AZ Politics: Old politicos don't go away, they just get appointed to a commission

I am *such* a  geek sometimes.  Tonight, I took a moment to check out a couple of legislative committee agendas posted for meetings next week.

One *really* caught my eye - Senate Judiciary, scheduled for Monday in SHR1 upon adjournment of the Senate Rules Committee.

The agenda for that meeting just chock full o'ugly bills - anti-immigrant, anti-federal government, pro-gun, pro-deadly force - but details on those can wait for the regularly-scheduled weekly schedule post, probably going up on Saturday or Sunday.

What probably shouldn't wait, however, is a discussion of the two executive nominations, both for the Arizona Commission on Appellate Court Appointments.

- One is Robert L. Burns, and while that is a rather common name, it's also the name of the recently-retired Senate President.  His term of office ended less than a month ago, and he's already up for appointment to the relatively high profile Appellate Court Appointments Commission ("high profile" because I've been writing about them recently :) ).

- The other nomination is that of James A. Hartdegen.

For those readers who are unfamiliar with the name, Mr. Hartdegen was a state representative in the 1980s and early 1990s, rising to chair the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee.

He was also one of the politicos caught up in the AZScam scandal and was indicted in 1991.  He later took a plea deal and was sentenced to probation.  More background here, courtesy the Phoenix New Times.

Other familiar names recently considered by one or another Senate committee -

- Randy Pullen, now former chair of the AZGOP, whose nomination to the Arizona Housing Finance Authority, was considered by Senate Commerce and Energy on Wednesday ("today", as I'm writing this).  Pullen was also an officer of the national Republican Party.  They're now $23 million in debt (relevant because Pullen is nominated to the Housing Finance Authority).

- Robert Dalager, an attorney who used to be a senior Senate staffer, was the subject January 24 of a Senate Judiciary hearing on his nomination to the Commission on Trial Court Appointments, Maricopa County.

- Kevin Tyne, formerly Jan Brewer's Chief of Staff, had a Senate Natural Resources and Transportation hearing on his nomination to the directorship of Arizona Department of Weights and Measures (January 24).


A complete list of boards and commission with gubernortorial appointments here.  List of current vacancies here.

Many, but not all, appointments are subject to Senate approval.

Later...