Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Nineteen Arizonans apply for chair of the Independent Redistricting Commission*

* - Pending the decision of the Arizona Supreme Court in the lawsuit over the removal of the original chair, Independent Colleen Mathis, by the governor and her Republican colleagues in the Arizona Senate.

If the court does the right thing, the applications will be moot.  However, this is Arizona.  Be hopeful (the AZ judiciary actually has a pretty good reputation), but don't hold your breath.

Nineteen people have applied for the Independent position on the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission (AIRC).  It became (sort of, depending on the AZ Supreme Court's decision this week) vacant when Jan Brewer and the 21 Republicans in the State Senate railroaded Colleen Mathis off of the AIRC in an effort to usurp the authority of the Independent Redistricting Commission.

Pending the court's decision, the Arizona Commission on Appellate Court Appointments, which screens applicants, will meet  on November 22 (next Tuesday as of this writing) to discuss the applications and decide which applicants should be interviewed at a meeting on November 28.  At that meeting, they will decide upon a list of three names to forward to the other four members of the AIRC for their consideration.

The nineteen applicants are:

Alton Briggs of Scottsdale, retired

James Buesing of Peoria, lawyer

Linda Buscemi of Phoenix, psychologist/counselor

James DiRienzo of Prescott, adjunct professor at Embry-Riddle

Michael Doyle of Cave Creek, retired, and a former member of the Sheriff's Posse

John M. Fife III of Tucson, teacher

Paige Heavey of Phoenix, real estate, former member of WISH List, the Republican counterpart to Emily's List

Daniela Larson of Tucson, graduate research assistant

Eden Lewkowitz of Phoenix, instructional assistant

Anthony Merrill of Chandler, lawyer

Dale Mukavetz of Chandler, retired

Milford Rimmer of Scottsdale, self-employed technical sales

David Roberts of Scottsdale (legal address), editor at White Mountain Publishing

Margarita Silva of Laveen, lawyer (note: Ms. Silva was a candidate for this position during the initial start up phase of this year's AIRC)

Don Snider of Phoenix, an executive with a non-profit foundation

Stanley Usinowitz of Lake Havasu City, self employed

Stephen Weston Sr. of Waddell, training consultant

Marshall Whitmire of Camp Verde, self-employed

Gregory Zamora of Tempe, legal assistant


Public comment on the applicants will be accepted, so feel free to examine the applications.  I know I will be.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I shudder to think about the scrutiny these individuals will receive now that they "panel" has publicly admitted to looking into the political leanings of not only the applicants but also their spouses. Only a fool or someone who knows they will be accepted by the state GOP would apply at this point, don't you think?

Craig said...

Well, some of them deserve scruting because with even a cursory look (aka - use Google), it's obvious that many are R plants.

On the other hand, today's ruling reinstating Mathis to the AIRC should make this whole thing moot.

I hope. :)