Political Lobbyists

Atheists at Secular Coalition for Arizona Files IRS Complaint Over Center for Arizona Policy's Lobbying

There's a source to the religulous bills in the Arizona Legislature every year, and that source is called the Center for Arizona Policy.The atheists over at the Secular Coalition for Arizona have a problem with that, but it -- and other groups -- want Uncle Sam to see if there's a problem with their ... More >>

Here's the List of Arizona State Senators Who Didn't Want to Ban Lawmakers From Getting Free Tickets to Special Events

Last year, people were creating a stink after it was discovered that some Arizona legislators got tickets and trips to sporting events thanks to the Fiesta Bowl.Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery explained in December that none of the politicos would face charges, saying prosecutors were ... More >>

Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton Injects New Blood On Influential Board; Cuts Some Lobbyist Ties

Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton appointed two new members this week to the Board of Adjustment, a body that weighs development-related cases with significant impact on neighborhoods and developers. Stanton replaced Bob Ford and Alex Tauber, both serving on terms that had expired more than a year ago. ... More >>

Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton Sworn In By Former Arizona Governor Rose Mofford

After the inauguration ceremony, audience members made their way into Phoenix City Hall for a reception, which included offering a 2012 wish for Phoenix and its elected officials.​Greg Stanton took the stage as Phoenix's 52nd mayor and delivered an inauguration speech earlier today that, in part, ... More >>

Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton Sworn in By Former Arizona Governor Rose Mofford

​Greg Stanton took the stage as Phoenix's 52nd mayor and delivered an inauguration speech earlier today that, in part, announced his plans to develop a second bio-medical campus in north Phoenix with the Mayo Clinic and creation of a "Mayors' Futures Forum on Education," a way for Arizona may ... More >>

Greg Stanton Wins Keys to Phoenix Mayor's Office, Enjoys Double-Digit Lead Over Wes Gullett

Phoenix mayor-elect Greg Stanton​Phoenix mayoral candidate Wes Gullett conceded the Phoenix mayor's race to Greg Stanton, who ended the night with 56 percent of the vote -- a 13-point lead over his opponent.Stanton, caught up in a frenzy of hugs, handshakes and media interviews, missed the c ... More >>

Phoenix Mayoral Candidate Wes Gullett's Story Is More Complicated Than It Looks

Occupy Phoenix FAIL: 46 "Occupiers" Arrested. Fed Still Exists; Corporate Greed Rampant

James KingPiggy: now an adjective.​The "Occupy Phoenix" protest against corporate greed, the Fed, the government, the banks, politicians, lobbyists, "the corporations" (etc., etc., etc.), has come to an end.(Ahem) Shockingly, nothing's really changed -- the Fed still exists, lobbyists are still lo ... More >>

Russell Pearce's Lobbyist Pal Greg Patterson and the Ties That Bind

espressopundit.comLobbyist Patterson: Licking Pearce's boots clean is just the price of doin' business...The first thing you need to know about Greg Patterson of the right-wing Espresso Pundit blog is that he is a lobbyist. According to the Arizona Secretary of State's website, he has been a re ... More >>

Greg Stanton, Phoenix Mayoral Candidate, Releases Poll Showing 20-Point Lead Over Opponent

Stanton-commissioned poll shows he has lead in mayor's race​The poll commissioned by Greg Stanton, a candidate in the Phoenix mayor's race, reveals he has maintained a strong lead over his challenger Wes Gullett.(Of course it does ... otherwise he wouldn't have released it and a detailed memo Camp ... More >>

Wes Gullett, Phoenix Mayoral Candidate, Endorsed By Former Mayor Paul Johnson

Wes Gullet given a political nod by a former Phoenix mayor​Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon, leaving office in just a few months, has stayed out of the endorsement business in the upcoming mayor's race between former Councilman Greg Stanton and lobbyist Wes Gullett. But Paul Johnson, one of Gordon's BFF' ... More >>

Wes Gullett, Phoenix Mayoral Candidate, Pledges to Leave His Lobbying Firm If He's Elected Mayor

Phoenix mayoral candidate Wes Gullett​Phoenix lobbyist Wes Gullett is pledging to walk away from his lobbying firm if he is elected mayor of Phoenix."I will divest my entire interest from my company," he says in a statement released this morning.Gullett's spokesman says that Gullett's partners at ... More >>

Russell Pearce's Desert Divas Connection and Chuck Coughlin's Threats

Give and give generously, lobbyists, or feel the wrath of KhanI have to give a nod to the Arizona Republic's Mary Jo Pitzl for nabbing a little item I'd been sitting on regarding a fundraising e-mail to fellow lobbyists sent from Mike Williams of the Phoenix firm Williams & Associates. This, on ... More >>

Russell Pearce Fundraiser To Be Protested Friday

Pearce builds his own trough and goes hog-wild FridayAnti-Russell Pearce activists are set to protest both a Friday, January 7 fundraiser for the state Senate President-elect, and the opening day of business for the Arizona Legislature on Monday, January 10, when Pearce will take his seat as the Dar ... More >>

Phoenix Coyotes Update: Goldwater Institute Not Ready to Sue Just Yet

Goldwater Institute lawyers have decided against suing the city of Glendale -- for now.​Yesterday, a spokesman at the Goldwater Institute told us that the think tank was readying a lawsuit over the city of Glendale's deal with the NHL, which could give the hockey league up to $25 million to ... More >>

Mayor Phil Gordon Can Run, But -- Senate Bill 1070 or Not -- He Can't Hide

Arizona Republic Publisher Mike Ryan Quits the Scottsdale Chamber of Commerce — Finally

Arizona Gun Lobbyists Form New PAC; Do You Feel Lucky Punk? Do Ya?

www.imdb.com​Apparently allowing any idiot with a permit to bring a gun into a bar wasn't enough to satisfy Arizona's gun lobby.The Arizona Citizens Defense League, a new political action committee recently formed by local gun lobbyists, hopes to pull the strings of state leaders and sway upcoming ... More >>

Goldwater Institute Attempts to Intervene in Coyotes' Bankruptcy

​Saying that bankruptcy court might be the only place to stop a deal that forces taxpayers into subsidizing the Phoenix Coyotes, the Goldwater Institute filed a motion this afternoon asking to the judge to allow them to intervene in the case.The motion is filed on behalf of eight Glendale taxpayer ... More >>

Lobbyist Spending Doubles During Decade of Clean Elections -- Coincidence?

  Our cover story this last week told you about the unexpected consequences of Arizona's Clean Elections experiment: a more polarized legislature, a fair amount of gratuitious spending, and dirty tricks aplenty. But one of our sources recently pointed us toward an interesting phenomena pot ... More >>

The Dirty Truth about "Clean" Elections

Sheriff Joe Arpaio's Fall Guy Refuses to Name Bank Holding SCA Funny Money

  Maricopa County Sheriff's Captain Joel Fox, still the only person to date who's been linked to a mysterious $105,000 donation to the Arizona Republican Party, took the stand today in front of Administrative Law Judge Thomas Shedden -- but instead of resolving the issue, Fo ... More >>

Los Lipstick Lesbianas

They know they are, but what are you?

Soiled Hands

It's no surprise that builders take shortcuts to make money. What might shock you: Government officials -- from regulators to legislators -- do little to stop them

Jesus Wouldn't Do That

Trent Franks is no fiscal conservative. And he's the worst kind of Christian.

Blur

Band finds focus on new album

Blur

Think Tank (EMI)

Yippee

Infighting and back-stabbing are still in fashion this political season

Think Tank Warfare

Barry Goldwater's widow says the conservative institute that bears his name is twisting his legacy

Shafted Again

Mining industry strikes another rich vein in the Legislature

Letters

From the week of January 21, 1999

Who Gives . . .

A peek at how the power companies played the political game in 1998:

Insurance, Business Lobbies Loco . . . over attempts to reform health maintenance organizations

Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch . . . lobbyists try to bushwhack buyers of faulty homes

The Law of the Land

Lobbyists ride roughshod over the legislative process, going so far as to write the bills that lawmkers pass

Industry Goes to the Well . . . to dilute clean-water regulations

Tax Breaks Thicker Than Thieves ... when industry sidles over for a handout

The Serene Clean Elections Machine

For all that's at stake, the state's most influential lobbyists and businesses are strangely silent on Proposition 200, which would remove them as the primary financiers of election campaigns

Letters

A Self-Interested Party

Engineer-legislator gets sued over a public works project, then backs a bill that releases him from indemnifying future projects

Trickle-Down Theory

Industries get a big say in rewrite of water-pollution laws; public may pick up tab

Miner Regulations

Arizona copper kings are enthusiastic about a pending mine-reclamation law--because they wrote it

Strong-arm of the Law

Law enforcement lobby imperils bill that would create a list of government records sealed from the public's view

WHEN A SENATOR WORKS FOR A LOBBYING FIRM

BUSINESS AS USUAL

STATE LAWMAKERS SOLVED MANY PROBLEMS THIS SESSION. UNFORTUNATELY,MOST OF THE PROBLEMS WERE BIG BUSINESSES'.

CASUAL CONFLICTS

ARIZONA LAWMAKERS OPERATE UNDER A SYSTEM INCAPABLE OF STEMMING CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.

For Sale: One War Hero

MEANWHILE, BACK IN THE LOBBY

"THE DEAL" GOES DOWN. INFLUENCE GETS PEDDLED. IS IT ANY WONDER LAWMAKERS ARE GETTING A LIFE---SOMEPLACE ELSE?

PEST CONTROLGOVERNMENT SPRAYS FOR ENVORONMENTALISTS BEFORE HOSTING PESTICIDE CONFAB