If politicians hold a campaign event/meeting and the press doesn't cover it, did it really happen?

Thursday, the "Senate Ad Hoc Task Force On Forest Management 2011" was scheduled to hold a special public meeting at the Show Low High School.

The "Task Force" is made up of seven of the most stridently anti-environment members of the Republican caucus of the Arizona State Senate.  They were scheduled to discuss the factors behind the slew of massive wildfires that have burned (and are burning) hundreds of thousands of acres in Arizona.

Essentially, Sen. Sylvia Allen, the chair of the task force, and her merry band of political cutthroats were going to find ways to blame the fires on environmentalists, undocumented immigrants, and probably environmentalists again.

To be fair, the list of scheduled speakers at the meeting included at least one representative from the Center for Biological Diversity and from other legitimate organizations, so there was at least the possibility that Allen's anti-environment screeds wouldn't go unchallenged.

I was unable to make that meeting, but looked forward to reading accounts of the meeting from the press (yes, I'm a political geek :) ).

So imagine my surprise when I searched for something on the meeting and found

Nothing.

Not in the Arizona Republic.  Not in the Arizona Capitol Times.  Not in the Arizona Guardian.  Not even in the White Mountain Independent, the outlet that actually covers Show Low specifically.

I couldn't find press releases from the participants, so I don't even have evidence that the meeting actually took place.

Now, I've been doing this and being just generally politically active long enough now to know that most politicians would rather face loud disagreement than be quietly ignored (not that they exactly crave disagreement).

Apparently, Daniel Scarpinato, the press guy for the Republicans in the House knows this too.

Hence the hastily-called meeting of the House version of the same "task force," the "House Ad Hoc Committee On Arizona Forests Restoration Management."  The meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, July 5, at 2 p.m. at the Capitol.

I refer to the meeting as "hastily-called" because it wasn't on the schedule on Thursday but it was there Friday.  In addition, most of these meetings are set up with advance notice of at least a week or two, not a business day or two.

The House meeting announcement touts the attendance of Congressman Paul Gosar (R-DDS), who I'm guessing has no forest management knowledge or insight that goes much beyond "campers should floss before carefully extinguishing any campfires."

While I don't expect any great ideas to be offered at the meeting, I do expect it to be covered by the Capitol press corps.

If only because getting to the House meeting will take a brief five minute walk from the Executive Tower, not the epic 3.5 hour drive to Show Low required to attend the Senate meeting.

AZ Legislature slapped down by federal court for overreaching with anti-Tohono O'odham law

From the Arizona Republic, written by Cecilia Chan -

A federal judge Thursday struck down a newly minted state law that aimed to derail a proposed West Valley casino.

U.S. District Court Judge David Campbell ruled that federal law preempted the state legislation, which gave Glendale the right to annex tribal land near 95th and Northern avenues. Annexation would have effectively voided the federal government's move to place the property in the reservation system. The Tohono O'odham Nation seeks reservation status so that it can build a casino.

The state law's "clear purpose and effect would be to block the Department of the Interior from taking the land into trust, contrary to the express command of Congress," Campbell said.

This doesn't end the case, or the cost to the taxpayers to defend this dog of a law - AZAG Tom Horne has pledged to appeal the ruling.  I expect the Tohono O'odham nation to prevail, but stay tuned.

HB2534, the bill that became the law that was struck down, is here.

The House's final vote on the bill is here - all the Rs but one (Farnsworth) supporting; all Ds opposing.

The Senate's final vote on the bill is here - all the Rs but four (Allen, Biggs, Gould, Barto) supporting, all Ds opposing.

Legislative leaders rat-hunting at the Capitol

...unfortunately, they're only going after the four-legged variety, and then only because they can't stand the competition...

From the Arizona Republic, written by Mary Jo Pitzl -

The state Capitol has seen a surge of rats and mice in recent weeks.

Nothing new, you say? We're talking the four-footed kind.

The House of Representatives, the Senate and the executive tower where the governor works have been magnets for the little (and not-so-little) rodents, who have been reported scurrying across floors and nibbling on food left on office desks.

I admit it, I'm not too proud to go after an obvious punch line.  As if you couldn't tell that already.  :)

Clean Elections Ruling: The Roberts' Supreme Court sides with deep pockets against average citizens

From the Arizona Republic, written by Mary Jo Pitzl -

In a 5-4 opinion, the U.S. Supreme Court Monday struck down a key provision of Arizona's public campaign-finance law.

The court's decision means candidates running under the Arizona Clean Elections system in next year's state elections will not be able to tap public dollars to match the funds raised by their opponents.

Matching funds were created to try and level the playing field between candidates running with public funds and those funding their campaigns with traditional fund-raising tactics.

"I'm delighted," said state Sen. John McComish, R-Phoenix, who was celebrating the court's ruling with attorneys at the Goldwater Institute, which challenged the Arizona law during the 2008 campaign cycle.

Linda Brown, executive director of the Arizona Advocacy Network Foundation, said regarding the decision “Voters want elected officials to be accountable to them, not wealthy donors.  Unfortunately this Court favors the money over the many.  They are pushing our country, and more importantly our democracy, down a dangerous path.”

In the dissent portion of the court's decision, Justice Elena Kagan wrote "So they are making a novel argument: that Arizona violated their First Amendment rights by disbursing funds to other speakers even though they could have received (but chose to spurn) the same financial assistance. Some people might call that chutzpah."

Justice Kagan is a lot more tactful than I am.

I would have just called it what it is.

Bullshit.

Sen. Frank Antenori responds to DPS hacking incident by advocating for a Sharia-like punishment

By now, most folks have heard of the incident where the hacker group LulzSec accessed then released some confidential records from the Arizona Department of Public Safety.

Arizona's new House Speaker Andy Tobin (R-bleepin' Yankees fan) responded with predictable outrage, stating that the hackers should be "prosecuted to the full extent possible."

Sen. Frank Antenori (R-Don't say I represent Tucson, even though I live there!), responded just as predictably, advocating for a massive expansion of "full extent possible."

From the Political Insider in today's Arizona Republic -

Quote of the week: "We should cut off their fingers." - State Sen. Frank Antenori, R-Tucson, suggesting the appropriate punishment for those who hacked into DPS e-mails.

Ummm...the last time I checked, Arizona criminal law doesn't call for the amputation of body parts as punishment.

However, Sharia law does.

Campaign committees update

Still slow on the committees front, but a few have formed since the last update...plus I'm going to engage in a little speculation at the end of the post...

...Republican State Sen. Ron Gould (R-Confederate Flag) of Lake Havasu is termed out of the Senate next year, and has made some noises about running for Congress or Yuma County supervisor but hasn't yet officially announced his post-state senate plans.  Not to worry, however, Lake Havasuans (not sure if that is even a word) will still have the opportunity to vote for a Kool Aid drinker.

Salvatore Luke "Sam" Scarmardo has opened a committee for the Republican nomination for LD3 state senate.  Scarmado was a candidate for Congress in 2002, failing to make it on to the ballot at the time.  In his announcement, he called Gould his "good friend" and decried "Republicans in name only" and Democrats in the lege for all that ails the state.


...Republican State Rep. Terri Proud has formed a PAC called called the Southern AZ PAC.  Not sure what is going on there.


...In Maricopa County news, one Jennifer Fichera has formed a $500 Threshold committee for a run county supervisor.  No district is listed, but based on her Scottsdale address, she lives in Don Stapley's current district.

...Also in Maricopa County, a committee has been formed for the recall on one Jimmy Welch, president of the Nadaburg Unified School District in Wittman.  Not sure what is going on out there, but a recent meeting was "colorful".

...Finally, the outright speculation part of the post - Sara Presler, mayor of Flagstaff, has announced that she will not seek another term as mayor.  She stated that she remains "committed to public service," fueling speculation that she is eyeing a run for Congress next year.

Has anybody noticed...

...that despite Russell Pearce's claims of massive support for him in LD18, his campaign finance reports from the 2010 election cycle show that he received a grand total of 7 contributions from LD18 residents, amounting to less than 2.5% of his total for the cycle?  He actually received more money from Fiesta Bowl-affiliated contributors.

Even more telling was the fact that, as far as I can tell, he didn't receive any contributions from his neighbors in his home precinct, Mesa 16.

Hmmm...

...that Arizona is lagging behind most other areas in the country economically, even in this rather tepid national recovery?   The folks at Brookings Mountain West, a joint effort from the DC think tank Brookings Institute and UNLV have in the most recent edition of the Mountain Monitor (Phoenix snapshot here; Tucson snapshot here; snapshots of 100 metropolitan areas available here).

Some Arizona-specific numbers, courtesy the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, dated today, here.

Simple summary of both:  Arizona's economy, while showing occasional signs of growth, is basically stagnant, and it is stagnant at the bottom of the trough.


...that former Alaska governor Sarah Palin (R-Half term) has ended/suspended (depending on who you ask) her (in)famous national bus tour...brace yourselves...about halfway through?

Insert your own punchline here.


...that (allegedly) corrupt Republican former Congressman Rick Renzi (R-Mantech) failed in his gambit to block a trial on corruption charges?  He argued that his corrupt activities were Constitutionally-protected and he can't be prosecuted for them.  A federal appeals court disagreed.

...Not really a political topic, at least not to the average Arizonan, but the holder of the number one spot on the FBI's most wanted list (ascending there upon the death of Osama bin Laden), James J. "Whitey" Bulger was finally captured in Santa Monica, California on Wednesday night.

Bulger has numerous bodies on his tally sheet, as well as being the main force behind the near-complete corrupting of the Boston office of the FBI in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Even though by all accounts he had been maintaining a low-profile in Santa Monica, society is a safer place tonight.

Later...

Schweikert reaching...into some deep pockets

From Huffington Post, written by Paul Blumenthal -

Of all the ways that Congress finds to make Americans cringe, the creation of leadership political action committees (PACs) -- campaign finance vehicles that provide yet another avenue for special interest influence and test the furthest limits of the English language with unwieldy acronyms -- may induce the strongest grimaces.

{snip}

The House Financial Services Committee, a well-known feeding ground for money-hungry lawmakers, is the most represented committee among GOP freshmen with PACs and includes Reps. Robert Hurt (Va.), Dave Schweikert (Ariz.), Jim Renacci (Ohio), and Michael Grimm (N.Y.). The campaign committees of these four lawmakers have all received an inordinate amount of contributions from financial PACs. Now those financial PACs, some of the biggest donors to Congress, have another avenue to contribute to new committee members overseeing their industry. Republicans, as well as Democrats, place vulnerable members on the committee so they can raise funds from the industry the panel oversees.

Interesting article.  It inspired me to do a little research on the FEC's website.

A "leadership" PAC to benefit freshman GOPers Schweikert, Hurt, Steve Stivers and Francisco Canseco named "Freshman Majority" was formed late April/early May and hasn't filed any reports yet.  However, Schweikert's latest campaign filing shows that he has been the recipient of a lot of bribes campaign contributions from industries that have matters before the Financial Services Committee in the US House.

He reported $166K in contributions during the three month period ending March 31; more than 25% $43,000 came directly from insurance, banking, and real estate PACs (or, in a couple of cases, lawyer/lobbying firm PACs where they firm self-identifies as working primarily for interests in those areas; other lobbyist firm contributions were not added into this total).

Another 15%, or $26K, came from individual donors who self-identified as working in the same businesses.

Think it's a coincidence that Schweikert opposes regulation of financial industry activities and supports destroying Medicare and replacing it with a corporate Vouchercare program?

Brewer and legislative Republicans kiss and make up: Arizonans still screwed

From the Arizona Republic, written by Ginger Rough -

Gov. Jan Brewer spent some time last week mending fences with some key Republican lawmakers, days after her hastily called special session on extending unemployment benefits ended abruptly with no action.

The Legislature's adjournment - and the governor's comments on the impasse - had prompted speculation that relations between her executive branch and legislative Republicans had turned sour.

On Thursday, Brewer and House Speaker Andy Tobin, R-Paulden, sat down for an hour to discuss the session and pledged to work on their respective communication styles.

Given that what we saw from West Washington when they got along - pension "reform" that devastates public employees, an official state gun instead of an official state jobs bill, corporate tax cuts that push more of the state's tax burden onto middle-class homeowners - could basically be summed up as "screwjobs by acts of commission", should anybody be surprised that what we saw from West Washington when they weren't getting along could be summarized as a "screwjob by act of omission"?

Either way, Arizonans, at least those who cannot abbreviate their last names "corp", "inc", or "LLC" are seriously underrepresented at the Capitol.

Clarence Clemons passes away

Clarence Clemons, the physically imposing (6' 5", 270 lbs) saxophone player with a smile and personality that could brighten the darkest corners of any club, arena, or stadium, has passed away due to complications from a stroke he suffered a week ago.

While a noted and in-demand musician in his own right, he is easily best known for his decades of work with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, where his soaring solos became the hallmark of Springsteen's sound.

Many people have something to say on Clemons' passing -

USA Today has an obit/story here.

Rolling Stone has a story here.

From Bruce Springsteen's website -

It is with overwhelming sadness that we inform our friends and fans that at 7:00 tonight, Saturday, June 18, our beloved friend and bandmate, Clarence Clemons passed away. The cause was complications from his stroke of last Sunday, June 12th.


Bruce Springsteen said of Clarence: Clarence lived a wonderful life. He carried within him a love of people that made them love him. He created a wondrous and extended family. He loved the saxophone, loved our fans and gave everything he had every night he stepped on stage. His loss is immeasurable and we are honored and thankful to have known him and had the opportunity to stand beside him for nearly forty years. He was my great friend, my partner, and with Clarence at my side, my band and I were able to tell a story far deeper than those simply contained in our music. His life, his memory, and his love will live on in that story and in our band.

All I can say is -

Damn.


My deepest condolences go out to his family, friends, and many, many fans.

Short Attention Span Musing

...Is Frank Antenori angling for a promotion...or just another electoral beat-down?

H/T to The Range at the Tucson Citizen (Mari Herreras and Dan Gibson) , AZBlueMeanie at Blog for Arizona and Tedski at Rum, Romanism, and Rebellion for spotting this...

State Sen. Frank Antenori (R-Tucson)  has all but announced that he will run for Congress next year by posting a faux-poll on his Facebook page asking for "advice" from readers.

He wanted to know if they thought he should run for Congress or stay in the Arizona Legislature.  Maybe someone should remind him what happened the last time he ran for Congress.

In 2006, he came in fourth in a five-way R primary in CD8, looking to replace the retiring Jim Kolbe, a spot eventually won by Democrat Gabrielle Giffords.

He received 4.12% of the vote.


...It looks as if Hugh Hallman is getting out of Tempe while the getting is good...

From the East Valley Tribune, written by Garin Groff -

Tempe Mayor Hugh Hallman said he’ll stay involved in civic issues and is open to seeking another office after stepping down next June.


Hallman announced he won’t seek a third term while decrying the state of politics in Arizona. He’d like to address challenges he sees at the state and federal levels, though he hasn’t decided just how yet.

It's long been rumored that Hallman has his eye on higher office.  It appears as if he is setting up a statewide run for 2014, though run for Congress or Fulton Brock's seat as a Maricopa County supervisor next year isn't out of the realm of possibility.

Note: Neither Hallman nor Antenori has an active campaign committee at the federal, state, or county levels that I can find, as of this writing.


...Russell Pearce may not be toast yet, he's definitely feeling the heat.

Word has gotten out that the Maricopa County Recorder's Office has unofficially validated more than enough petition signatures to force a recall election.  Most electeds in his position would at least pretend to care about their images, but not Pearce.

Nope.  He went on KAET's Horizon on Thursday and started spouting outrageous, and more importantly for the people who have united to unseat him, easily disproven lies about those people.

This on top of a week spend dealing with criticisms over his handling of the "special session to nowhere," the special session called to change a single word in Arizona law that would have allowed 15,000 Arizonans to continue receiving federally-funded unemployment benefits?

The "special" session where the Republicans in the legislature refused to act to help average Arizonans who need the help, unless the corporate benefactors of those Republicans got another big tax cut?

Not a good week for Pearce.


...Not a good week for John Huppenthal, either.

To great fanfare, the man who is Arizona's Superintendent of Public Instruction pronounced that Tucson's Mexican American Studies program is illegal and must be changed or shut down.

As part of his supporting "evidence" he cited an audit conducted by a private firm.

The problem?  The audit he cited actually found that the program didn't violate the law.

Though as Huffington Post's Jeff Biggers points out here, Huppenthal may have done so himself.

Oopsie.

Later...

Arizona Legislature abandons unemployed Arizonans

On Friday, we know this was coming, but there was always a spark of hope that someone would sit them down this weekend an gently explain to them the PR benefits of making a one word change to Arizona law so that 15,000 of Arizona's long-term unemployed could collect extended unemployment benefits.

Or maybe someone would explain to the legislative types how the money wouldn't come from the state but would add more than $3 million per week to Arizona's cratered economy.

Note that I'm not mentioning the fact that it was simply the right thing to do, because that's a moral and ethical argument, and those hold no sway at 1700 West Washington.

From the Phoenix New Times, written by Stephen Lemons -

The state Legislature recessed indefinitely today from its special session without making a minor change in state law that would allow some 45,000 unemployed Arizonans to continue to receive unemployment checks.


Around 15,000 out-of-work Sand Landers will receive a check this week, and then no more. The Arizona Department of Economic Security estimates that another 30,000 would qualify for the federal extension by the end of the year.

From the Arizona Capitol Times, written by Luige del Puerto -

...Sen. Ron Gould, R-Lake Havasu City, was even harsher in criticizing the governor.


“She did it just to spite us,” he said. “She’s created a bunch of grief for us by calling us into a special session that had no deal, on 24 hours’ notice, (on) the day before the deadline, so she could throw us under the bus on Saturday morning.”

{snip}

But Rep. Eddie Farnsworth, R-Gilbert, said it would be disingenuous for legislators to complain about federal overspending but take every dollar offered to the state.


“Almost every day we’re here, we complain about the federal government spending,” he said. “But when they’re willing to give us some of that money, we say, ‘Oh, we’ll take it.’”

The vote to adjourn the special session was along party lines, with 16 Republicans voting to go home without working to help their constituents, 5 Democrats voting to stay at work until the job was done right, and 9 members from both sides of the aisle absent for one reason or another.

I wonder if the 45,000 Arizonans thrown under the ideological bus by the Republicans in the legislature (15K now, and another 30K by the end of the year) will remember this when they have a ballot in their hands next year?

Bonus "I wonder":

I wonder who's going to break the news to Rep. Farnsworth that he's part of the *Arizona Legislature,* not the *U.S. Congress*?

Later...

Sylvia Allen: shilling for Big Business by blaming environmentalists and other scientists for wildfires

From KTAR -

Environmentalists are the target of a blame game as wildfires rage through Arizona forests.

State Sen. Sylvia Allen, a Republican from Snowflake -- a town in the White Mountains not too far from the huge Wallow fire -- says misinformation, lawsuits and lies have been used to promote unhealthy forest environments and those philosophies have made their way into federal policies.

An interview with Allen is part of this segment of (Phoenix) Channel 12's Sunday Squareoff -



This is the same Sylvia Allen who calmly proclaimed that it OK to strip mine uranium because the Earth is 6000 years old and doing fine.

This is the same Sylvia Allen who called for destroying trees because they "suck water" out of Arizona's water supply.

This is the same Sylvia Allen who argued during a committee hearing that the legislature and the people should focus on helping the wealthy.


Something tells me that Allen's plan to end the existence of forest fires would include paying lots of taxpayer money to Big Business to end the existence of forests themselves.

Pictures of a smiling Gabrielle Giffords released

Gotta love the smile...

From her Facebook page, pics taken by P.K. Weis of SouthwestPhotoBank.com.


Gabby Giffords with her mom, Gloria

Giffords

Arizona Republic coverage here; BBC coverage here (yes, it's an international story).

Update: Campaign Committees

Things continue to be quiet on the new candidate front, as most potential candidates seem to be waiting for the redistricting process to finish.

However, there have been a few new committees formed at the legislative level.  While all list their current district for the office that they are seeking, that will change after the new districts are laid out later this year.

New committees:

James Bearup, Republican for LD6 House

Pat Fleming, Democrat for LD25 Senate.  Fleming is a former member of the House.  The current LD25 Senate seat is held by Republican Gail Griffin.

Bryan Kilgore Sr., Democrat for LD12 House.


Other committees -

Patriots for Pearce, supporting Russell Pearce/opposing the recall of Pearce


City of Scottsdale/City of Tempe -

No new committees that I could find.  That should change in Tempe first because their election is in March and May, while Scottsdale's in August and November.


City of Phoenix update:

The following candidates have been certified for the ballot -


For Mayor

Anna Brennan
Wes Gullett
Claude Mattox
Peggy Neely
Greg Stanton
Jennifer Wright


City Council, District 1

Bill Barker
Eric Frederick
Gary Whalen
Thelda Williams


City Council, District 2

Bryan Jeffries
David Jones
Jim Waring


City Council, District 3

Bill S. Gates
Steven Gross


City Council, District 5

Charlie Ellis
Eric Sloan
Brenda Sperduti
Daniel Valenzuela


City Council, District 7

Janet Contreras
Michael Nowakowski
Arthur Olivas Jr.


Later...