Government and Politics

Joe Arpaio Recall Suspends Paid Signature Gathering Campaign for Second Time

The roller-coaster campaign to recall Sheriff Joe Arpaio took steep dip today. With just two weeks left before the recall's May 30 deadline, the on-again, off-again paid effort to gather signatures is off again. See also: -Joe Arpaio Recall: 14 Days Left, a New Dennis Gilman Video -Joe Arpaio Reca ... More >>

Russell Pearce Gets Mad Love from the Arizona Republic

One thing both The Republic and Pearce lack: A sense of shame. Prepare for 15 seconds of commercial before the foot-licking begins. The Arizona Republic's editorial board must be patting themselves on the back right now. Why, they scored an editorial on the Gang of Eight's immigration bill from non ... More >>

Pricey Colt AR-15 Assault Rifle Among Guns Turned in at Phoenix Police Buyback Event

After New Times writer Matthew Hendley reported that Phoenix police took in an assault rifle at last weekend's "buyback" event, we were curious what kind of gun it was. Turns out that, in exchange for a $200 gift certificate, an anonymous donor gave up a Colt AR-15 believed to be good condition, a ... More >>

Joe Arpaio Recall Re-Ignites Paid Petition Effort with 22 Days to Go

With 22 days remaining, the effort to boot Sheriff Joe Arpaio from office has re-started the paid petition-gathering campaign it discontinued back on March 18. See also: -Joe Arpaio Fans Look a Little Desperate With Billboards Urging People Not to Sign Recall -Joe Arpaio Recall: Give Joe the Pink S ... More >>

Bill Montgomery's Victims Break: 14 Captured in Sportex Raid Plead Out Under Coercion

Bill Montgomery's victims speak... Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery must feel really proud of himself. After more than three months in Sheriff Joe Arpaio's dirty, dangerous and sometimes deadly jails, 14 of the 23 undocumented workers being prosecuted in the MCSO's February 8 raid of Sporte ... More >>

The Term "Illegal Immigrant": Yay or Nay?

The term "illegal immigrant" has been the cause of some controversy, as some people and media outlets have changed their tones on whether it's offensive.The Associated Press recently decided it's not using the phrase and the New York Times said yesterday that it's encouraging reporters to "consider ... More >>

Jan Brewer Has a Nonsense Explanation of Why She Uses the Phrase "Illegal Immigrants"

Defending her use of the phrase "illegal immigrants," Governor Jan Brewer explained recently that doing something illegal makes you "an illegal." We'll note that driving under the influence after a couple of glasses of scotch and rear-ending a minivan must not be illegal, or else Arizona apparently ... More >>

John McCain Bucks the NRA, Supports Expanding Background Checks for Gun Sales

Republican Senator John McCain announced today his support for an amendment that calls for an expansion of the federal background-check system for gun sales, an amendment that's specifically being targeted for defeat by the National Rifle Association.According to all the newspapers in Washington, th ... More >>

"Gang of Eight" Immigration Deal Outline Released

An outline of the immigration bill formed by the so-called "Gang of Eight" -- which includes Arizona's Republican Senators, John McCain and Jeff Flake -- has been released.There's a whole lot of stuff in this outline, including some of the more specific details on immigration law, but it includes se ... More >>

Joe Arpaio-Henchman Bill Montgomery Milks CIR While Separating Parents from Children

Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery is gettin' real popular with some in the pro-immigration reform crowd. Never mind that he collaborates with Sheriff Joe Arpaio in prosecuting undocumented workers, while ignoring those who hire them. See also: -Bill Montgomery's Victims Rot in Jail, While A ... More >>

Republican Blogger Jeff Vath Fought for Sanity in the AZ GOP

Politico Mafioso's Jeff Vath, the GOP's "Badass Blogger," Dies following Ulcer Surgery

One of Arizona's most influential bloggers, Jeff Vath, the man behind the widely-read, GOP-centric Politico Mafioso blog, passed away Tuesday night at John C. Lincoln Hospital in Deer Valley. He was 52. According to his wife of 24 years, Mary Anne, Vath's death was due to complications from surgery ... More >>

Republican Lawmaker John Kavanagh's the Latest Person Targeted With Recall

Filing petitions to recall politicians is officially "in," now that yet another petition has been filed with the Secretary of State's Office, this one to recall Republican Representative John Kavanagh.Kavanagh's "bathroom birther" proposal is what sparked this one, according to a press release sent ... More >>

Jan Brewer's Bigoted Policy Denying Driver's Licenses to DREAMers in Federal Judge's Hands

Few public acts by Governor Jan Brewer have been so odious, so hateful and so obviously unfair as her executive order denying driver's licenses to those young men and women, brought here as children, who benefit from President Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. See also: -Jan Brewer No ... More >>

Arizona's the Best State for Gun Owners, Says Magazine Formerly Run by Man Who Shot and Killed Neighbor in Arizona

Arizona is "the best" state for gun owners, Guns & Ammo magazine says today.Believe it or not, Guns & Ammo magazine omitted the fact that the former editor of the magazine shot and killed a man in Arizona less than a year ago.See also:-Richard Venola, Former Editor of Guns & Ammo Magazine, A ... More >>

Joe Arpaio's Nemesis Rebecca Jimenez Leads in Guadalupe Mayoral Race, Run-Off Certain for May 21

Despite a last-minute slur campaign by her detractors and the surprise endorsement of the incumbent by Congressman Ed Pastor, one-time thorn in the side of Sheriff Joe Arpaio, Rebecca Jimenez, was leading a four person pack in the contest for mayor for the square-mile postage stamp of Guadalupe by d ... More >>

Bill Montgomery Skewered in Puente March, SANE Defends Monty

Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery took it on the chin today, as about 120 demonstrators protesting Monty's discriminatory policies toward undocumented workers marched more than 3.5 miles from Steele Indian School Park to Montgomery's offices in the county administration building in downtown P ... More >>

Bill Montgomery's Victims Plead Not Guilty En Masse as Their Children Weep

The cattle call began a little after 8:30 a.m. Wednesday for the unfortunates arrested in the MCSO's Sportex Apparel raid in Tempe the first week of February. See also: -Bill Montgomery Is No Immigration Moderate -Bill Montgomery Fails to Convict an Innocent Man -S.A.N.E. Immigration Initiative Un ... More >>

Joe Arpaio's Birther Buddies Say They'll Take Recall Effort to Court to Shut It Down

The people behind Sheriff Joe Arpaio's "birther" investigation are now trying to tell the Arpaio recall effort that they'll go to court to shut it down if they don't do it themselves.Spoiler alert: Fat chance, for Arpaio's friends.See also:-Why Sheriff Joe Actually Is Nervous About the Recall Effort ... More >>

Bill Montgomery's Smoking Gun: ICE PowerPoint Shows Monty's Minions How to Deport More Immigrants

The Maricopa County Attorney's Office and Arizona-based attorneys for United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement are engaged in a partnership to ensure the deportation of undocumented aliens who otherwise would benefit from President Obama's proposed comprehensive immigration reform, despite ... More >>

'Til Death Do Us Part: Arizona's Dangerous Love Affair with Guns

Bill Montgomery Looks the Other Way at 1,761 Possible Felony Crimes

Sounds like forgery is rampant in Tempe. Will Bill Montgomery respond? Are all truly equal before the law? When it comes to forgery in Maricopa County, the answer is a decided, "Hell, no." Yesterday, the Tempe Police Department issued statistics showing that last year they had confiscated "1,761 f ... More >>

Bill Montgomery Is No Immigration Moderate

Legislators Propose Forcing High School Students to Swear to Defend Constitution in Order to Graduate

"Finally, our state legislators are making sure Arizona's teenagers will ask for the Lord's help defending the Constitution before they're allowed to earn a high school diploma." --NobodyIf a handful of Republican state legislators have their way, high school students in Arizona would not be allowed ... More >>

Is Andrew Thomas Delusional?

(Regular New Times readers, feel free to skip to the bottom of this post and cast your vote immediately.)Local Republican blogger Political Mafioso was already questioning whether disbarred and disgraced former Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas was delusional after Thomas said he was considerin ... More >>

John Leonardo, Arizona U.S. Attorney, Supports Obama's Gun-Control Plan

John Leonardo, Arizona U.S. Attorney, released a letter to the public today that expresses support for banning certain kinds of guns and requiring background checks for all sales of firearms. Leonardo begins his letter by explaining that the "political climate for a constructive discussion about gu ... More >>

Arizona GOP's Proposed Bylaws Revive Joe McCarthy, Witch Hunts, Loyalty Oaths

The Arizona Republican Party is the gift that keeps on giving. Last week, the Maricopa County GOP picked raging aggro gay-hater A.J. LaFaro as its chairman, a choice Dems are giddy over because it leaves the local Republican Party in the complete control of wigged-out moonhowlers, further alienati ... More >>

Arizona Deserves No Peace From Pro-Immigrant Forces

Lawrence Robinson Joins Race for Phoenix District 8 City Council Seat, Drama Follows

The race for the Phoenix City Council seat in District 8 -- a seat that has been held by African-Americans for the past 46 years -- has been further complicated for those who are determined to keep that streak alive.Phoenix School of Law professor and Roosevelt school district board member Lawrence ... More >>

Poll: Most Arizona Voters Support Medical-Marijuana Act; 59 Percent Would Legalize Pot

An increased number of Arizona voters support the 2010 Medical Marijuana Act, and most would vote to end marijuana prohibition, a new poll shows. The poll of 600 Arizonan residents was conducted on January 9 and 10 by Public Policy Polling on behalf of the National Cannabis Industry Association. T ... More >>

Bill Montgomery's Ghost of Christmas Present: Injustice

If there were a law against keeping parents from their children for no good reason on Christmas, or any other day, then Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery, and many of his functionaries, would be guilty as charged. Currently, neither the county attorney's office nor the Maricopa County Sheri ... More >>

John McCain Somehow Got His Way -- Susan Rice Doesn't Want to Be Secretary of State

Despite becoming the butt of jokes for his concerns about the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, Senator John McCain got his way -- U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice told NBC News she's taking herself out of the running for the secretary of state post.In a letter to President Obama, Rice expl ... More >>

After Election Day, AZ's Far Right Now Has a Fight on Its Hands

Ken Bennett Says 192,337 Ballots Left, Democrat Mary Rose Wilcox Defends County Elections

There's light at the end of the tunnel, my friends. And I hope there's a beer with my name on it when we get to it. Arizona Secretary of State Ken Bennett has released his latest update on the ballot count. Currently, there are 192,337 ballots left to be counted statewide, 28,550 of them early ball ... More >>

Ken Bennett Says 342,936 Ballots Left, 215K from Maricopa County

Like the Beatles once crooned, "It's getting better all the time...." Both Maricopa County and the Arizona Secretary of State's Office updated their elections results this afternoon, and the number of remaining ballots is declining at a steady pace. SOS Ken Bennett reported that statewide 342,936 ... More >>

Rich Carmona 4.25 Points Down, Kyrsten Sinema Gains, and 524,633 Votes Left Statewide

As votes continue to be counted throughout Arizona, GOP candidate for U.S. Senate Jeff Flake's lead over Democrat Rich Carmona narrowed ever-so slightly, while in Maricopa County, Republican incumbent Joe Arpaio continued to dominate Democrat Paul Penzone in the sheriff's race. Both Carmona and Pen ... More >>

Joe Arpaio Triumphant and More Wreckage from Election Night

Last night was 2008 all over again: Obama wins, while those of us who must live in still deeply red Maricopa County lose. That is, those who want justice, racial and ethnic harmony, and competent, effective law enforcement. As in 2008, we are in the minority. Though percentage-wise, we may have g ... More >>

Maricopa County's Number of Remaining Ballots Unknown; Activists Urge Penzone, Carmona, to Retract Concessions

The Maricopa County Elections Department has given a straight answer about the number of ballots that still haven't been counted as of noon on the day after the election: they don't know.Citizens for a Better Arizona activists went to the elections office today to get a clear number, as media report ... More >>

Ann Kirkpatrick Called Winner in CD-1; Kyrsten Sinema and Martha McSally Sit on Leads

The Associated Press has called Democrat Ann Kirkpatrick the winner of the congressional race in CD-1, apparently defeating Republican opponent Jonathan Paton.For those waiting on the other congressional races -- Kyrsten Sinema v. Vernon Parker in CD-9, and Martha McSally v. Ron Barber in CD-2 -- ke ... More >>

Ken Bennett Says 602,334 Votes Left to Be Counted Statewide

Arizona Secretary of State Ken Bennett has just announced that as of late this afternoon, "an estimated 602,334 early and provisional ballots statewide" have not been counted. "State law gives the counties 10 calendar days to verify and process the remaining early and provisional ballots," the rele ... More >>

Bill Montgomery Prosecuting Fewer Illegal Immigrants for Smuggling Themselves Into Country

Maricopa County Bill Montgomery has prosecuted far fewer illegal immigrants for conspiring to smuggle themselves than his predecessor, Andrew Thomas. Thomas, who was disbarred earlier this year for abusing his power, came up with the idea to charge average illegal immigrants with conspiracy under A ... More >>

Arizona Ballot Propositions: How to Vote Against (or With) Russell Pearce and His Ilk

Here's the thing about the propositions on the ballot for tomorrow's election: for the most part, they're boring, and at the end of the day, you may not really give a damn.Thankfully, people like ousted state Senate President Russell Pearce, Governor Jan Brewer, and the lobbyists from Center for Ari ... More >>

Linda Brickman, Water Board Candidate, Doesn't Think All Muslims are Bad

Two years ago, a slate of five tea-party candidates ran for the non-partisan, 15-member Central Arizona Water Conservation District board with the aim of promoting limited government. Two won: Cynthia Moulton and Mark Lewis. They added to a push by conservatives begun in 2008 to add more of their n ... More >>

El Mirage Mayor Laments That Complaining Residents are Uninformed, But Doesn't Inform Them About City Presentations Offered To, Um, Inform Them

El Mirage Mayor Lana Mook bemoans that residents in her community are lodging fact-starved concerns and complaints with the city. Her solution? She gets city employees to address these oft-complained about topics with PowerPoint presentations and handouts at a public meeting, but she doesn't both ... More >>

Liberal Democrats Tar Republican Jerry Lewis, Borrowing a Page From Extremists They Claim to Loathe

Arpaio Awaits Justice as Election Looms

Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery Gives Warning to Foreign Election Observers

Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery put out a press release to tell foreigners to keep their distance from polling places on election day, consistent with state law.That friendly reminder is in response to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe sending observers to watch the el ... More >>

Amazon Will Start Collecting Arizona Sales Tax in February

Online retailer Amazon will no longer be Arizona's duty-free store.Amazon noted in its latest FEC filing that it's going to start collecting Arizona sales tax on purchases in the state, which currently stands at 6.6 percent.

Maricopa County Elections Office Had More Materials With Wrong Election Date in Spanish, So It Got a Calendar

The Maricopa County Elections Department documents showing the incorrect date for the election -- but just in Spanish -- were not the only things offering the wrong date for Spanish speakers.See also:-Helen Purcell Urged to End Confusion Over CBS 5 Early Ballot Report-Maricopa County Elections Depar ... More >>

El Mirage Officials Throw Up Roadblocks for Councilman Who Wants to Host Meet-and-Greet With City Residents

El Mirage Councilman Jim McPhetres wants to hang out at the city-owned El Mirage Senior Center once a month, invite residents to stop by and chat about city issues. But, city officials are not making it easy -- even though it is pretty standard for elected officials to set up tables, typically in p ... More >>