For Immediate Release: Thursday, March 11, 2010

The Bradley Beauchamp for Congress Campaign announced Monday the launch of a grassroots fundraising campaign aimed at getting the citizens of Arizona’s First Congressional District engaged in the political process.

“234 years ago, our nation was born out of good people willing to give up everything for a chance at freedom. Today, our freedoms are in jeopardy, not from foreign tyranny, but from policies and lawmakers overstepping the boundaries of the Constitution,” said Beauchamp, announcing the campaign. “Our campaign is not just about defeating Ann Kirkpatrick in 2010. It is about restoring the rights and freedoms afforded to all citizens in our great nation and earning the trust of the American people. Our Constitution was formed by the Founding Fathers and their great efforts. I will defend freedom, defend the Constitution, and Defend the American Dream; and I will do it with the efforts of the ‘Funding Fathers’ who give what they can for our campaign.”

“Funding Fathers” will be a grassroots fundraising campaign. In these tough times, the citizens of CD-1 are especially hard hit. Therefore, the “Funding Fathers” campaign will acknowledge all who are willing to give whatever they can to the campaign. All contributions, big and small, go a long way in helping Bradley rebuild our country and restore our freedoms.

“Enough is enough,” Beauchamp continued, “Our Founding Fathers knew they had to take a stand and did so. Through “Funding Fathers”, we are acknowledging the thousands of people willing to take a stand with us to defend freedom, defend the Constitution, and defend the American Dream.”

Bradley Beauchamp was born and raised in Arizona. He worked his way up from washing dishes in a café and laboring in a turquoise mine to becoming a schoolteacher, successful attorney and most importantly, a defender of the Constitution.

by Nick Dranias
Goldwater Institute
 
The U.S. Supreme Court has sent a strong signal that it will seriously consider intervening if the fate of matching funds in Arizona’s system of publicly funded campaigns is not determined quickly by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

In January, U.S. District Court judge Roslyn Silver ruled in favor of the Goldwater Institute and struck down the matching funds portion of Clean Elections, calling it “unconstitutional under the First Amendment.” However, a three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit voted 2-1 to put Silver’s ruling on hold until it acts on the case.

In response, the Goldwater Institute Scharf-Norton Center for Constitutional Litigation filed an emergency motion with U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony M. Kennedy to lift the stay from the Ninth Circuit, arguing the Ninth Circuit “defied” the principles enforced in Citizens United v. FEC by keeping alive the threat of matching funds being handed out to state-funded candidates during Arizona’s 2010 election cycle. Justice Kennedy is the author of the majority opinion in Citizens United, which struck down laws that had prohibited groups of individuals–whether corporations, unions or informal associations–from freely spending their money to express their support or opposition for political candidates.

Last week, Justice Kennedy denied “without prejudice” the Goldwater Institute’s emergency motion after referring it to the full Court for consideration. The referral to the full Court was an unusual act, signaling the possibility that Justice Kennedy considered taking more sweeping action on the case. Instead, the Court decided to give the Ninth Circuit an opportunity to rule on the pending appeals, saying if the Ninth Circuit does not decide the matching funds issue by June 1, 2010, the emergency application can be filed again.

Because the state can start handing out matching funds to taxpayer-funded candidates on June 22, 2010, this shows the Supreme Court wants candidates and their supporters to have reasonable certainty about the rules that will apply to the 2010 statewide elections.

In fact, there is a good chance that the First Amendment will be vindicated before the primary election begins; oral arguments are scheduled before the Ninth Circuit on April 12, 2010.

Nick Dranias holds the Clarence J. and Katherine P. Duncan Chair for Constitutional Government and is Director of the Joseph and Dorothy Donnelly Moller Center for Constitutional Government at the Goldwater Institute.

According to the Arizona Guardian:

Ben Quayle posts spotty voting record in public elections

TUESDAY, 16 FEBRUARY 2010 00:08

By Dennis Welch
The Arizona Guardian

Ben Quayle, the latest candidate to jump into the packed Republican primary for the 3rd Congressional District, has had an inconsistent voting record since registering in the state 13 years ago, according to the election files of both major political parties.

Quayle, 33, the son of former Vice President Dan Quayle, participated in two Republican primaries but has never cast a ballot in a municipal election since registering in the state in May of 1997, according to voting databases maintained by the state Democratic and Republican parties.

Quayle did vote in three general elections, including the 2008 presidential election in which he cast an early ballot, the records show. For several years, Quayle lived in California and New York, but told the Guardian on Monday he should have taken a more active role in public elections.
“Like a lot of people my age I haven’t been involved in politics,” Quayle said. “I probably should have been more active and that’s my fault.”

But when asked when he first became interested in politics, Quayle said, “I’ve always been interested in public service ever since I was a kid.”

Quayle’s voting record disappointed many well-known Republicans who questioned the level of his commitment to local issues and public service. His voting record, many political observers predict, would become a major issue he’ll have to overcome to win the primary.

“You don’t run for an office as important as Congress and expect that no one is going to question your lack of involvement as a citizen,” said Jaime Molera, former state superintendent of public instruction and Republican lobbyist.

Qualye’s father, Dan Quayle, surprised the state’s political community last week when he announced on national television that his son was running for office.

Dan Quayle served as vice president under President George Bush from 1989 to 1993. Since moving to the Valley full-time after getting out politics, the Quayle family hasn’t been very active in the local Republican Party and has kept a low profile.

Ben Quayle, who will officially launch his campaign sometime next month, said he was prompted to run for the open congressional seat because he thinks President Barack Obama is leading the country down the wrong path.

But to win the GOP nomination, he’ll have to overcome a crowded field of candidates that include former state lawmakers, current and former mayors and other well-connected politicos.

The regularity of voters are tracked by political parties and kept in a database to help political parties and individual candidates with their get-out-the-vote efforts.

Quayle voted in GOP primaries in 1998 and 2002, according to files kept by the Republican and Democratic parties. He cast ballots for the general elections in 2000, 2006 and 2008. Quayle said he lived in California and New York from 2002 to 2006 where he practiced corporate and real estate law.

He’ll vying to replace U.S Rep. John Shadegg, who is retiring after 16 years in office. His announcement last month sent shock waves through the state political world and politicians abruptly quit their offices or other campaigns to battle for the seat.

Already in the field are former state Sens. Pamela Gorman and Jim Waring, former Rep. Sam Crump, Paradise Valley Mayor Vernon Parker, former Paradise Valley Mayor Ed Winkler and Paulina Morris. Several other candidates, including Phoenix Rep. Adam Driggs, are still considering a run.

Ben Quayle said the Obama administration has served as a wake-up call for him politically, and he plans to run a campaign focused on fiscal responsibility and cutting federal spending.

by Nick Dranias
Goldwater Institute
 
Almost a month ago, the U.S. Supreme Court declared in Citizens United v. F.E.C. that there is no such thing as a “de minimis”–or insignificant–denial of free speech. The ruling should have immediately sparked a sweeping repeal of campaign speech regulations that were previously justified as imposing only a “de minimis” burden. An axe, not a scalpel, should have been taken to the volumes of complex, vague and burdensome campaign laws. Instead of seizing the moment, it appears Arizona Secretary of State Ken Bennett wants follow the lead of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Secretary Bennett has joined Pelosi’s drive to preserve the barriers to political entry swept away by Citizens United. Instead of outright bans on campaign speech by individuals who associate through corporations or unions, the Secretary of State wants to kill campaign speech through regulation. Secretary Bennett wants to threaten class 6 felony charges against any individual or group spending $500 or more to promote their political ideas unless they register with the State and continuously report their expenditures every 24 hours during an election season.

Political elites easily navigate such laws. But they will confuse ordinary people, deter them from seeking a voice in politics, and entrap them with mistakes that will expose them to serious criminal charges. Advocates of these new regulations have no idea how they would impact newer methods of political expression, such as Internet blogging.  And no one at a recent meeting called by the Secretary of State could identify any actual problem the regulations were meant to fix. The justification was that something had to be done, and the State could always clean up the mess later. Besides, the advocates reasoned, the Supreme Court did not strike down reporting laws.

Only politicians, bureaucrats, and lobbyists could agree with the argument that anything that can be regulated under the Constitution should be regulated. Citizens United does not embrace prior restraints on free speech in the guise of campaign registration and reporting requirements. Rest assured, if Secretary Bennett and Speaker Pelosi go too far, the Goldwater Institute won’t let the State transmute the golden principles applied in Citizens United into a leaden excuse for diminishing our most fundamental rights.

Nick Dranias holds the Clarence J. and Katherine P. Duncan Chair for Constitutional Government and is Director of the Joseph and Dorothy Donnelly Moller Center for Constitutional Government at the Goldwater Institute.

This afternoon’s Yellow Sheet had this story:

 

MORE PROBLEMS WITH GOP BOOKKEEPING, SAY SOURCES 

Two Republicans claiming knowledge of the Arizona Republican Party’s finances say the party’s year-end federal campaign finance report is a sham that greatly exaggerated available cash on hand. The report, filed last month, claims the party’s federal account held $65,000 at the end of 2009, but the sources said the real figure was closer to several thousand dollars. YS made several attempts to reach Pullen for comment and requested to view the party’s banking statements, but calls on the subject matter were not returned. State GOP Director Brett Mecum said: “If a Republican has a problem with the state party showing what we have on hand, it would be nice if they actually picked up the phone and called the office and maybe talked to some of us over here. They should take it up with the party and not the press.”

The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the committee held less than $5,000 in late December. One of the sources said they pulled a sleuth move and called the party’s bank (M & I Thunderbird) in late December to ask if the federal account balance could cover a (non-existent) $5,000 check. The inquiry, said the source, prompted the bank to respond in the negative. “The guy (Pullen) is the treasurer of the RNC and his books are a joke,” said the source. “Their entire reporting system is riddled with fraud.” The second insider who contacted YS said the party’s federal account funds were “not anywhere close” to $65,000. A more accurate figure by the end of 2009 would be roughly $3,000, said the Republican. Mecum said the party has “multiple bank accounts so it’d be interesting” to see which account was tested with the fund verification test. SOS records show the in-state account for the party reported $10,600 cash on hand at the end of 2009.

Would Brett Mecum really provide the bank statements if asked?  What does he mean by ”take it up with the party”?  That happened and those folks were dismissed.  The questions linger and suspicion is not easily dissuaded with avoidance. 

It is time for Mr. Pullen and Mr. Mecum to provide a full accounting of each account, money in and money out with dates to match.  No accrual accounting, without the date of transactions, the real story. 

Avoidance of disclosure and facts and repeatedly distracting the focus from obtaining answers to blaming the one with the questions are not signs of a willingness for transparency.  Hey guys, it isn’t your money.  It isn’t your party.  And we aren’t idiots.

For Immediate Release: February 9, 2010

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio Launches National Fundraising Appeal For J.D. Hayworth’s U.S. Senate Campaign

PHOENIX, ARIZONA. FEBRUARY 9, 2010. One national leader in the fight against illegal immigration has launched a fundraising appeal to help another.

A copy of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s letter in support of J.D. Hayworth’s conservative challenge to 24-year incumbent John McCain can be found here.

Hayworth is scheduled to announce his candidacy to replace the moderate McCain with his consistent conservatism on February 15th.

Arpaio has raised nearly $1.5 million, in no more than $410 increments, from over 20,000 donors across the country for a race that is still nearly three years away.

“Sheriff Arpaio and I agree that John McCain’s open borders approach for America is wrong. The Heritage Foundation says McCain’s 2007 amnesty plan would have cost taxpayers $2.6 trillion. We can’t afford to risk John McCain foisting another dangerous, irresponsible plan on our country, should he be elected to a fourth decade in the United States Senate,” Hayworth said.

Sonoran Alliance was featured on this Sunday’s edition of 12 News’ Sunday Square-Off. That’s right, yours truly made my debut appearance on the show in which I had the opportunity to represent conservative Arizona bloggers and activists.

Brahm Resnik hosts this weekly show which is always fast-paced and quick thinking. My two co-guests were Katie Hobbs from the liberal blog, Democratic Diva as well as a Democratic candidate in LD-15, and Casey Newton from the Arizona Republic. The show will actually not show tomorrow morning because it is being pre-empted by another show but you can view it online right here on Sonoran Alliance.

by Nick Dranias
Goldwater Institute

For all Americans, 2010 is starting off as a watershed year for free speech. In the landmark Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled corporations, labor unions, and other groups can spend money on political campaigns as part of their free speech rights. The Court struck down a law that threatened criminal charges if a corporation publicly presented a documentary about Hillary Clinton during an election cycle.  The Court’s majority opinion, written by Justice Anthony Kennedy, declares “under our law and our tradition it seems stranger than fiction for our government to make…political speech a crime.”

In his opinion, Justice Kennedy attacked every doctrine that has ever attempted to belittle the importance of various aspects of free speech. He rejected the idea that less effective means of communication can be more intensely regulated than more effective means of communication, such as blocking a little-known documentary film but allowing newspapers and bloggers to freely endorse candidates at any time. He also rejected the notion that only viewpoint discrimination is bad and discrimination against specific speakers is okay, underscoring the reality that the same danger of censorship exists whether the government discriminates against disfavored speakers or disfavored ideas.

Justice Kennedy clarified what the First Amendment is and what it’s not. He explained that it is fundamentally about preserving freedom from government restraint, favoritism and censorship, and the unfettered ability to communicate one’s thoughts. The First Amendment is not about promoting equal time for all to speak.

Justice Kennedy also spelled out what “compelling state interest” justifies regulating free speech, and it is only the goal of preventing corruption or the appearance of corruption. Kennedy specifically said preventing “distortion” or excessive influence by wealthy or powerful factions is not a compelling reason for the government to regulate campaign speech.

Finally, Justice Kennedy underscored that the least restrictive means of regulation must be used when it comes to free speech. This conclusion is significant because there has been a movement away from this concept in other lawsuits towards a more vague definition of regulations being “narrowly tailored” to create a regulatory structure for each specific instance brought before a court.

In my opinion, there has not been a more important U.S. Supreme Court decision since Brown v. Board of Education.

Nick Dranias holds the Goldwater Institute Clarence J. and Katherine P. Duncan chair for constitutional government and is the director of the Institute’s Dorothy D. and Joseph A. Moller Center for Constitutional Government.

Governor Brewer’s campaign gathers over 5,900 $5 Contributions in less than 3 months

PHOENIX –– Governor Jan Brewer today filed all the necessary petitions and forms to became an official candidate for Governor of Arizona. Her campaign submitted over 5,900 $5 contributions and more than 8,000 petition signatures to qualify for the 2010 ballot. Governor Brewer stands as the only candidate for Governor to submit paperwork to officially qualify for the ballot – a feat that she was able to achieve in less than three months.

No other candidate for Governor – Republican, Democrat, or Independent – has filed petitions or $5 contributions (for those running under Clean Elections) to secure a spot on the ballot. Brewer is among the first handful of any statewide candidates to submit everything necessary to qualify for the ballot, despite a significantly higher number of required $5 contributions needed to run for Governor.

“To anyone who is able to qualify from this day forward,” said Doug Cole, Governor Jan Brewer 2010 spokesman, “just know that one tough lady who has 28 years of experience in serving the public will be there waiting for you.”

The news of Brewer’s official qualification comes on the heels of the announcement that the Governor has been endorsed by wide range of Mayors and Vice-Mayors from across the state.

Brewer, who took the helm as Governor a little more than a year ago in the midst of Arizona’s unprecedented financial crisis, has already cut more than $1 billion from the state budget and reduced the state workforce by 10 percent. She has pledged to continue to make the tough choices and renewed her steadfast commitment to serving the people of Arizona.

“In her years in public service, Jan Brewer has been a proven leader guided by consistent, conservative values,” said Mary Peters, former U.S. Secretary of Transportation and co-chair of Brewer’s campaign, “We are excited about the outpouring of support we have received so far and look forward to the opportunity to share the Governor’s unparalleled track record with the voters.”

“This level of support is a true testament to the Governor’s courage to be a tough leader in these tough times,” said Former Attorney General and campaign co-chair Grant Woods, “While others have failed to lead, Governor Brewer continues to be a problem solver – offering actual solutions.”

“As I said in my announcement, I am in this race to win,” concluded Governor Jan Brewer, “I’m proud of what we have been able to accomplish in such a short amount of time. I am thankful to my volunteers and supporters for their help.”

####

For Immediate Release: February 2, 2010

Jim Ward Outraises Opponents in Congressional District 5 2-to-1

Scottsdale, AZ (February 2, 2010) — Jim Ward, Republican candidate for Arizona’s 5th Congressional District, today announced that he has raised nearly $245,000 in individual contributions for his Republican primary campaign. He is outpacing his Republican competitors by a two to one margin.

“I am humbled by the tremendous level of enthusiasm for my campaign. We continue to move closer to unseating Harry Mitchell,” said Jim Ward. “I am the only candidate that has the proven ability to tackle the big problems at hand such as the unprecedented growth in government spending, failed economic policies, a government-takeover of health care, and attacks on our personal liberties. This support confirms not only that there is a demand for new leadership, but also that I am the right person to represent CD 5.”

News of Ward’s fundraising milestone comes on the heels of major endorsements by Congressman John Shadegg (AZ-3) and he continues to gain endorsements from respected Republican leaders from across Arizona and CD 5. Ward also recently announced the formation of his campaign finance team, headed by Pam Barbey and Eric Crown.

“The huge outpouring of support for this campaign underscores how strongly Arizonans have embraced Jim’s commitment to bring the right kind of change to Washington, D.C.,” said Sean Noble, Campaign Consultant. “Ward continues to outpace his Republican challengers two to one in individual contributions. He is the only candidate with the message and the momentum to beat Harry Mitchell on election day.”

Ward’s campaign raised $91,748 in individual contributions in the final quarter of 2009 out raising his opponents two to one. The campaign has raised a total of nearly $245,000 in individual contributions vastly outpacing his Republican primary opponents each quarter in individual contributions illustrating his widespread support.

Ward announced his candidacy for Congressional District 5 in June, 2009. He has traveled the district outlining his vision for a more efficient, less intrusive government that promotes individual liberties and free markets. He promises to end an era of support for wasteful spending and big government. Ward’s campaign momentum continues to grow through endorsements and grassroots support.