Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
You may remember that when the recall of disgraced former Senate President Russell Pearce was announced the only media that believed he was vulnerable and could be defeated under the right circumstances was the Phoenix New Times and Blog For Arizona. The establishment political media in Arizona (which is synomymous with the conservative media entertainment complex and frequently the media arm of the Arizona Republican Party) all pooh-poohed the idea as crazy, can't happen, don't waste your time. Ol' Russell is untouchable.
We were right, they were wrong. Get ready for this same dynamic to play out again this year.
The Phoenix New Times reports Joe Arpaio Recall Paperwork Filed With Maricopa County Elections Department:
The political committee that's apparently going to try to recall
Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio filed its registration paperwork with
the county elections department this morning.
It's still not
clear exactly who's behind the committee, Respect Arizona, but Citizens
for a Better Arizona president Randy Parraz told Stephen Lemons this morning that he knows some stuff about it.
He told Lemons an attorney named William James Fisher will chair the
committee, which is consistent with the information on this morning's
filing. A woman at Fisher's office tells New Times that Fisher's out of the office until [Thursday] — which is when a press conference on the matter is supposedly being held.
[Note: Guys, put Blog for Arizona on your press release media email blasts.]
The only other person listed on the registration is Bob Unferth, who's listed as the treasurer of Respect Arizona. Unferth has worked with Parraz
and CBA on a few things, including some anti-Russell Pearce efforts in
Pearce's attempted comeback this year. Neither Parraz nor Unferth
immediately returned New Times' messages, left shortly before noon.
Other than that, there's not too much information in the filing, other than the website for the recall has the appropriate name of RecallArpaio.com — which is "under construction."
Organizers will have to collect 335,317
signatures within four months of filing their paperwork with the county.
The total is 25 percent of the more than 1.3 million ballots cast in
the sheriff’s race in 2012.
I assume that the "Team Awesome" volunteers who worked so hard to defeat crazy Uncle Joe Arpaio last year are still on board, as are the numerous civil rights and Hispanic rights organizations. There is an organization in place led by individuals with a proven track record of success and a dedicated army of volunteers. Job one is to collect 335,317
valid signatures. You know what to do.