Russell Pearce

Will Russell Pearce Escape Today's Recall Election With His Job?

Senate President (for now) Russell Pearce and his old pal, notorious hatemonger J.T. Ready.​Today's the big day: Arizona Senate President Russell Pearce could potentially get a voter-assisted boot from his powerful position in Arizona state government.Pearce has pulled out some of the slimiest sto ... More >>

Prediction: State Senator Russell Pearce Will Be Kissing His Political Career Goodbye on November 8

Russell Pearce's Bro Lester Pearce, Busted

Evidence of Judge Pearce's violation of Arizona's Code of Judicial ConductThis justice, he ain't no good judge of the law. I mean Mesa Justice of the Peace Lester Pearce, brother of embattled state Senate President Russell Pearce, who apparently has abrogated Arizona's judicial code of conduct by ac ... More >>

Best Reader Caption For Photo of Michele Bachmann, Trent Franks, and Russell Pearce?

James KingYour Caption Here​Last week, we asked our readers to offer suggestions for an appropriate caption for the above photo we snapped of presidential candidate Michele Bachmann, recalled Arizona Senate President Russell Pearce, and fagala-fearing Congressman Trent Franks for this week's New ... More >>

Russell Pearce's Extremist Pals, Including Neo-Nazis, Donate to Patriots for Pearce

Elton Hall (left) proud neo-Nazi and Pearce supporterTo borrow a line from The Blues Brothers, state Senate President Russell Pearce's got the band back together. But it's a band with more extremists than teeth. So to speak.Take the case of Elton Hall, onetime stormtrooper for American Nazi Par ... More >>

Russell Pearce's Pals Tom Tancredo and Bay Buchanan Pony Up a Measly $424 to Save Russ

TeamAmericaPACGotta wonder what these guys thought of the movie...Did they leave out a zero somewhere?I keep rubbing my eyes and scratching my noggin over this latest campaign finance report filed yesterday by the Committee to Oppose Recall of Russell Pearce, which is run by the Virginia-based ... More >>

Russell Pearce Recall: Yellow Sheet Admits Senate President Is On the Ropes

Pearce loyalist Dan Grimm: Did he commit perjury, and if so, will the MCAO hold him accountable? The Arizona Capitol Times' Yellow Sheet costs $250 per month? Crikey, that equals my liquor store tab for September. Well, almost.Which is why I won't be subscribing anytime soon to YS, the dai ... More >>

Anti-Russell Pearce Group Sends LD 18 Mailer, Fails to Register with Secretary of State

With "friends" like these...In what looks like a less-than-smooth move by Democrats attempting to help Republican Jerry Lewis' challenge of state Senate President Russell Pearce in the Legislative District 18 recall, a group incorporated as "Citizens United for Progress" has sent out pro-Lewis, anti ... More >>

Best Reader Comment For Photo of Sham Russell Pearce Recall Candidate Olivia Cortes?

Your comment here.​Last week, we asked our readers to let us know what they would say to Senate President Russell Pearce's sham "candidate," Olivia Cortes, if they happened to bump into her somewhere and got to tell her to her face what you think of her -- and Pearce's -- sleazy attempt to manip ... More >>

Russell Pearce in Trouble with LDS Church, Brahm Resnik Scores

Kudos to Channel 12's Brahm Resnik for this story about state Senate President Russell Pearce landing in scalding H2O with his own Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I was at the same recent Republican Legislative District 18 meeting, and when I learned about the footage of it availab ... More >>

Cortes-gate Unravels, and All Arizona Needs Is a Prosecutor Willing to Do His Job

Russell Pearce's "Friends" List Contains Jerry Lewis Supporters, and, Apparently, Dead People

russellpearce.comHelen DeGroff said she wants her deceased husband Lee's name off the FOR list Remember that line from M. Night Shyamalan's The Sixth Sense, "I see dead people"? Well, if you're familiar with the residents of Mesa, you'll see some deceased individuals on state Senate President Russel ... More >>

Russell Pearce's Bane Tom Ryan on Horizon, and Ryan's Co-Counsel Mike Wright's Op-Ed

State Senate President Russell Pearce and his political hatchet-bearer Constantin Querard must have Tom Ryan dolls they push pins into at night. Attorney Ryan, who brought the lawsuit that forced sham candidate Olivia Cortes out of the recall race in Legislative District 18, is coming after Pe ... More >>

Russell Pearce's Cortes Scandal: Tom Ryan Challenges the Media, Lester Pearce Flips Out

Dennis Gilman's video of Ryan's press conference yesterdayAttorney Tom Ryan was in rare form Thursday afternoon as he faced the media with his client, Mary Lou Boettcher, the plaintiff in the lawsuit against sham candidate Olivia Cortes, and his co-counsel H. Micheal Wright. The scene was Mesa's Wri ... More >>

Russell Pearce Skewered by CBA in TV Ad

Russell Pearce gets the stuck pig treatment in this CBA ad.State Senate President Russell Pearce, a wholly owned subsidiary of sleazy fatcat lobbyists, with his hand out, ready to take pricey trips and football tickets for himself and his family, while cutting hundreds of millions of dollars in stat ... More >>

September 28 In Blogs: Olivia Cortes, Casablance Lounge, The Zombies, Pizza Daux, and Swords

In the 24-hour news cycle, it can be difficult to keep up. We have the solution. Check back on Valley Fever every evening for highlights from each of New Times' blogs. Today's entries:

Russell Pearce's Brother Judge Lester Pearce Campaigns for Russell Despite Ethics Rules

The judge plays defense for Pearce loyalist Pat Oldroyd at a recent LD 19 meetingLester Pearce, brother to state Senate President Russell Pearce and longtime Justice of the Pearce for the North Mesa Justice Court, allegedly has been campaigning on behalf of his embattled sibling, despite a prohibiti ... More >>

Russell Pearce's Olivia Cortes Fiasco: Complaint Shot Down by SOS, Lawsuit Will Be Filed Soon

Olivia Cortes: You've got to wonder if she expected this level of scrutiny The complaint filed by Democratic precinct committeeman and former candidate for state Senate in Legislative District 18 Robert McDonald in the ever-widening Russell Pearce/Olivia Cortes scandal has just been shot down by the ... More >>

Russell Pearce's "Sham" Candidate Olivia Cortes Sued by LD 18 Voter

Mesa resident and vote-diluter Olivia Cortes, now being sued for her candidacy Hot off the presses: A lawsuit brought by elections law attorney Tom Ryan on behalf of Legislative District 18 voter Mary Lou Boettcher, challenging the legitimacy of Olivia Cortes, the so-called "sham" recall candidate p ... More >>

September 23 In Blogs: Olivia Cortes, El Mac, Sister Cities, Cornish Pasty Co., and Michael Surgeon

​In the 24-hour news cycle, it can be difficult to keep up. We have the solution. Check back on Valley Fever every evening for highlights from each of New Times' blogs. Today's entries:

Does Russell Pearce Believe in the "Holy Lie"?

Lawyer Tom Ryan Attempts a Hail Mary Legal Pass to Boot a Fraudulent Candidate Off the Recall Ballot

Russell Pearce/Olivia Cortes Probe Requested by Ex-LD 18 Candidate

Dennis GilmanWhat did Pearce know about Olivia Cortes' candidacy? And will the Secretary of State's Office heed calls for an investigation?Below is a letter e-mailed today from Democratic precinct committeeman Robert McDonald to Arizona Elections Director Amy Bjelland requesting an investigation int ... More >>

Russell Pearce's Supporters in LD 19 Outed as Olivia Cortes Petition Gatherers, while LD 18 Stays Neutral

Dennis GilmanFormer LD 19 chair Pat Oldroyd, Cortes petition-gatherer and supporter of Russell PearceOn Thursday, while state Senate President Russell Pearce was in one part of Mesa, denying that he knows or has ever met Olivia Cortes, the candidate meant to "dilute" the vote in the upcoming Legisla ... More >>

Russell Pearce's Challenge to Recall Shot Down by Arizona Supreme Court

Pearce loses yet again...I'm on deadline for my column this week, but I wanted to share this news, fresh from the Arizona Supreme Court.The Supremes just issued the following order, affirming Superior Court Judge Hugh Hegyi's decision to dismiss a lawsuit challenging the petitions that have forced a ... More >>

Russell Pearce's Lame Attempts to Rehabilitate His Image, Part I

Would you buy a used car from this man? Um, so why would you buy anything else he has to say?With the November 8 recall election advancing on him like an out-of-control semi, state Senate President Russell Pearce is attempting to morph himself into an honorable man, a practical politician and rehabi ... More >>

Russell Pearce Lobbyist Shindig Crashed by Citizens for a Better Arizona

Pearce, keeping a low profile at a fundraising event in his honorFour hundred clams. That's what some lobbyists may have paid to attend a fundraiser held for embattled state Senate President Russell Pearce Wednesday night at Alexi's Grill in Phoenix.By my estimation, there were about 30 or 40 attend ... More >>

Russell Pearce Operative Matt Tolman's Bag of Dirty Tricks

Christopher Bradley via FacebookPhoto of one of the sleazy, pro-Pearce placards going up in MesaIf you need a sign of state Senate President Russell Pearce's desperation, look no further than above: one of the placards sprouting up around Mesa, smearing the recall effort, Citizens for a Better Arizo ... More >>

Russell Pearce's Newest Challenger: Libertarian Michael Kielsky

facebook.com/kielskyLibertarian Michael Kielsky wants Pearce's job, too, apparentlyI've not known the local Libertarian crowd to be overly fond of state Senate President Russell Pearce, which makes me wonder why one of their tribe appears to be jumping into the recall campaign in Legislative Distric ... More >>

Russell Pearce's Lawyer Files Notice of Appeal to Arizona Supreme Court

He'll always be king of pain...At this point, I'm really beginning to wonder if state Senate President Russell Pearce is a sadomasochist. The sadist part is easy to see. But the masochism becomes more evident with each new legal maneuver by Lisa Hauser, the attorney working on behalf of Pearce ... More >>

Russell Pearce Recall Opponent Tommy Cattey Drops Out, Endorses Jerry Lewis

Tommy Cattey with wife Heidi Tommy Cattey, the Mesa resident who had filed paperwork to campaign against state Senate President Russell Pearce in the upcoming Legislative District 18 recall election, has dropped out of the race and endorsed fellow contender Jerry Lewis.Cattey, who made his announcem ... More >>

Russell Pearce's Challenge to Recall Shot Down, Dismissed by Judge Hugh Hegyi

Pearce's challenge to the recall has been shot down in superior courtSuperior Court Judge Hugh Hegyi just issued a ruling in state Senate President Russell Pearce's legal challenge to his recall, dismissing the complaint brought by the legal beagle working on his behalf, Lisa Hauser.Hegyi agreed wit ... More >>

Russell Pearce and the Fake Jerry Lewis Twitter Account

Gay jokes, the true sign of a limited intellect...The product of some right-wing wag or the latest example of dirty pool from the camp of state Senator Russell Pearce? I'll opt for a little of both, as the phony Twitter account under the name of Legislative District 18 recall candidate Jerry Lewis i ... More >>

Russell Pearce Legal Challenge Argued Before Judge Hugh Hegyi

recallpearce.comThis guy, a decent human being? Gimme a break...State Senate President Russell Pearce was a no-show today to the hearing that could, hypothetically, save his hide in the upcoming November 8 recall election in Legislative District 18. Ditto the official plaintiff in the legal cha ... More >>

Morning Poll: Was Olivia Cortes, Candidate in Russell Pearce Recall Election, Planted by Pearce?

Olivia Cortes' Facebook pageOlivia Cortes is running in the Russell Pearce recall election. Why? Your guess is as good as ours.​Mesa Community College grad Olivia Cortes is a candidate in the recall election for the state Senate seat currently held by Senate President Russell Pearce -- and nobody ... More >>

Russell Pearce's Recall Downfall May Come in the Form of Jerry Lewis, One of LD18's Good Guys

Russell Pearce Challenger Jerry Lewis Formally Announces Candidacy in LD 18 Recall Race

Southwest Pictures, LLCJerry Lewis announces, as Supervisor Don Stapley (far right) looks on As Eddie Albert liked to say in The Longest Yard (the original, not the Adam Sandler remake), "His-to-ry."That's what Arizona witnessed this morning in Mesa in the garden room of the Victorian-style Wright H ... More >>

Russell Pearce Recall Committee Formed by "Outside Interests"

Non-Arizonan Tom Tancredo comes to Russ' rescue with an out-of-state anti-recall committeeAh, sweet irony.State Senate President Russell Pearce's supporters love to prevaricate about Citizens for a Better Arizona, the committee that's collected enough signatures in Legislative District 18 to force a ... More >>

Russell Pearce and J.T. Ready in You Write the Caption

Your caption here​In honor of the recall of Senate President Russell Pearce, we've chosen an oldie-but-goody for this week's New Times You Write the Caption contest.You Write the Caption's pretty self-explanatory. Here's how you play: we show you a picture, like the one above of Senate President ( ... More >>

Russell Pearce's Lawyer Is Full of Bunk

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 Files Lame Court Challenge to Recall Petitions

Squawk all you want, bully-boy, your days in office are numbered...right up till November 8State Senator Russell Pearce's lawyer Lisa Hauser filed one of the lamest legal challenges in this history of civil actions today. This, to the so-far successful recall effort against Pearce, which has resulte ... More >>

Governor Jan Brewer Issues Order for November 8 Russell Pearce Recall Election

I like Sinema, but she flubbed a couple of facts on OlbermannThough it's mostly a formality, Governor Jan Brewer today officially called a November 8 recall election for state Senate President Russell Pearce.In a terse memo issued on her website, she stated:"Today, in accordance with state law, I is ... More >>

Russell Pearce Denied: AG's Office Says No Corporate Contributions for Pearce's Anti-Recall Committee

Gage SkidmoreNo corporate money for you, boo-boo​More bad news for state Senate President Russell Pearce.One day before the historic announcement by the Arizona Secretary of State's Office that the Pearce recall will go before the voters of Legislative District 18, Arizona's Solicitor General Davi ... More >>

Russell Pearce's Supporters' Claims of "Massive Voter Registration Fraud" Contradicted by Elections Officials

Will Linda Bentley's bogus allegations save this guy? Not a chance...As of Monday morning, Maricopa County Elections Director Karen Osborne said the county had validated 10,356 signatures from petitions seeking the recall of state Senate President Russell Pearce. That's 2,600 more than the 7,75 ... More >>

June 20 In Blogs: Russell Pearce, Ryan Dunn, Damon Albarn, Bourbon Steak, and Greg Stanton

​​​In the 24-hour news cycle, it can be difficult to keep up. We have the solution. Check back on Valley Fever every evening for highlights from each of New Times' blogs. Today's entries:

Russell Pearce Recall Sigs Scored, Most Pearce Donors from Outside LD18

Most of Pearce's 2010 donations were from outside LD18I plan to ride around town with a dead crow in my car, so the next time I see local hack Howie Fischer, he of the one-man "Capitol Media Services," I can carve him off a slice for his dinner.See, Fischer, like many of the rest of Arizona's status ... More >>

Russell Pearce Sued by Puente's Sal Reza

Uriel GarciaStephen Montoya (left) and Sal Reza at a press conference Tuesday announcing the lawsuit filed against Senate President Russell Pearce.​Pro-immigrant activist Sal Reza, leader of the Phoenix human-rights group Puente, announced Tuesday that he's suing state Senate President Russell Pea ... More >>

Russell Pearce Receives "Unemployment Check," and He's Gonna Need It

A little dose of the reality in store for Russell Pearce...Even though I'm on deadline for this week's column, I couldn't miss today's action by the Russell Pearce-recall group Citizens for a Better Arizona, during which organizer Randy Parraz attempted to deliver to the state Senate President his f ... More >>

Russell Pearce Begs for Corporate Funds, Uses Office on Behalf of Anti-Recall Effort

Pearce, seeking corporate dough to save his hideState Senate President Russell Pearce and the Republican-controlled Legislature couldn't be bothered today to change one word in state law to extend unemployment benefits to 15,000 out-of-work Arizonans, but Pearce has had time to compose a lengthy, fi ... More >>