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Russell Pearce Is His Own Worst Enemy

ARROGANCE UNDER SIEGE

Pearce’s hubris, hatefulness, and corruption could cost him his job.
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Pearce’s hubris, hatefulness, and corruption could cost him his job.

State Senate President Russell Pearce dwells in a bubble the size of the Biosphere, one insulated by his own arrogance, pride, and self-delusion.

What was Pearce's response to the recent decision by the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upholding a lower court's injunction of the most outrageous sections of his infamous Senate Bill 1070 ("Pearce Denied," April 11)?

Contrary to reality, he told a local news station that 1070 was "in full effect, other than a couple of provisions I'd like to have."

In "full effect"? The bill was gutted by the original injunction handed down July 28 by U.S. District Court Judge Susan R. Bolton. The four parts of the law enjoined include the notorious "papers please" section, which forces local cops to inquire about the immigration status of a person who's been stopped, assuming there is "reasonable suspicion" to believe the person is undocumented.

This was the backbone of the law. Other key sections quashed for now involve making it a state crime for legal immigrants not to carry their "papers" with them, forbidding day laborers from seeking work, and allowing police to conduct warrant-less arrests if they believe a suspect has committed an offense that makes the individual removable from the country.

Public relations hacks might call Pearce's assertion "spin," but when "spin" denies, say, the existence of gravity or labels "white" as "black" or insists the world is flat, I'd call that psychotic.

There's more evidence from recent history that Pearce is in his own world. Take his defense of state Senator Scott Bundgaard, calling Bundgaard a "victim" in his roadside altercation with his girlfriend, one for which Bundgaard faces possible arrest once the legislative session is kaput.

Unlike Pearce, other Senate Republicans rightly saw Bundgaard more as a liability than a victim and stripped him of his post as Senate majority leader.

Also, Pearce pushed for the passage of five harsh anti-immigrant bills in the Senate, though he knew he didn't have the votes. Enough GOPers peeled away to defeat them all.

The Senate president has vowed to bring them back, regardless.

Then, there was the flap over substitute teacher Tony Hill's bigoted e-mail to Pearce, telling a tall tale about Latino students' not pledging allegiance to the flag and espousing anti-American sentiments.

State Senator Lori Klein, one of Pearce's legislative stooges, read the letter on the Senate floor without identifying its author, who contended that Hispanic kids aspire to be "gang members and gangsters."

The Glendale school where Hill subbed for nine (count 'em, nine) days investigated the matter. The school's principal characterized Hills' statements as "not accurate" and "inflammatory."

My colleague Paul Rubin dug into Hill's past and found that Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Susanna Pineda awarded sole custody of his children to Hill's estranged wife, writing:

"Father has a history of exploding by verbally calling the minor children vulgar names and using intimidating gestures . . . Father choked Mother at one point and physically abused the family pet in front of the children."

Yet Pearce said Hill was a "good man" and that everything in the letter had been "verified."

Regarding the recent revelations of Fiesta Bowl corruption, does it surprise anyone that Pearce was one of the scandal's most prominent beneficiaries? Several political figures from both parties received free, all-expenses-paid trips to watch football games in places such as Chicago and Boston.

On one, Pearce took his wife and stayed at a pricey Ritz-Carlton. On another, he took his wife and one of his sons, again staying in a luxury hotel, on the Fiesta Bowl's dime.

Other legislators have rushed to amend their disclosure forms and pay back the Fiesta Bowl for the freebies. Pearce has been unapologetic.

First, he defended himself by grumbling to reporters that he "never took anything they didn't offer everybody."

Later, he claimed that he paid for the expensive football tickets he had received — and that he would hunt for canceled checks to prove it. I'm not holding my breath for this one.

Tit-for-tat, Pearce sponsored legislation in the past that aided the Fiesta Bowl. The Fiesta Bowl's own investigation notes that Pearce took campaign contributions from Fiesta Bowl employees, who were illegally reimbursed after the fact.

Pearce allegedly pocketed tickets from Fiesta Bowl CEO John Junker valued at a total of more than $7,400. Pearce's financial-disclosure forms failed to list all the gravy he was lapping up from Junker's outstretched hand.

By not listing these gifts and by accepting tickets to entertainment events, Pearce may have violated state statute.

But more damaging to "Mr. Rule of Law" is his sense of entitlement. This, in a lagging economy where most common folks cannot dream of enjoying such high-priced excursions, much less at someone else's expense.

That's why the Fiesta Bowl scandal and Pearce's other missteps are fueling the effort to recall him.

Initially, there were two groups looking to force Pearce out: Citizens for a Better Arizona, headed by registered Republican Chad Snow and organized by former Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Randy Parraz; and Arizonans for Better Government, led by DeeDee Blase, president of the Hispanic-Republican group Somos Republicans.

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