t you know?  Fose is a former McCain operative, whose name appeared on the “Republicans for Janet” (Napolitano) website, along with other McCain advisers.

Chris DeRose, whose principled mailers feature his qualifications and positions, is endorsed by Congressman David Schweikert who represents much of City Council Dist. 3, Gov. Doug Ducey, Attorney General Mark Brnovich, and City Councilmen Jim Warning and Sal DiCiccio — all Republicans.

Memo to District 3 residents: If you haven’t mailed in your ballot, mark it for Republican Chris DeRose and get it in the mail ASAP. Republicans should not be in the minority on the Phoenix City Council in “red” Arizona.

Phx City Council runoff: Why it’s crucial to elect Chris DeRose

The Phoenix City Council on Wednesday rejected a petition to give sanctuary city status the nation’s sixth largest city.  But the issue is not dead.  It’s been referred to a committee for further review after the city hall chambers were jammed with shouting illegal advocates.

Sanctuary cities provide a safe haven for illegal aliens, who are living and working in the United States using stolen or falsified social security numbers and other ID while taking jobs and taxpayer-funded benefits. Among them are criminals who have previously been deported and returned.

Who can forget the senseless murder of Kate Steinle as she walked along the San Francisco pier with her father? The gunman Francisco Sanchez  was an illegal alien  — a repeat drug felon — who had been deported five times. Taken into custody again, the city of San Francisco refused to hold Sanchez for deportation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials because of San Francisco’s “sanctuary city” policy. Sanchez was dumped back out onto the streets where he stole a gun and ultimately killed the 32-year-old Steinle.

Closer to home is the horrific case of Grant Ronnebeck, 21, a Mesa convenience store clerk killed without provocation  over a pack of cigarettes by Mexican-born Apolinar Altamirano, who was arrested following a high-speed chase on at least two valley freeways, endangering countless other lives..

San Francisco was also where sanctuary policies played a role in the slayings of a 48-year-old father and his two sons, 20 and 16 by allowing city officials to shield the killer, Edwin Ramos, from deportation back to his native Salvador, despite his violent criminal history.

These are but a few of thousands such cases across the U.S. They are nothing we want to emulate as a matter of policy.  We need another Republican on the Phoenix City Council to offset the leftward lurch of the liberal majority who sanction sanctuaries.

The fallacy that has been relentlessly promoted for years is that the mayor and council members are non-partisan. Nothing could be further from the truth. When he was elected mayor in 2011, Greg Stanton received a congratulatory call from then-Pres. Barack Obama and Homeland Insecurity Chieftain Janet Napolitano. Stanton is already moving on filing to run for Secretary of State, frequently a dependable path to the governor’s office.

Red state Arizona has a blue stained capitol city, with only two Republicans — Jim Waring (Dist. 2) and Sal DiCiccio (Dist. 6) among the eight council members who represent Republicans in their districts.  Thelda Williams, (Dist. 1), also a registered Republican, is less steadfast, though she issued this statement in opposition to the sanctuary city petition.  Waring and DiCiccio both voted in opposition. After the vote, DiCiccio rightly accused the council of “punting” the issue by forming a committee to make recommendations.  The remaining members newly appointed councilwoman Debra Stark (Dist. 3); Laura Pastor (Dist 4); Daniel Valenzuela (Dist. 5); Michael Nowakowski (Dist. 7); and Kate Gallego Dist. 8) are all liberal Democrats.

Residents of City Council District 3 (map here) will participate in a crucial March 14, 2017 runoff election (complete election info, including early voting under link).  Stark was appointed as an interim to replace Councilman Bill Gates who was elected to the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors. Gates is a Republican. There is an excellent candidate ready to replace liberal, short-term, appointee Debra Stark.  Chris DeRose, unafraid to declare his political affiliation and with an outstanding resume and a much-needed vibrancy, is the obvious choice.

If you live in Phoenix District 3, commit Chris DeRose’s name to memory.  This is a major election with far-reaching ramifications. It’s too important to mistakenly regard as inconsequential.

Dem mayors defiantly protect sanctuary cities

Democrat mayors are primed to challenge Republican President-elect Donald Trump over sanctuary cities, which provide safe havens for illegal foreign nationals. As an example, Chicago mayor, Rahm Emanuel — a onetime chief-of-staff to Barack Obama —–  states his unequivocal support for illegal aliens, (25-second video) “clearly” preferring them to providing safety to the legal citizens of Chicago. Mayor Emanuel, who presides over a city with body bag statistics rivaling many war zones, declares, “ Let’s be clear about what Chicago is. It always will be a sanctuary city. You are safe in Chicago. You are secure in Chicago. You are supported in Chicago.”

Center for Immigration Studies provides a fact-filled report “Sanctuary Cities Continue to Obstruct Enforcement, Threaten Public Safety” by Jessica Vaughan. Brazenly reaffirming their sanctuary city status immediately after the Nov. 8 election are the mayors of Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Seattle.  They are part of a network of cities, counties, and states that have laws, ordinances, regulations, resolutions, policies, or other practices that obstruct immigration enforcement and shield criminals from ICE. Arizona has at least five such cities. Scroll down link for the list.

In 2009, then Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon defended the city’s sanctuary city policy. Current Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton, a liberal and connected Democrat, has pushed for ID cards for illegals, but stays clear of addressing the city’s policy of providing sanctuary.  Stanton intends to run for Secretary of State, which has often been the direct route to the governor’s 9th floor office.

Phoenix citizens trying to directly contact Stanton’s office find it requires sending an email with a warning that the contents are subject to disclosure under the Public Records Law.

Donald Trump made the illegal invasion a focal point of his presidential campaign — an issue that accounted in large part for his victory.

After being elected  to an unprecedented six four-year terms, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio fell victim to the millions in cash infusions open borders, multi-billionaire George Soros generously gave to Democrat candidate Paul Penzone. Arpaio was also battered incessantly by the Periódico de la República de Arizona (Arizona Republic) which is zealously pro-amnesty for illegals aliens. In addition to being vilified by the left and the federal courts for enforcing the law — which is what made him so popular with the citizens of Maricopa County.

Along the way, the career lawman gained national recognition and is often interviewed on network and cable television news. He’s traveled with Republican President-elect Donald Trump and introduced him at rallies in Arizona and across the country.  Joe Arpaio and Donald Trump have both put the massive problem of the illegal invasion front and center. As president, Trump should withhold federal funding to any jurisdiction that refuses to cooperate with ICE or other law enforcement agencies.

Phx Councilman DiCiccio voting for Soros funded Penzone

If you’re a Republican or Independent residing in District 6 who still has an unmarked ballot you’re planning  to take to your polling place on Election Day Tuesday Nov. 8, this news is not too late for you.  Unfortunately, many others have been conned by Phoenix City Councilman Sal DiCiccio, who at the eleventh hour has publicly revealed himself as a Paul Penzone voter.

This is the same ‘rough ’er up’ Paul Penzone —  a  Democrat former Phoenix Police Sergeant who was put on administrative leave after a domestic violence incident that included the issuance of an order of protection against him by his then-estranged wife.  Under the order, Penzone was unable to possess firearms — making it difficult to carry out his duties as a police officer. Now he wants to be elected as Maricopa County Sheriff in his second challenge to Sheriff Joe Arpaio.

This is the same Paul Penzone who is now accepting tainted, strings-attached $millions in campaign funds from radically left-wing globalist George Soros.  Multibillionaire Soros, who abhors national borders, is currently focusing on electing lenient prosecutors and law enforcement officials across the U.S. In addition to funding Penzone, Soros is also a longtime political benefactor of Hillary Clinton and John McCain.

Politico reports on America-hating, anti capitalist George Soros’ quiet efforts to overhaul the U.S. justice system. Here in Maricopa County he is also targeting County Attorney Bill Montgomery, looking to replace him with committed leftist Diego Rodriguez.

Although the Phoenix City Council and Mayor deviously run as “non-partisans,” voters who pay attention know their political bents. Sal DiCiccio has even scored points wagging his GOP credentials, which makes his treachery even more abhorrent.

In this recent article in the Ahwatukee Foothills News, DiCiccio — whose district encompasses Ahwatukee — ripped Sheriff Joe Arpaio in an interview, but stopped short of encouraging support for Arpaio’s opponent, Democrat Paul Penzone, since he would then risk being sanctioned by the Republican Party.

“But I can tell you that nobody in my family is voting for Joe, and that’s really, really hard because I like him personally and I like many of his policies,” DiCiccio claimed.

With friends like Sal DiCiccio, who needs enemies?

This is the same Sal DiCiccio who refers to liberal Tempe Mayor and single-term Democrat Congressman Harry Mitchell as his early mentor. DiCiccio cut his political fangs working in John McCain’s office. Yes, the same McCain who also wants our vote, after withdrawing his support from GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump.

Slipperiness abounds. In Jan. 2010 the Arizona Republic reviewing conflict of interest dealings along a proposed freeway route wrote that it “took a closer look at DiCiccio’s possible stake in the planned 22-mile freeway, examining city financial forms and court records, plus letters, e-mails and other documents obtained under a public-records request. The picture that emerged shows that DiCiccio:” full report here

Seeing Red AZ stands with Republican career law enforcement professional, Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who does the job Maricopa County citizens elected him to do over six consecutive terms. He speaks plainly and speaks the truth. It’s not difficult to understand.