Willems urged the pensioners not to lay hands on anyone or to use obscenities. But as Bernie's actions, and the actions of a few others there that day showed, the oldsters get stirred up easily. And some are armed, this being Arizona.
Willems claims he just wants to slow down the recall, rob it of momentum. If the sigs are slow coming in, he reckons, it will be difficult for Parraz and others to raise funds from donors who'll want to see certain "benchmarks" met before they sink more cash into the campaign.
dennis gilman
Angry shadow warrior "Bernie Paluck" attacks Dennis Gilman's camera outside state GOP headquarters.
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The circulators, some from out of state, Willems said, will be spooked easily by anyone "blocking" the source of their income. They may move on to another spot or they may quit and go home.
"Signature-gatherers are inherently lazy people," Willems told his audience. "They're going to make enough money per day to go buy their booze or dope or whatever they're gonna do for the rest of the day and start all over tomorrow."
Indeed, Willems claimed to have spies in the Parraz camp and even some circulators informing him of the sig count, day by day.
He told the fossils that he has some hope that legislation sponsored by Republican House member Steve Smith could be of assistance.
Though probably unconstitutional, Smith's House Bill 2282 would create a recall primary that removes the threat of a recall's open election, wherein anyone — D, R, or I —can vote.
The bill is stuck in committee. Even if it passes both houses and is signed by the governor, Willems seemed unsure whether it would affect a possible Arpaio recall election.
Willems is a man who oozes self-interest. He was spanked in the Pearce recall, and Arpaio is the guy who fills his coffers. Moreover, Willems tells others privately what he told the shadows at GOP headquarters.
Finally, I also know through one well-placed source that Arpaio has expressed worry and aggravation about the possibility of a recall election.
So, doubting journalists, the threat of a recall is real. Arpaio and Willems are afraid. And if the recall committee obtains the necessary signatures, Joe's end may be at hand.
