Warning: lots of acronyms ahead; I tried to make their use clear and to avoid confusion, but apologies if there is any confusion. Thx.
In the days leading up to Tuesday's meeting of the Scottsdale City Council, expectations went from "this should be a fun meeting" when they had consideration of a new Sexually Oriented Business (SOB) ordinance (aka - the "stripper dis-employment" ordinance :) ) on the agenda to "this should be an incredibly boring meeting" when the SOB ordinance was continued to a later date.
Note: no official date has been set yet, but according to City Clerk Carolyn Jagger, it should come up again in late June.
The primary focus of the meeting was a General Fund allocation to some human services programs, including, senior services, domestic violence shelters, and drug and alcohol use prevention efforts in Scottsdale schools.
In essence, it was a "doing good deeds" meeting.
Turns out that even good deeds can be controversial in Scottsdale.
Scottsdale's Human Services Commission (HSC) presented a set of recommendations to the Council with agencies that had applied for money, how much they asked for, what they received last year, and the amounts that the Commission thought they should get this year.
In past years, the City had allocated a sum to the Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD) that the school district would then disburse as it saw fit to fund alcohol/drug prevention activities and other counseling services in its schools.
For somewhere around 20 years, the SUSD contracted with the Scottsdale Prevention Institute (SPI) to provide those services and programs.
This year, however, the HSC changed its procedures; instead of allocating some of the money to the school district, it would allocate all funds for various service directly to the providers (including prevention services providers), and requested proposals (RFP) from interested providers.
After the RFP process, the HSC members rated the proposals; after all of the numbers were tallied, they had rated Community Bridges Inc. (CBI) higher than Scottsdale Prevention Institute and thus recommended that the contract for school-based prevention services go to CBI.
Sounds simple enough; change happens.
But that's where things got interesting. A contingent of SPI supporters was at Tuesday's City Council meeting to argue against the HSC recommendation; a number of CBI supporters were there to advocate for the recommendation.
During the discussion of the issue, a couple of pertinent facts came out:
...While the Council was notified of the HSC's change to it procedures, it never formally looked at and approved the changes. Most of the members of the City Council acknowledged that may have been a mistake.
...While the HSC had an overall rating for CBI that was higher than SPI's, individually, all but one member of the commission had SPI rated slightly higher. However, a single commissioner rated SPI so poorly, and CBI so highly, the overall rankings shifted in CBI's favor.
In the end, the City Council took one look at all of the red flags flying over this and promptly voted to allocate the money to SUSD and let them make the decision.
And for once, passing the buck was the right choice - this issue, while handled rather civilly on Tuesday night, has the potential to blow up into a big mess.
The whole "let's quietly change allocation procedures without really telling too many people or even giving it a public hearing" is bad enough, but when one unnamed HSC member voted in a manner so divergent from the rest of the commission that it changed the outcome in favor of a particular applicant, the whole affair started reeking of favoritism or worse.
Note: check out the "board members" pages of both groups' websites; the organizations are extremely well-connected politically.
To be fair, the primary reason given for continuing to contract with SPI was "we've worked with them for 20 years, They really know the schools and have built relationships with the students, teachers, and school board."
I've done enough work with optimizing manufacturing processes to know that "but that's the way we've always done it!" isn't a good reason to keep doing something a certain way, and that principle applies well in areas besides manufacturing.
This is one mess the Scottsdale City Council was wise to avoid. They have enough messes of their own making to deal with already. :)
Caveat: On the face of things, both organizations seem to be good ones doing good work with nothing that readily indicates corruption on either organization's part. This whole controversy may just be the result of sloppiness on the part of the HSC and City Council when the allocation procedure changes were implemented.
Having said that, I have some emails out trying to get copies of the ratings by each member of the HSC. Cross-checking the names and votes against each group's (SPI and CBI) directors might prove enlightening.
Updates as they become available.
EV Tribune coverage of the meeting here.
AZ Republic coverage here.
Later!
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Tedski at R-Cubed with breaking Renzi news...
4/26 - Edit to update info, at the bottom of the post...
In a great scoop if it comes to fruition, Tedski at Rum, Romanism, and Rebellion, is reporting that Rick Renzi (R-Mantech) will resign by Friday.
Awwww.......boo hoo, boo hoo [crocodile tears there]
Disclaimer: There's no published sources supporting this yet, and before we all get too gleeful, we should remember that most of us thought he was toast before the elections, when the first word of the federal investigation surfaced.
He may not quite be the reincarnation of the 'Teflon Don', but with the way he has sidestepped trouble over the years, he has more than a little 'Morris the Cat' in him.
Let's wait until the resignation is official before dancing in the streets.
[God, I hate being the voice of reason. It's sucks. :)) ]
Later!
4/26 - Update/more info: I can't believe that I missed this when the piece in question first came out, but on Tuesday, The Hill reported that Renzi "was 'looking at' the prospect of resigning."
It doesn't directly confirm Tedski's scoop, but it adds credibility to it.
More updates as they become available.
End edit.
Edit2:
Later on 4/26 - The Business Journal of Phoenix has an article, based on The Hill's report, detailing some possible candidates for Renzi's seat if/when he resigns. The only name that hasn't already been floated in the AZ blogosphere is that of Bob Mitchell, former mayor of Casa Grande and Congressman Harry Mitchell's brother.
End edit2.
In a great scoop if it comes to fruition, Tedski at Rum, Romanism, and Rebellion, is reporting that Rick Renzi (R-Mantech) will resign by Friday.
The zeitgeist both in Phoenix and Washington is that Rick Renzi will be submitting his resignation from the House of Representatives by Friday.
Cool…I got that one out there before Josh Marshall.
A further bit of mitote has it that Ann Kirkpatrick will resign her seat in the legislature early next week and announce her campaign to replace Renzi.
Awwww.......boo hoo, boo hoo [crocodile tears there]
Disclaimer: There's no published sources supporting this yet, and before we all get too gleeful, we should remember that most of us thought he was toast before the elections, when the first word of the federal investigation surfaced.
He may not quite be the reincarnation of the 'Teflon Don', but with the way he has sidestepped trouble over the years, he has more than a little 'Morris the Cat' in him.
Let's wait until the resignation is official before dancing in the streets.
[God, I hate being the voice of reason. It's sucks. :)) ]
Later!
4/26 - Update/more info: I can't believe that I missed this when the piece in question first came out, but on Tuesday, The Hill reported that Renzi "was 'looking at' the prospect of resigning."
It doesn't directly confirm Tedski's scoop, but it adds credibility to it.
More updates as they become available.
End edit.
Edit2:
Later on 4/26 - The Business Journal of Phoenix has an article, based on The Hill's report, detailing some possible candidates for Renzi's seat if/when he resigns. The only name that hasn't already been floated in the AZ blogosphere is that of Bob Mitchell, former mayor of Casa Grande and Congressman Harry Mitchell's brother.
End edit2.
Short attention span musing...
Did someone yell "pig pile on Rove!!!"??
Now the heretofore nearly-unknown federal Office of Special Counsel is mounting an investigation into the White House's involvement in the firing of at least one of the U.S. Attorneys.
From an L.A. Times article on the investigation -
...It's been a bad week for Rove - first, Sheryl Crow dared to speak to him in a less-than-worshipful tone and now this.
Guess that being the President's hatchet man just doesn't have the cachet that it used to have.
Note: before someone says that the Office of the Special Counsel is engaging in a 'partisan witch hunt', know this - the OSC is an independent office led by a Bush appointee, Scott Bloch.
Nary a Congressional Democrat in sight.
On the other hand, Bloch *is* a Bush appointee; OSC may yet find a way to blame Bill Clinton for the missing emails.
Don't forget, even if a study doesn't yield the results you want, you can always just rig the final report.
The U.S. Election Assistance Commission, created in the aftermath of the hijinks during the 2000 Presidential election, is under fire.
From CQPolitics.com -
...I'd like to say this is a surprise, but these guys (the Bushies) could politicize anything; expecting honest public service out of even the lowest-level Bushie is utter foolishness.
Of course, if shading the results doesn't work, outright lies are always an option.
From the KC Star -
...People died, and are dying today, because of the lies. No wiseass comment here.
Still waiting on the inevitable Administration spin about "scientific studies exciting teenage hormones" or some such tripe.
From the Eugene Daily Emerald (U of Oregon's campus paper) -
...What a shocking development; telling teenagers not to have sex has always worked in the past.
Hasn't it??
:)
Note: The study report from the organization that conducted the study, Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., is here.
Later!
Now the heretofore nearly-unknown federal Office of Special Counsel is mounting an investigation into the White House's involvement in the firing of at least one of the U.S. Attorneys.
From an L.A. Times article on the investigation -
But the Office of Special Counsel is preparing to jump into one of the most sensitive and potentially explosive issues in Washington, launching a broad investigation into key elements of the White House political operations that for more than six years have been headed by chief strategist Karl Rove.
The new investigation, which will examine the firing of at least one U.S. attorney, missing White House e-mails, and White House efforts to keep presidential appointees attuned to Republican political priorities, could create a substantial new problem for the Bush White House.
...It's been a bad week for Rove - first, Sheryl Crow dared to speak to him in a less-than-worshipful tone and now this.
Guess that being the President's hatchet man just doesn't have the cachet that it used to have.
Note: before someone says that the Office of the Special Counsel is engaging in a 'partisan witch hunt', know this - the OSC is an independent office led by a Bush appointee, Scott Bloch.
Nary a Congressional Democrat in sight.
On the other hand, Bloch *is* a Bush appointee; OSC may yet find a way to blame Bill Clinton for the missing emails.
Don't forget, even if a study doesn't yield the results you want, you can always just rig the final report.
The U.S. Election Assistance Commission, created in the aftermath of the hijinks during the 2000 Presidential election, is under fire.
From CQPolitics.com -
After the turmoil over the 2000 presidential election, Congress created a bipartisan commission that was supposed to do nice, non-controversial things: hand out some federal grants, do some studies, certify voting machines, promote voting practices that seem to work well.
Instead, the Election Assistance Commission is now surrounded by controversy and tough questions. And the same lawmakers who could barely be bothered to pay attention to its creation four years ago are putting it under the microscope now.
Democrats were enraged by the commission's handling of a report on voter fraud — the panel ordered up the report (which found little evidence of fraud), sat on the document for several months, then released a rewritten version that concluded "there is a great deal of debate" about how much voter fraud takes place. Republicans have contended that voter fraud is a big problem and benefits Democrats.
A second commission report on voter identification laws found that the laws can reduce turnout, particularly among Hispanics. The panel delayed releasing that report for months, then made it public even while refusing to endorse its conclusions.
...I'd like to say this is a surprise, but these guys (the Bushies) could politicize anything; expecting honest public service out of even the lowest-level Bushie is utter foolishness.
Of course, if shading the results doesn't work, outright lies are always an option.
From the KC Star -
A congressional committee chairman [Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA)] vowed Tuesday to investigate "deliberately" false Pentagon accounts of the 2004 death of Cpl. Pat Tillman and the 2003 rescue of Pfc. Jessica Lynch.
{snip}
Tillman, an NFL football player turned Army Ranger, initially was hailed by the military as a hero who died fighting the enemy. Only weeks later was his family told that he was killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan.
...People died, and are dying today, because of the lies. No wiseass comment here.
Still waiting on the inevitable Administration spin about "scientific studies exciting teenage hormones" or some such tripe.
From the Eugene Daily Emerald (U of Oregon's campus paper) -
Teaching abstinence-only sex education in schools may have little or no effect on the time young people begin engaging in sexual activity, a recent study revealed.
The study suggests students enrolled in sexual abstinence programs were just as likely to have sex a few years after the class as compared to students who did not take an abstinence-only class. The study, funded by the U.S. Congress, also found students taking abstinence-only classes were no more likely to have unprotected sex.
...What a shocking development; telling teenagers not to have sex has always worked in the past.
Hasn't it??
:)
Note: The study report from the organization that conducted the study, Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., is here.
Later!
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Prison Riot in Indiana...
With some property damage, a couple of (apparently) minor injuries, and no fatalities.
So what's the big deal about a disturbance in a private prison in Indiana?
It was started by prisoners from Arizona...
From the article, courtesy Canada.com -
A post-riot AP story about the stresses faced by transferred AZ prisoners is here.
The prison in Indiana is operated by by the Florida-based corporation GEO Group Inc.
The prisoner transfer to Indiana started in March.
From an Indianapolis Star article, dated March 13, 2007 (I would have referenced an AZ Rep article, but it was already pulled down from their website.):
The funny part? The state that these prisoners were transferred out of, Arizona, is one of the states that takes in prisoners from other states.
Arizona Department of Corrections' policy and info page for out of state transfers is here.
GEO Group Inc.'s press release from March about the contract for additional prisoners in the New Castle, IN prison is here.
My own commentary -
To the Arizona Legislature:
You want to write the laws that create inmates, you write the appropriations to pay for the facilities to house them.
No more private prisons; no more shipping inmates out of state, away from their friends and families. They may be prisoners, and most may deserve incarceration, but cutting them off from anything good in their lives is bound to tick off even prisoners that have been officially deemed to be "non-violent."
This is going to happen again.
Oh, and "incarceration for profit" is just plain immoral. It may be cheaper in the short-term, and it may generate profits for major corporate campaign contributors, but it destroys families and funnels tax revenue away from the state and into corporate pockets.
For those who may think that private prison companies are performing a public service out of the goodness of their hearts, read the March press release GEO Group linked above.
It has nine paragraphs and one numerical table; one paragraph is about the prisoner contract; eight paragraphs and the chart are about financial analysis and the impact of the contract on the company's profit margin.
Oh, and the press release is on the page titled "Investor Relations".
So what's the big deal about a disturbance in a private prison in Indiana?
It was started by prisoners from Arizona...
From the article, courtesy Canada.com -
Correction Commissioner J. David Donahue said the riot began after a group of prisoners from Arizona took off their shirts in the prison’s recreation area to show staff they wouldn’t comply with orders. They had been told to keep them on.
{snip}
The prison, built in 2002, can house about 2,200. It currently has about 1,000 prisoners from Indiana and 630 from Arizona.
In March, Arizona and Indiana reached an agreement on housing up to 1,260 Arizona prisoners.Arizona Department of Corrections spokeswoman Katie Decker said at least some of the transferred prisoners had complained about being moved, a step that was necessary because of the state’s shortage of prison space.
"They’re obviously resentful because they had to leave the state," she said, adding it is too early to say whether the transfers played any role in the riot.
Decker said the prisoners sent to New Castle were "carefully picked" before being transferred and could have "no predisposition to violence."
A post-riot AP story about the stresses faced by transferred AZ prisoners is here.
The prison in Indiana is operated by by the Florida-based corporation GEO Group Inc.
The prisoner transfer to Indiana started in March.
From an Indianapolis Star article, dated March 13, 2007 (I would have referenced an AZ Rep article, but it was already pulled down from their website.):
If Indiana had too many empty prison cells, Arizona had too many crowded cells.
Katie Decker, a spokeswoman for the Arizona Department of Corrections, said that state has about 36,000 people incarcerated, roughly 5,000 more than the system is designed to hold.
And Arizona's prison population is among the fastest-growing in the country, fueled in part by a surge in state residents. The state's prison population could grow by more than a third by the end of 2011, according to a report released last month by the nonprofit Pew Charitable Trusts.
The funny part? The state that these prisoners were transferred out of, Arizona, is one of the states that takes in prisoners from other states.
Arizona Department of Corrections' policy and info page for out of state transfers is here.
GEO Group Inc.'s press release from March about the contract for additional prisoners in the New Castle, IN prison is here.
My own commentary -
To the Arizona Legislature:
You want to write the laws that create inmates, you write the appropriations to pay for the facilities to house them.
No more private prisons; no more shipping inmates out of state, away from their friends and families. They may be prisoners, and most may deserve incarceration, but cutting them off from anything good in their lives is bound to tick off even prisoners that have been officially deemed to be "non-violent."
This is going to happen again.
Oh, and "incarceration for profit" is just plain immoral. It may be cheaper in the short-term, and it may generate profits for major corporate campaign contributors, but it destroys families and funnels tax revenue away from the state and into corporate pockets.
For those who may think that private prison companies are performing a public service out of the goodness of their hearts, read the March press release GEO Group linked above.
It has nine paragraphs and one numerical table; one paragraph is about the prisoner contract; eight paragraphs and the chart are about financial analysis and the impact of the contract on the company's profit margin.
Oh, and the press release is on the page titled "Investor Relations".
Monday, April 23, 2007
All is right with the world...
Non-political post ahead...
You read that title, and you ask "What is he talking about?"
Isn't BushCheneyCo still in the White House?
Yup.
Aren't U.S. troops still dying by the dozen, and Iraqi civilians still dying by the hundreds, in Iraq?
Yup again.
Isn't Rick Renzi still a free man?
Yup, but there is some progress on that front. He may yet end up where he belongs.
Isn't JD Hayworth returning to public life at KFYI?
Yup, but I don't listen to talk radio, and neither do most of the people I know, so let him spout off on the radio. Talk show hosts don't have franking privileges.
So, with those things and so many other things that are wrong in the world, how can you even think of writing that title?
The Red Sox swept the Yankees.
Yes, it's still only April and there's still over 140 games left in the season, but
The Red Sox swept the Yankees.
Yes, the Sox beat up on the Yankees AA pitching staff, but
The Red Sox swept the Yankees.
Yes, the Red Sox' top three pitchers couldn't stifle the Yankees' offense, even once, but
The Red Sox swept the Yankees.
And yes, the Red Sox visit New York this weekend where the Yankees will be waiting in anticipation of getting a little payback, but...
THE RED SOX SWEPT THE YANKEES.
Later!!
You read that title, and you ask "What is he talking about?"
Isn't BushCheneyCo still in the White House?
Yup.
Aren't U.S. troops still dying by the dozen, and Iraqi civilians still dying by the hundreds, in Iraq?
Yup again.
Isn't Rick Renzi still a free man?
Yup, but there is some progress on that front. He may yet end up where he belongs.
Isn't JD Hayworth returning to public life at KFYI?
Yup, but I don't listen to talk radio, and neither do most of the people I know, so let him spout off on the radio. Talk show hosts don't have franking privileges.
So, with those things and so many other things that are wrong in the world, how can you even think of writing that title?
The Red Sox swept the Yankees.
Yes, it's still only April and there's still over 140 games left in the season, but
The Red Sox swept the Yankees.
Yes, the Sox beat up on the Yankees AA pitching staff, but
The Red Sox swept the Yankees.
Yes, the Red Sox' top three pitchers couldn't stifle the Yankees' offense, even once, but
The Red Sox swept the Yankees.
And yes, the Red Sox visit New York this weekend where the Yankees will be waiting in anticipation of getting a little payback, but...
THE RED SOX SWEPT THE YANKEES.
Later!!
Innocent ol' me, upsetting people without even trying...
...normally not something I'd be proud of, but considering who was annoyed, I'm OK with it.
So there I was over on Espresso Pundit (a well-written blog, even if Greg usually takes the wrong positions on issues :) )...anyway, there I was, innocently reading the comments section of a post detailing Greg Patterson's appearance on Channel 12's "Sunday Square Off" with Tom Liddy and Rep. Kyrsten Sinema.
Greg's post was civil and informative (a couple of the reasons that his blog is so good), but a couple of the commenters took issue with Rep. Sinema, with one calling her an "ignoramus" while another called her an "embarrassment" to Democrats and stated that the Repubs were happy she is around (presumably to add to our embarrassment.)
Naturally, being a fan of hers and a loyal Democrat (and being really bored at the time), I made a comment defending her.
The sequence of comments -
OK. It wasn't exactly the sharpest or wittiest of repartee, but it wasn't exactly inflammatory, either.
Or so I thought. :)
The next commenter took serious offense at one part of my comment.
To that I say: Senator, if you can get the lege and the Secretary of State to waive the whole "live in the district to run there" thing, I just might take you up on the challenge, if only for the sheer joy of 'squaring off' against you in a couple of debates. And that's coming from someone who basically shy and has *no* public speaking or debating skills.
...Now, I could have said something snarky about Harper's last line, like "you know the old saying Jack - God protects fools and drunks?" Well, I'll grant that you seem like a pretty sober guy, Senator."
But, I'm more mature than that, so I won't do something that childish. LOL
Instead, I'll just make one more point -
I've never looked into the actions and positions of Jake Flake or John Huppenthal, so I can't make an observation about the honesty of either one, but I *do* know someone who has looked into the subject of Sen. Huppenthal's honesty, and found him lacking.
Jack Harper only hurts his own credibility when he associates himself with the likes of John Huppenthal.
Note to everyone: Geo at Geo's Precinct 134 did a number of great posts on the Huppenthal story; they are linked on the main page of his blog.
Note2: My reply comment on Espresso Pundit to Jack Harper's comment -
Later!
So there I was over on Espresso Pundit (a well-written blog, even if Greg usually takes the wrong positions on issues :) )...anyway, there I was, innocently reading the comments section of a post detailing Greg Patterson's appearance on Channel 12's "Sunday Square Off" with Tom Liddy and Rep. Kyrsten Sinema.
Greg's post was civil and informative (a couple of the reasons that his blog is so good), but a couple of the commenters took issue with Rep. Sinema, with one calling her an "ignoramus" while another called her an "embarrassment" to Democrats and stated that the Repubs were happy she is around (presumably to add to our embarrassment.)
Naturally, being a fan of hers and a loyal Democrat (and being really bored at the time), I made a comment defending her.
The sequence of comments -
Kyrsten Sinema is a dangerous ignoramus.
Posted by: Some Guy April 21, 2007 at 12:12 PM
And a general embarassment to liberals and Democrats alike... We're lucky to have her!
Posted by: Ahwatukee Kid April 21, 2007 at 05:36 PM
Ahwatukee Kid -
As for your first comment, we feel the same way - better an honest conservative than a corrupt liberal.
Corruption does more to undermine trust in the system than honest disagreement ever will.
As for your 2nd comment, guess what? We feel the same way about Jack Harper.
Every time he spouts off, we gain voters.
Keep him right where he is. PLEASE... :)
And finally, about Kyrsten Sinema being an 'ignoramus' - not even close. She's actually one of the smartest members of the lege.
Of course, with the lege, that may not be much of a compliment... :)
Posted by: Craig April 22, 2007 at 08:28 PM
OK. It wasn't exactly the sharpest or wittiest of repartee, but it wasn't exactly inflammatory, either.
Or so I thought. :)
The next commenter took serious offense at one part of my comment.
Craig,
You are welcome to run against me if you believe everything you you read in the Napolitano Newsletter (state-wide daily paper). A recent Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate was one of the nastiest people in politics, but you never read in the biased newspaper how his millions of dollars smeared honest Republicans like John Huppenthal and Jake Flake.
So, step out of the shadows and sign up to run for the State Senate for LD-4. Many liberals have and God has protected me so far.
Posted by: State Senator Jack Harper April 22, 2007 at 08:54 PM
To that I say: Senator, if you can get the lege and the Secretary of State to waive the whole "live in the district to run there" thing, I just might take you up on the challenge, if only for the sheer joy of 'squaring off' against you in a couple of debates. And that's coming from someone who basically shy and has *no* public speaking or debating skills.
...Now, I could have said something snarky about Harper's last line, like "you know the old saying Jack - God protects fools and drunks?" Well, I'll grant that you seem like a pretty sober guy, Senator."
But, I'm more mature than that, so I won't do something that childish. LOL
Instead, I'll just make one more point -
I've never looked into the actions and positions of Jake Flake or John Huppenthal, so I can't make an observation about the honesty of either one, but I *do* know someone who has looked into the subject of Sen. Huppenthal's honesty, and found him lacking.
Jack Harper only hurts his own credibility when he associates himself with the likes of John Huppenthal.
Note to everyone: Geo at Geo's Precinct 134 did a number of great posts on the Huppenthal story; they are linked on the main page of his blog.
Note2: My reply comment on Espresso Pundit to Jack Harper's comment -
Senator Harper -
What I've learned about you didn't come from the AZ Republic.
It came from reading the bills you have proposed.
It came from visiting 1700 West Washington and watching you and the entire lege in action.
It came from watching some committee hearings involving you online.
It came from watching AZ Capitol Television.
As for running against you? That would mean moving to LD4; not going to happen.
I live in LD17, and actually like Tempe and Scottsdale.
Surprise? Not so much.
Good night everyone...
Posted by: Craig April 23, 2007 at 01:34 AM
Later!
Saturday, April 21, 2007
We're famous!
Well, not really, but the LD17 Democrats are getting a little MSM love...Ok, it's 'community edition' love, but still... :))
The piece, written by Jacqueline Rovner, went up on the Rep's website on Friday and was printed in Saturday's Tempe community edition.
From the AZ Republic -
Next up: Crossing Arizona, to be shown on May 14, also at the Escalante Center. Stay tuned for details.
The piece, written by Jacqueline Rovner, went up on the Rep's website on Friday and was printed in Saturday's Tempe community edition.
From the AZ Republic -
About 20 people gathered Thursday evening for the first installment of the Big Picture Film Series, hosted by District 17 Democrats.
The first film shown as part of what organizers hope will become a monthly event was The Great Warming, a documentary by Michael Taylor about the effects of global warming. The goal of the film series is to educate and prompt public discussion about controversial issues facing residents today, said District 17 Democrats member David Malsch, 40, of Tempe.
{snip}
Jon Findley, chairman of the Energy Committee for the Grand Canyon chapter of the Sierra Club, tackled global warming questions Thursday evening.{snip}
"The climate is changing, and the evidence is overwhelming," Findley said. "It's happening . . . at this point, efficiency is key."
The movie and discussion afterwards touched on things that residents can do to be more energy efficient at home.
The easiest change, Malsch said, is to switch from standard incandescent bulbs to energy-saving compact fluorescents.
The discussion then focused on the question: "What more will it take for the majority of people to open their eyes and see climate destabilization is happening to the world right now?"
Audience member Peter Newton, 32, said maybe paying $4 a gallon for gasoline would do it.
Next up: Crossing Arizona, to be shown on May 14, also at the Escalante Center. Stay tuned for details.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Thursday night's LD8 Dems program...
On Thursday night, while the LD17 Dems were screening and discussing the movie 'The Great Warming,' [See post: "We're famous!"] the LD8 Dems were holding a program about anti-war activism in our community.
On the heels of their very successful March Community Outreach program with Scott Ritter (200+ attendees!), there was a great amount of interest from attendees to find out what they can do as individuals to end the occupation of Iraq and to prevent a preemptive war against Iran.
The LD8 Democrats had representatives from 7 groups at the forum -
Sherry Bohlen, Arizona Democratic Progressive Caucus
Dan O'Neal, Progressive Democrats of America
Rebecca Bahr, Military Families Speak Out
Sheila Ryan, Women In Black
Caryn Gardner, Code Pink Phoenix
Edwina Vogan, Arizona Alliance for Peace and Justice
Mitch Rubin, The End the War Coalition
Note: Sherry Bohlen is active in most of the groups present, not just ADPC.
One of the topics of conversation early on was the two resolutions that the ADPC will be introducing at the State Committee meeting later this month. One calls for the end of the occupation of Iraq; the other expresses opposition to a preemptive attack on Iran.
Based on the meeting tonight, there may be some dissent on the Iran motion - some audience members felt that the wording "painted Israel with the same brush as Iran."
There was also a mention of HR508, the Bring the Troops Home and Iraq Sovereignty Restoration Act of 2007, with many panelists and audience members urging people to contact their congresscritter (Congressman Harry Mitchell is AZ5) to express their support for the measure.
All of the panel members implored people to get involved with the various organizations and the events that they sponsor.
As Dan O'Neal said - "Doing nothing is not an option."
To paraphrase the D8 Dems' meeting announcement - Feet on the street stokes the heat on our country's leadership.
Get involved.
Note: Any of the websites listed above is a great place to start; all contain contact info. Another good, all-encompassing, resource mentioned during the forum is the website AntiWar.com.
Have a great weekend...
On the heels of their very successful March Community Outreach program with Scott Ritter (200+ attendees!), there was a great amount of interest from attendees to find out what they can do as individuals to end the occupation of Iraq and to prevent a preemptive war against Iran.
The LD8 Democrats had representatives from 7 groups at the forum -
Sherry Bohlen, Arizona Democratic Progressive Caucus
Dan O'Neal, Progressive Democrats of America
Rebecca Bahr, Military Families Speak Out
Sheila Ryan, Women In Black
Caryn Gardner, Code Pink Phoenix
Edwina Vogan, Arizona Alliance for Peace and Justice
Mitch Rubin, The End the War Coalition
Note: Sherry Bohlen is active in most of the groups present, not just ADPC.
One of the topics of conversation early on was the two resolutions that the ADPC will be introducing at the State Committee meeting later this month. One calls for the end of the occupation of Iraq; the other expresses opposition to a preemptive attack on Iran.
Based on the meeting tonight, there may be some dissent on the Iran motion - some audience members felt that the wording "painted Israel with the same brush as Iran."
There was also a mention of HR508, the Bring the Troops Home and Iraq Sovereignty Restoration Act of 2007, with many panelists and audience members urging people to contact their congresscritter (Congressman Harry Mitchell is AZ5) to express their support for the measure.
All of the panel members implored people to get involved with the various organizations and the events that they sponsor.
As Dan O'Neal said - "Doing nothing is not an option."
To paraphrase the D8 Dems' meeting announcement - Feet on the street stokes the heat on our country's leadership.
Get involved.
Note: Any of the websites listed above is a great place to start; all contain contact info. Another good, all-encompassing, resource mentioned during the forum is the website AntiWar.com.
Have a great weekend...
Renzi (R-Mantech) Family Business Raided by FBI
From Roll Call, via the NY Times (Roll Call is subscription-only):
Renzi quote in the article -
By the way, this looks to be part of the same investigation that Renzi called an "election-year smear tactic" just this past fall.
Other AZ Rep articles on the original investigation revelations are here and here.
Verde Valley Independent coverage of some of Renzi's response last fall is here.
Phoenix New Times' article detailing the land deal in question is here.
View Renzi's financial disclosure form from 2005 here.
Oh yeah - check out the website of the insurance agency - all it needs is a FoxNews logo to be an official RNC site.
Later!
In a second blow to House Republicans this week, the FBI raided a business tied to the family of Rep. Rick Renzi (R-Ariz.) Thursday afternoon as part of an ongoing investigation into the three-term lawmaker.
Details of the raid on Patriot Insurance Agency in Sonoita, Ariz., were not immediately available. Renzi’s most recent financial disclosure form lists the business as an asset belonging to his wife, Roberta, and valued at $1 million to $5 million.
Renzi quote in the article -
"Today, the FBI came to my family's business to obtain documents related to their investigation," Renzi said. "I view these actions as the first step in bringing out the truth. Until this matter is resolved, I will take a leave of absence from the House Intelligence Committee. I intend to fully cooperate with this investigation."
By the way, this looks to be part of the same investigation that Renzi called an "election-year smear tactic" just this past fall.
Other AZ Rep articles on the original investigation revelations are here and here.
Verde Valley Independent coverage of some of Renzi's response last fall is here.
Phoenix New Times' article detailing the land deal in question is here.
View Renzi's financial disclosure form from 2005 here.
Oh yeah - check out the website of the insurance agency - all it needs is a FoxNews logo to be an official RNC site.
Later!
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Gotta love those 'strike-everything amendments'
All kinds of chicanery gets wedged into heretofore good (or at least harmless) bills.
Case in point: SB1265, VOIP service; emergency telecommunication services.
It started its legislative existence as a bill that would have levied "the telecommunications services excise tax on VOIP service accounts for the purpose of funding emergency telecommunications services."
In other words, it would have levied a tax on internet telephone service that is already levied on regular and wireless phone services.
Not very harmful, that; one could even argue that the original sponsor, Sen. Linda Gray (R-LD10) came up with a reasonable and fair bill that addressed an inequity created by advancing technology.
On February 27, it passed the Senate's third read by a 17 - 13 margin; not an unusual margin, given the current partisan demographics in the senate (17 Republicans, 13 Democrats).
What was unusual was the fact that the 13 'no' votes were from Republicans.
That's a development that begs some questions -
Is Linda Gray one of those semi-mythical 'compassionate conservatives'? ...One of those long-rumored but thus far unseen 'moderate' Republicans?
Naaaahhhhh...she's a water-carrier, with her name attached to many of the anti-immigrant and anti-public education bills that percolate through the lege every session.
So what was going on? Why did she go against more than 3/4 of her caucus in the Senate? Was she turning over a new leaf and morphing into a responsible public servant?
Well, rest assured, the world is not turning upside-down; Linda Gray is still a hardcore immigrant-hater. She was just getting her 'sneaky' on.
Late last week, I caught a replay of the April 4 meeting of the House Appropriations Committee on AZ Capitol Television.
Note: the video of that meeting is still available on the lege's website.
She was there presenting her bill, which, due to an under-the-radar strike-everything amendment, was now a bill to require that civil courts charge fees to illegal immigrants for court services and costs related to their case, including interpreters.
Oh, and the courts would be required to notify ICE of a litigant's status if they were in the country illegally.
During the presentation of her soon-to-be-amended bill, she spoke about the "increased costs" to the courts to process the divorces (and other civil actions) of illegal immigrants.
When asked about the specific additional costs incurred by non-citizens by Phil Lopes (D-LD27), she didn't know them; she said that the bill addressing the problem was needed to determine the extent of the problem.
She did spend some time bemoaning the costs of interpreters in Maricopa County courts, however. No specific cost numbers, though.
She also responded vaguely when asked by Cloves Campbell Jr. (D-LD14) about the additional costs that would be incurred by the courts when they tried to collect fees from illegal immigrants, most of whom are poor and can't afford them in the first place.
Especially since, because of a provision in the bill, the courts will not be able to waive the fees for any reason (like inability to pay.)
Definitely not an open-arms reception from the Democrats on the committee.
On the other hand, she was given a warm, almost effusive, reception from committee chair Russell "National Alliance" Pearce.
Of course, he doesn't ever get truly 'effusive', though he does approach that state whenever he speaks about any legislation that harasses or attacks immigrants.
Anyway, the amended bill passed the committee by a party-line 9 - 6 vote. The only encouraging thing about the vote, if you can call it that, was that two of the Republican committee members initially 'passed' until it became evident that without their votes, it was going to be a close call.
I haven't found that it has gone any further as yet; the House leadership is probably waiting for a day when all of their members will be present before taking this bill to the floor for COW and Third Reading.
This is now a bill that deserves to be tracked closely; if it is passed by the House and Senate, people need to contact the Governor's office to urge a veto.
Good night!
Case in point: SB1265, VOIP service; emergency telecommunication services.
It started its legislative existence as a bill that would have levied "the telecommunications services excise tax on VOIP service accounts for the purpose of funding emergency telecommunications services."
In other words, it would have levied a tax on internet telephone service that is already levied on regular and wireless phone services.
Not very harmful, that; one could even argue that the original sponsor, Sen. Linda Gray (R-LD10) came up with a reasonable and fair bill that addressed an inequity created by advancing technology.
On February 27, it passed the Senate's third read by a 17 - 13 margin; not an unusual margin, given the current partisan demographics in the senate (17 Republicans, 13 Democrats).
What was unusual was the fact that the 13 'no' votes were from Republicans.
That's a development that begs some questions -
Is Linda Gray one of those semi-mythical 'compassionate conservatives'? ...One of those long-rumored but thus far unseen 'moderate' Republicans?
Naaaahhhhh...she's a water-carrier, with her name attached to many of the anti-immigrant and anti-public education bills that percolate through the lege every session.
So what was going on? Why did she go against more than 3/4 of her caucus in the Senate? Was she turning over a new leaf and morphing into a responsible public servant?
Well, rest assured, the world is not turning upside-down; Linda Gray is still a hardcore immigrant-hater. She was just getting her 'sneaky' on.
Late last week, I caught a replay of the April 4 meeting of the House Appropriations Committee on AZ Capitol Television.
Note: the video of that meeting is still available on the lege's website.
She was there presenting her bill, which, due to an under-the-radar strike-everything amendment, was now a bill to require that civil courts charge fees to illegal immigrants for court services and costs related to their case, including interpreters.
Oh, and the courts would be required to notify ICE of a litigant's status if they were in the country illegally.
During the presentation of her soon-to-be-amended bill, she spoke about the "increased costs" to the courts to process the divorces (and other civil actions) of illegal immigrants.
When asked about the specific additional costs incurred by non-citizens by Phil Lopes (D-LD27), she didn't know them; she said that the bill addressing the problem was needed to determine the extent of the problem.
She did spend some time bemoaning the costs of interpreters in Maricopa County courts, however. No specific cost numbers, though.
She also responded vaguely when asked by Cloves Campbell Jr. (D-LD14) about the additional costs that would be incurred by the courts when they tried to collect fees from illegal immigrants, most of whom are poor and can't afford them in the first place.
Especially since, because of a provision in the bill, the courts will not be able to waive the fees for any reason (like inability to pay.)
Definitely not an open-arms reception from the Democrats on the committee.
On the other hand, she was given a warm, almost effusive, reception from committee chair Russell "National Alliance" Pearce.
Of course, he doesn't ever get truly 'effusive', though he does approach that state whenever he speaks about any legislation that harasses or attacks immigrants.
Anyway, the amended bill passed the committee by a party-line 9 - 6 vote. The only encouraging thing about the vote, if you can call it that, was that two of the Republican committee members initially 'passed' until it became evident that without their votes, it was going to be a close call.
I haven't found that it has gone any further as yet; the House leadership is probably waiting for a day when all of their members will be present before taking this bill to the floor for COW and Third Reading.
This is now a bill that deserves to be tracked closely; if it is passed by the House and Senate, people need to contact the Governor's office to urge a veto.
Good night!
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Quarterly FEC reports are in...
...and I'll let others write about the presidential candidate numbers.
Some of the FEC's quarterly financial reports for active Congressional candidate committees in Arizona.
Incumbents bolded, challengers italicized.
Note: "PAC" numbers include all contributions from non-political party committees. Generally speaking, Republicans had a lot of corporate contributions; Democrats had a lot of union contributions.
CD1 -
Democrat Ellen Simon raised $4,295.54, more than $4K from herself.
Republican Rick Renzi raised $117,698.70, $76,950.00 from PACs.
CD2 -
Republican Trent Franks raised $40,031.00, $9,000 from PACs.
Democrat John Thrasher raised $4,340.00, $3,000 from himself.
CD3 -
Democrat Bob Lord raised $137,968.15, $0 from PACs.
Republican John Shadegg raised $19,338.57, $4,500.00 from PACs.
CD4 -
Democrat Ed Pastor raised $11,650.00, $1,000 from PACs.
CD5 -
Democrat Harry Mitchell raised $234,768.46, $107,162.35 from PACs.
Republican JD Hayworth raised $136.00.
CD6 -
Republican Jeff Flake raised $84,065.00, $3100.00 from PACs.
CD7 -
Democrat Raul Grijalva raised $26,843.86, $25,500 from PACs.
CD8 -
Democrat Gabrielle Giffords raised $325,252.61, $104,966.17 from PACs.
Democrat Jeff Latas raised $900.00, all from himself.
Active during the quarter, but no contributions received - Bob Stump (R-CD3), Ron Drake (R-CD7, committee termination report filed), Eva Bacal (D-CD8), Jim Kolbe (R-CD8), Larry King (D-CD5), Herb Paine (D-CD3, termination report filed 03-01-2007),
Brief observation: By far, Mitchell, Giffords, and Renzi were the most active incumbent fundraisers this quarter, but that's no surprise - they are all targeted for defeat in the next election; Mitchell and Giffords because they are in their first terms, and Renzi because of his ethical and residency issues.
Brief prediction: Expect Shadegg to get his fundraising organization into gear after the showing of Bob Lord (top fundraiser among the non-incumbents, #3 overall) this quarter.
Some of the FEC's quarterly financial reports for active Congressional candidate committees in Arizona.
Incumbents bolded, challengers italicized.
Note: "PAC" numbers include all contributions from non-political party committees. Generally speaking, Republicans had a lot of corporate contributions; Democrats had a lot of union contributions.
CD1 -
Democrat Ellen Simon raised $4,295.54, more than $4K from herself.
Republican Rick Renzi raised $117,698.70, $76,950.00 from PACs.
CD2 -
Republican Trent Franks raised $40,031.00, $9,000 from PACs.
Democrat John Thrasher raised $4,340.00, $3,000 from himself.
CD3 -
Democrat Bob Lord raised $137,968.15, $0 from PACs.
Republican John Shadegg raised $19,338.57, $4,500.00 from PACs.
CD4 -
Democrat Ed Pastor raised $11,650.00, $1,000 from PACs.
CD5 -
Democrat Harry Mitchell raised $234,768.46, $107,162.35 from PACs.
Republican JD Hayworth raised $136.00.
CD6 -
Republican Jeff Flake raised $84,065.00, $3100.00 from PACs.
CD7 -
Democrat Raul Grijalva raised $26,843.86, $25,500 from PACs.
CD8 -
Democrat Gabrielle Giffords raised $325,252.61, $104,966.17 from PACs.
Democrat Jeff Latas raised $900.00, all from himself.
Active during the quarter, but no contributions received - Bob Stump (R-CD3), Ron Drake (R-CD7, committee termination report filed), Eva Bacal (D-CD8), Jim Kolbe (R-CD8), Larry King (D-CD5), Herb Paine (D-CD3, termination report filed 03-01-2007),
Brief observation: By far, Mitchell, Giffords, and Renzi were the most active incumbent fundraisers this quarter, but that's no surprise - they are all targeted for defeat in the next election; Mitchell and Giffords because they are in their first terms, and Renzi because of his ethical and residency issues.
Brief prediction: Expect Shadegg to get his fundraising organization into gear after the showing of Bob Lord (top fundraiser among the non-incumbents, #3 overall) this quarter.
LD17 Legislators in the news
It took a full reformat, but at least temporarily, the computer is working, so back to our regularly scheduled posting. :)
Rep. David Schapira -
...Schapira received a lot of notice (ok, it was mostly the same article run in a lot of places :) ) about passage of his amendment to a DUI bill that would require those convicted of a DUI to have an ignition interlock in their car for a year.
Quote from the EV Tribune:
...He was also mentioned, but not quoted in a article about Step It Up 2007 event at ASU. (EV Trib)
Rep. Ed Ableser -
...Ableser was mentioned in this week's Political Insider column in the AZ Rep; specifically, his contribution to the annual softball game. He wasn't quoted in the column, but was in this one tidbit:
Ummm...having played softball, I can tell you that the true softball indignity is not a walk. It's a strikeout.
...He was quoted in an ASU State Press article about a proposal to build a new, modern building for the state lege.
Quote:
...Ableser was also mentioned, but not quoted, in the articles cited in the Schapira section of this post.
It was a quiet week in terms of MSM coverage for Sen. Meg Burton-Cahill.
Later!
Rep. David Schapira -
...Schapira received a lot of notice (ok, it was mostly the same article run in a lot of places :) ) about passage of his amendment to a DUI bill that would require those convicted of a DUI to have an ignition interlock in their car for a year.
Quote from the EV Tribune:
Schapira said it will help prevent people from becoming the victims of drunken drivers.
"It takes that decision away from the individual who's been drinking and makes an objective determination of whether they’re capable of driving their car when they may or may not be able to make that determination on their own at their given state of intoxication," he said.
...He was also mentioned, but not quoted in a article about Step It Up 2007 event at ASU. (EV Trib)
Rep. Ed Ableser -
...Ableser was mentioned in this week's Political Insider column in the AZ Rep; specifically, his contribution to the annual softball game. He wasn't quoted in the column, but was in this one tidbit:
Ableser would later suffer the softball indignity of working the pitch count until he earned a walk. We're talking slow-pitch here, folks.
Ummm...having played softball, I can tell you that the true softball indignity is not a walk. It's a strikeout.
...He was quoted in an ASU State Press article about a proposal to build a new, modern building for the state lege.
Quote:
The proposals were developed with student input and focused on being green-friendly, [dean of the ASU College of Design] Reiter said.
It would be important to set a precedent for sustainability with the new building, said Rep. Ed Ableser, D-Scottsdale/Tempe.
"If we were going to build a new campus, we need to show that our capitol is going to be the front-runner on green technology and sustainability," he said.
...Ableser was also mentioned, but not quoted, in the articles cited in the Schapira section of this post.
It was a quiet week in terms of MSM coverage for Sen. Meg Burton-Cahill.
Later!
Monday, April 16, 2007
VaTech and computer issues
First and foremost, my thoughts, prayers, and condolences go out to the families and friends of the victims of the gunman at Virginia Tech.
Second, and of far less import, my posting for the next week or so will be intermittent or even almost non-existent. My computer's feeling its age (almost 6 years old, which is 90 or so in computer years), and it's having some problems that even a reformat may not fix. Time to start looking for something a little newer, maybe in a laptop that will set up as my home 'puter.
Last note: There is going to be a flood of questions and facts (though not always actual information) over the coming days and weeks about today's massacre in Virginia. Let it be noted now that while the horror of the slaughter was the first thing that I noticed when watching the MSM coverage, the second thing that I noticed was the utter insipidness of the questions and statements of the reporters and studio folks from the cable newsnets. They should be embarrassed.
They won't be though.
Later!
Second, and of far less import, my posting for the next week or so will be intermittent or even almost non-existent. My computer's feeling its age (almost 6 years old, which is 90 or so in computer years), and it's having some problems that even a reformat may not fix. Time to start looking for something a little newer, maybe in a laptop that will set up as my home 'puter.
Last note: There is going to be a flood of questions and facts (though not always actual information) over the coming days and weeks about today's massacre in Virginia. Let it be noted now that while the horror of the slaughter was the first thing that I noticed when watching the MSM coverage, the second thing that I noticed was the utter insipidness of the questions and statements of the reporters and studio folks from the cable newsnets. They should be embarrassed.
They won't be though.
Later!
Friday, April 13, 2007
Short attention span musing...
There's a bit of a theme to tonight's 'random' musing... :)
...The Republican smear campaign for the 2010 race for governor is already in high gear.
From the AZ Republic:
The "county attorney" mentioned in the quote is Andrew Thomas.
The same Andrew Thomas who lost the 2002 race for state AG to the same Terry Goddard (51.9% - 45.0%)
The same Andrew Thomas who is a presumptive Republican candidate for governor in 2010, and who knows that the same Terry Goddard is a presumptive Democratic candidate for the same office.
It's only going to get uglier, folks...
...The "it's not exactly breaking news to hear this about the Bush administration" department:
From AP, via Yahoo! News -
Whoever wins the White House next year is going to have one hell of a mess to clean up before the credibility of the executive branch is restored, both domestically and internationally.
...Things that make you go "hmmmm"...
When State Rep. Trish Groe was arrested for DUI in March, initial tests showed her blood alcohol content (BAC) at .168% content; lab results from DPS, obtained by the AZ Republic, show a BAC of .148%, just under the threshold of extreme DUI (.15%).
When Cody Rodbell, 21-year old daughter of Scottsdale Police Chief Alan Rodbell, was arrested for DUI, her initial tests showed a .081% BAC; later tests came back with a .072% BAC, slightly below the threshold for a DUI violation.
No accusations of wrongdoing here yet, but when the test results for two politically connected suspects show post-arrest changes that reduce or eliminate potential charges, it looks funny.
And before someone leaves a comment about the infallibility and integrity of police-conducted and -contracted evidence testing, let me remind you of two words -
Ray Krone.
The man who was convicted and sentenced to death based on false evidence, misleading test results, and deliberately shaded 'expert' testimony.
From the Phoenix New Times:
Tonight's theme?
Cynicism, of course. :)
On a less cynical note, best wishes to New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine on a speedy recovery from injuries sustained in a car accident. The injuries, while not considered to be life-threatening, are severe and a long convalescence is expected.
Later!
...The Republican smear campaign for the 2010 race for governor is already in high gear.
From the AZ Republic:
Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio confirmed Thursday that he and the county attorney are investigating whether a payment made from the state treasurer's office to the state attorney general's office for legal fees influenced the prosecution of former state treasurer David Petersen.
Attorney General Terry Goddard and others from his office said the $1.9 million payment, which came from the settlement of a civil fraud case pursued by his office, was mandated by statute and in no way influenced the handling of Petersen's case.
The "county attorney" mentioned in the quote is Andrew Thomas.
The same Andrew Thomas who lost the 2002 race for state AG to the same Terry Goddard (51.9% - 45.0%)
The same Andrew Thomas who is a presumptive Republican candidate for governor in 2010, and who knows that the same Terry Goddard is a presumptive Democratic candidate for the same office.
It's only going to get uglier, folks...
...The "it's not exactly breaking news to hear this about the Bush administration" department:
From AP, via Yahoo! News -
Agency weighed prosecutors' politics
The Justice Department weighed political activism and membership in a conservative law group in evaluating the nation's federal prosecutors, documents released in the probe of fired U.S. attorneys show.
The political credentials were listed on a chart of 124 U.S. attorneys nominated since 2001, a document that could bolster Democrats' claims that the traditionally independent Justice Department has become more partisan during the Bush administration.
Whoever wins the White House next year is going to have one hell of a mess to clean up before the credibility of the executive branch is restored, both domestically and internationally.
...Things that make you go "hmmmm"...
When State Rep. Trish Groe was arrested for DUI in March, initial tests showed her blood alcohol content (BAC) at .168% content; lab results from DPS, obtained by the AZ Republic, show a BAC of .148%, just under the threshold of extreme DUI (.15%).
When Cody Rodbell, 21-year old daughter of Scottsdale Police Chief Alan Rodbell, was arrested for DUI, her initial tests showed a .081% BAC; later tests came back with a .072% BAC, slightly below the threshold for a DUI violation.
No accusations of wrongdoing here yet, but when the test results for two politically connected suspects show post-arrest changes that reduce or eliminate potential charges, it looks funny.
And before someone leaves a comment about the infallibility and integrity of police-conducted and -contracted evidence testing, let me remind you of two words -
Ray Krone.
The man who was convicted and sentenced to death based on false evidence, misleading test results, and deliberately shaded 'expert' testimony.
From the Phoenix New Times:
It took six more years [after a 2nd trial also resulted in a conviction] before a judge forced the police and prosecutors to turn over evidence in the case for retesting.
Numerous pieces of that evidence, which Phoenix police and Maricopa County prosecutors had been sitting on for 10 years, not only showed no link between Krone and the murder, it all clearly pointed to another man, Kenneth Phillips.
{snip}
Just drop the name Noel Levy, the county prosecutor who slaughtered Krone's character and ignored testimony from genuine dental experts while twice landing a wrongful murder conviction on him.
Or Phoenix Police Department homicide detective Charles Gregory, who also ignored evidence pointing to the real killer.
Or forensic dental expert Ray Rawson, whose bogus testimony was the foundation of both of Krone's convictions.
Or crime lab technician Scott Piette, who for some reason never tested hair, blood and fingerprints taken from the crime scene that were left by the man now believed to have committed the murder, Kenneth Phillips, who is already in prison for other violent sex crimes.
Tonight's theme?
Cynicism, of course. :)
On a less cynical note, best wishes to New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine on a speedy recovery from injuries sustained in a car accident. The injuries, while not considered to be life-threatening, are severe and a long convalescence is expected.
Later!
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Calendar of events for LD17 and surrounding areas
Information culled from online sources...
Thursday, April 12 - Congressman Harry Mitchell will be at the Scottsdale City Hall for a breakfast with the Mayor and City Council. Bagels, coffee, juice and mingling at 7:30 a.m.; program begins at 8 a.m. Scottsdale City Hall, 3939 N. Drinkwater Blvd.
Saturday, April 14 - Maricopa County Democrat's Day at Chase Field. Reception with Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon starts at 4:30 p.m. in the Beer Garden at Chase Field; the game between the Diamondbacks and the Colorado Rockies starts at 6:40 p.m. Ticket prices are $15, $30 and $45 dollars and are available on the County's web site: http://www.maricopademocrat.com/tickets/.
Sunday, April 15 – Democrats in the Park at 1:00 p.m. in Papago Park, Tempe. Join Democrats from LD17, LD8, and LD15 for a potluck outing. For LD17 types, there is a neighborhood walk in north Tempe. Meetup is also in Papago Park, but it is at 10:00 a.m. Contact D17 Chair Doug Mings at dougmings[at]gmail.com for more information.
Thursday, April 19 - "The Great Warming," an environmental film narrated by Keanu Reeves and Alanis Morrisette. Sponsored by the LD17 Democrats. Free admission at Escalante Community Center, 2150 E. Orange St., Tempe. For more info, contact Doug Mings at the above email address.
Also on Thursday, April 19 - Connecting with the Anti-War/Peace Movements in Arizona, a forum sponsored by the LD8 Democrats. Panelists will include representatives from Progressive Democrats of America, Arizona Democratic Progressive Caucus, Arizona Alliance for Peace and Justice, Women in Black, Code Pink, Military Families Speak Out and Veterans for Peace. Mustang Library, 10101 N 90th St. Scottsdale. Reception at 6:30 p.m.; program at 7:00 p.m. Information contact: district8office[at]d8dems.org.
Thursday, May 10 - The Phoenix/Scottsdale Chapter of the National Jewish Democratic Council (NJDC) will hold its initial meeting at the Jewish Community Center in Scottsdale. Information contact: njdcphx[at]cox.net.
Thursday, April 12 - Congressman Harry Mitchell will be at the Scottsdale City Hall for a breakfast with the Mayor and City Council. Bagels, coffee, juice and mingling at 7:30 a.m.; program begins at 8 a.m. Scottsdale City Hall, 3939 N. Drinkwater Blvd.
Saturday, April 14 - Maricopa County Democrat's Day at Chase Field. Reception with Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon starts at 4:30 p.m. in the Beer Garden at Chase Field; the game between the Diamondbacks and the Colorado Rockies starts at 6:40 p.m. Ticket prices are $15, $30 and $45 dollars and are available on the County's web site: http://www.maricopademocrat.com/tickets/.
Sunday, April 15 – Democrats in the Park at 1:00 p.m. in Papago Park, Tempe. Join Democrats from LD17, LD8, and LD15 for a potluck outing. For LD17 types, there is a neighborhood walk in north Tempe. Meetup is also in Papago Park, but it is at 10:00 a.m. Contact D17 Chair Doug Mings at dougmings[at]gmail.com for more information.
Thursday, April 19 - "The Great Warming," an environmental film narrated by Keanu Reeves and Alanis Morrisette. Sponsored by the LD17 Democrats. Free admission at Escalante Community Center, 2150 E. Orange St., Tempe. For more info, contact Doug Mings at the above email address.
Also on Thursday, April 19 - Connecting with the Anti-War/Peace Movements in Arizona, a forum sponsored by the LD8 Democrats. Panelists will include representatives from Progressive Democrats of America, Arizona Democratic Progressive Caucus, Arizona Alliance for Peace and Justice, Women in Black, Code Pink, Military Families Speak Out and Veterans for Peace. Mustang Library, 10101 N 90th St. Scottsdale. Reception at 6:30 p.m.; program at 7:00 p.m. Information contact: district8office[at]d8dems.org.
Thursday, May 10 - The Phoenix/Scottsdale Chapter of the National Jewish Democratic Council (NJDC) will hold its initial meeting at the Jewish Community Center in Scottsdale. Information contact: njdcphx[at]cox.net.
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