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Russell Pearce responds

August 22, 2008 By 32 Comments

The Pearce campaign has released the following statement regarding recent events.

Statement of Rep. Russell Pearce
August 22, 2008

“I fully agree with the letter that Congressmen Franks, Shadegg and Flake sent to the Maricopa County Republican Party this week.

We have no room for hate speech or hate groups. We must enforce our laws with compassion, but without apology. “Illegal” has no race or nationality. I refuse to apologize for standing up for America and the Citizens of this Nation who have a Constitutional right to expect our laws to be enforced.

In my 61 years in this community and as a law enforcement officer, a Judge, as a father, grandfather, neighbor, scout master, little league coach, pop warner coach, I have never been accused of such asinine things. The most radical groups I have ever been associated with are the Boy Scouts of America and the Fraternal Order of Police, and I confess I still associate with both of them.

So it goes without saying that I completely disavow Mr. Ready and the groups he associates with.

Finally, the chronology of events as outlined by Nathan Sproul in a recent press release is, as all other material from Mr. Sproul, a distortion of the truth and flatly inaccurate. I refuse to further comment on any material distributed by Mr. Sproul or his committee because to do so only lends an aroma of credibility to a man and an organization who is making his living in the gutters of American politics.

Nathan Sproul is a target of a federal voter fraud investigation and has demonstrated to be as credible on politics as Mr. Ready has been on race.”

-Russell Pearce

Filed Under: Campaigns & Elections

Gibbons – Magruder – Lavecke

August 22, 2008 By 9 Comments

Blogsite The Real Kevin Gibbons just issued the following press release linking local restaurant owners, Mac Magruder and Kevin Levecke to Gibbons campaign donations:

For Immediate Release: August 22, 2008

Franchisers spend $33,780 attacking Russell Pearce and his Employer Sanctions Law
“Mesa Deserves Better” and “Stop Illegal Hiring” Bankroll Campaign for Cheap Labor
MESA -When it comes to attacking Russell Pearce and his employer sanctions law, fast food franchise owners Jason Levecke and Mac Magruder have taken a three pronged approach:  fund Pearce’s opponent, subsidize a misleading personal attack campaign, and finance an initiative to weaken laws.

In all, the proponents of punishing Pearce and gut his employer sanctions law have directly spent $33,780.  Here is their latest spending:

Magruder Family
$780 to Kevin Gibbons, Pearce’s opponent
$10,000 to Mesa Deserves Better
$9,500 directly to Stop Illegal Hiring

Levecke Family
$4,000 to Mesa Deserves Better
$9,500 directly to Stop Illegal Hiring

“Now that the curtain has been pulled back, it’s clear that these fast food franchisers are only looking to line their pockets.  I think it’s disturbing that they are spending so much money to attack me,” said Rep. Pearce.

According to campaign finance reports, Magruder and Levecke’s personal donations make up nearly half of the funds given to “Mesa Deserves Better,” the controversial group targeting Pearce with misleading personal attacks.  Affiliates of their “Stop Illegal Hiring” campaign donated the remaining funds, along with giving an additional $1,860 in donations to Kevin Gibbons.

Their ill-fated “Mesa Deserves Better” personal attack campaign on Russell Pearce and his family has been decried by hundreds of supporters, the East Valley Tribune, the Arizona Republic, and even Governor Janet Napolitano.

Russell Pearce is being challenged for the Arizona State Senate by immigration attorney Kevin Gibbons, who has outspent Pearce through donations from special interest groups. Democrats, and proponents of weakening the employer sanctions laws.

“The ultimate goal of this group is to roll back immigration policies and weaken Arizona’s Employer sanctions laws by any means necessary,” said Pearce. “Their proposed law eliminates required use of E-Verify and its 99.7% accuracy rate in favor of the Federal I-9 process, which is prone to more fraud.  They want to gut the law and make sure I am not around to do anything about it.” 

# # #

Filed Under: Campaigns & Elections, Illegal Aliens, Illegal Employment, Illegal Immigration, Press Release

The Power of a Bumpersticker

August 22, 2008 By 11 Comments

Drudge is reporting.
Kansas City KMBC is reporting

Filed Under: Campaigns & Elections

Former Chairman Lyle Tuttle Steps In

August 22, 2008 By 9 Comments

Sonoran Alliance has just received this letter from the immediate former chairman of the Maricopa County Republican Party.

August 22, 2008
 

Congressman Jeff Flake

Washington, D.C. Office
240 Cannon H.O.B.
Washington, D.C. 20515

District Office
1640 South Stapley #215
Mesa, AZ 85204

 
Dear Rep. Flake,

 I write this letter to you to set the record straight with respect to the “J. T. Ready” issue.

As you may recall, I was still the Maricopa County Republican Committee (MCRC) Chairman until the new chairman was sworn in at very end of the January 19, 2008 MCRC meeting.  It was MY meeting, and I ran it; NOT the incoming MCRC Chairman.

 As I recall, I was advised at that meeting that ‘someone’ (allegedly one J. T. Ready) was or had distributed some unauthorized materials on the seats in the room.

After a brief review of the materials, it was determined that these should be removed and they were.  Further, I personally made an announcement to those in attendance explaining why these materials were being removed; and further stated that if I knew for sure who was responsible for their placement, they would be removed from the facility.  I indicated that these materials and any other such materials were not authorized, and would not be tolerated.

With the aid of some of those in attendance the materials were removed and no new such material was proffered.

As I recall, at the meeting I spoke privately with the LD-18 District Chairman, and we discussed the man who was suspected of this unauthorized distribution of materials.

I take offense at your letter(s) accusing Chairman Husband of taking no action on this matter.  I feel that he, like me, felt that my very public and emphatic announcement on the matter was adequate to forestall any further such distribution of these materials.

 Now, I’m not running for any office, I am only interested in stopping this unwarranted, politically motivated, back-door attack on three gentlemen that I genuinely admire:  Chairman Tom Husband, District Chairman Matt Tolman and Representative Russell Pearce.

 I ask you why, if you feel so strongly about removing Ready as a precinct committeeman, did you wait until now to bring it up?  You did not even speak to me at the January meeting as I recall – why did you not ask me about it or give me some hint as to what you thought the proper action would be?  Why do you wait until now, mere days prior to his term ending?

I think we all know the reason for that, and I think it is pathetic.

A concerned Republican, 

Lyle Tuttle, Past Maricopa County Republican Chairman

Lmt/LMT

Filed Under: Campaigns & Elections, Political Parties

Yes for Marriage – Yes on 102!

August 22, 2008 By 18 Comments

The effort to protect and preserve Marriage in the State of Arizona is on with the formation of the YesforMarriage.com committee. This committee will be working hard to promote passage of Proposition 102 which was referred to the November ballot by the Arizona Legislature.

According to their latest campaign finance report, the committee has raised almost $610,000 since June 1st! Your donations will help even more with the media campaign ahead as opposition is growing and will take every chance to thwart it.

Cathi Herrod, President of the Center for Arizona Policy, has issued a challenge alert to supporters to raise $224,000 in the next few days. Please help her in this effort by making an online donation now.

Filed Under: Campaigns & Elections, Marriage

Bending the news.

August 22, 2008 By 2 Comments

     Financial reports are available for Pima County Supervisor campaigns. As we reported earlier, challenger Joe Higgins raised a significant amount, more than any other candidate during the period and much more than any of the other challengers. For a challenger to raise more than the incumbent during a reporting period is news by most people’s standard. How does the Arizona Daily Star cover the issue? With the headline “Incumbents lead in fundraising.” Technically correct for total raised but wrong for the latest period. I guess there all sorts of tricks they teach in journalism school.

Filed Under: Campaigns & Elections

Jeff Flake Responds to Tom Husband

August 22, 2008 By 32 Comments

In what has become another round of political chess, Congressman Flake has responded with the following letter to Maricopa County Chairman, Tom Husband.

August 21, 2008

Mr. Tom Husband
Chairman, Maricopa County Republican Party

Dear Mr. Husband,

You have indicated that you need evidence of J.T. Ready’s affiliations with Neo-Nazi organizations before you will consider action leading to Mr. Ready’s immediate removal as a precinct committeeman in LD 18. I have attached material detailing those affiliations.

You acknowledge that Mr. Ready distributed anti-Semitic literature at the January 19th meeting of the Maricopa County Republican Party. According to the Phoenix New Times, you said, “we acted immediately to correct it” because “we’re not going to have hate literature permeating our meetings.”What action was taken? If distributing racist literature at an official meeting of the Maricopa County Republican Party does not merit the removal of a precinct committeeman, what does?

What message does it send that the Maricopa County Republican Party has found time to censure our Party’s nominee for President of the United States, but does not have the time or inclination to immediately remove a precinct committeeman with ties to racist organizations?

It’s not enough to merely let Mr. Ready’s term expire. As Republicans, we need to demonstrate that hate and racism have no place in our party by immediately removing Mr. Ready as a precinct committeeman.

Thank you. I look forward to your timely response.

Sincerely,

JEFF FLAKE
Member of Congress

The letter can be read here.

 

Filed Under: Political Parties