According to a new survey by North Carolina-based Public Policy Polling, Arizona Democrats might actually have a shot at beating Republican golden-boy Congressman Jeff Flake in the 2012 race to replace U.S. Senator Jon Kyl. If they nominate former U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona instead of ex-Arizona Democratic Party Chair Don…
Man, this drama is getting moldier than a rerun of 21 Jump Street. This afternoon, the Arizona Supreme Court — for the second time — handed Governor Jan Brewer a big fat loss on her attempt to remove Colleen Mathis, chairwoman of the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission, the panel charged…
Christmas came early this year, I thought to myself, as Jerry Lewis, the man who played David to ex-state Senate President Russell Pearce’s Goliath in the Legislative District 18 recall, was sworn in this afternoon on the Senate floor by Arizona Supreme Court Chief Justice Rebecca White Berch.Yep, Christmas. And…
Former state Senate President Russell Pearce is history. Tomorrow, Jerry Lewis, his victorious challenger in the Legislative District 18 recall race is scheduled to be sworn in as LD 18’s new state Senator.Today, Citizens for a Better Arizona, the group that forced the recall in LD 18 will announce its…
Consider this the first anti-Arpaio ad for 2012, ironically produced by Arpaio’s goons, and censored heavily by them as well….He’s cost taxpayers $100 million in swiped county funds, has the blood of unfortunates such as Juan Farias Mendoza on his hands, was forced to settle to the tune of $1…
In the end, Joel Fox couldn’t make his bosses believe he wasn’t lying. The former Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office captain, who was fired in October for “egregious” ethical violations related to his work on a secret campaign-fundraising scheme on behalf of Sheriff Arpaio, tried out nearly all of his illogical…
Arizona Governor Jan Brewer’s incompetent overreach of power in removing the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission’s chairwoman Colleen Mathis — one aided and abetted by former state Senate President Russell Pearce’s “Tea Party Senate” — has been overturned by the Arizona Supreme Court, which today reinstated Mathis as chair.You’ll recall that…
There’s good news for Wall Street — the “occupiers” who have been protesting corporate greed (or whatever it is they’re protesting) for the past several months have a new target for their rage: Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio.That, of course, is according to the sheriff’s bloated ego.”The ‘Occupy Wall Street’…
Think it’s time for a change…Because of the impending holiday and some minor complications with my recent surgery, Feathered Bastard will go semi-dark until after Thanksgiving. Please look for regular blogging to begin again November 28, though I may blog before then if there’s an item that’s pressing.Much obliged for all…
You can tack another $1 million on to the more than $50 million in legal settlements Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio has cost county taxpayers — the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors is expected to approve a settlement in a lawsuit filed by a man who died while in the…
The entire report from this year’s high-profile investigation into abuses under Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio must be released within two weeks, a judge has ordered.In May, Arpaio’s office released about two-thirds of a report and supplemental documents from an internal investigation launched after a scathing memo by one of…
Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s expensive inmate transport bus can finally be put to use, the counties Board of Supervisors ruled this morning.Arpaio and the BOS have been battling over the bus since Arpaio broke county rules to purchase it in 2009. In response to Arpaio’s unauthorized purchase, the BOS…
In what has become one of the dumber longer pissing matches in the ongoing spat between several of Maricopa County’s elected officials, the county’s Board of Supervisors is expected to make a decision today about whether to allow Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio to use an expensive inmate transport bus…
Uncle Russ needs him some free gub’mint cheese. He ain’t got a job no more because of them dang liberals, and that cheese will only cost y’all taxpayers $230,000. Plus, the Constitution promises it to him. Such are the pathetic trial balloons being floated by ex-state Senate President Russell Pearce’s sycophants in…
Just-defeated state Senate President Russell Pearce doesn’t know when to keep his redneck trap shut. First he’s soundly defeated by challenger Jerry Lewis in the Legislative District 18 recall, then he’s removed as Senate President by the Republican caucus, and now Pearce’s margin of loss has widened to nearly 12 percent,…
The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled today that it will re-hear New Times’ lawsuit against Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio and others over the 2007 arrest of its founders after our newspaper published an article about a grand jury that — the public would later learn — didn’t actually…
Where is James Patock’s dog, Lobo?As we reported last month, the former Arizonan last saw Lobo, his 10-year-old German Shepherd, when the United States Park Police were searching his trailer at the National Mall in Washington D.C.Cops mistakenly believed his trailer was a giant bomb and searched it, finding three…
Folks have been asking why I haven’t blogged yet on state Senate President Russell Pearce’s removal from the body politic last night when he was defeated in the Legislative District 18 recall race, 53-45 percent. A massive win for challenger Jerry Lewis, Citizens for a Better Arizona and for anyone…
Joel Fox is a now a former captain of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, having been fired last month by the same sheriff who apparently benefited from Fox’s campaign hijinks.But Fox’s experiences of the last three years in trying to dig himself out from the mess his bosses created may…
A local optometrist alleges in a federal complaint that Nationwide Vision allowed one of its executives to retaliate against her after she filed a sexual harassment complaint.Melodie Nannenga claims that soon after she was hired at the Nationwide store at Power Road and Southern Avenue in Mesa in June of…
Congratulations to the New Times reader who goes by the handle InandOutinMaricopaCounty, you are the proud winner of this week’s New Times You Write the Caption contest.On Friday, we asked readers to provide what they think would be an appropriate caption for the above photo of presidential candidate Herman Cain…
As we reported last week, Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu’s chief deputy, Steve Henry, is considering running for his boss’ current gig — and this morning, he made it official.”With the possible departure of Sheriff Babeu, I want to ensure we keep moving forward with all of the improvements we…
