Tim Bee stunned the Arizona political scene with a completely unexpected announcement that he is challenging Gabby Giffords for the CD 8 Congressional seat.
Seriously, though, Tim made it official — he’s in. I know, I was there. And, no, I didn’t get tazed, Bro.
It was the kind of non-news news event one expects in the kabuki dance of American politics. But there were a few interesting bits.
Much more after the flip…
Link: Employer sanctions law challenged by sponsors.
Looks like a number of Republicans are getting crosswise on the employer sanctions law now that it has taken effect and real enforcement actions seem imminent, threatening to put good, upstanding (and possibly Republican) businessmen on skid row.
This issue just screams DEMOCRATIC WEDGE ISSUE FOR 2008 STATE LEGISLATIVE RACES at the top of its lungs. I hope it’s not too much longer before every other word coming out of the Arizona Democratic Party’s mouth-piece is "employer sanctions." You don’t get monumental political fuck-ups like this dropped in your lap every day, you know.
Much more after the flip…
Andrew Thomas, who is up for re-election this November, is again doing what he seems to be best at (other than blatantly harassing the media should they criticize him): pushing the ethical envelope to serve his political ambitions and ideological viewpoint.
He distributed a crime prevention booklet to Maricopa residents (Download the booklet) through the distribution networks of local newspapers (at an as-yet undisclosed cost to taxpayers) without any notice to, or specific funding from the Maricopa Board of Supervisors.
Deanne Poulos, the communications director for the board of
supervisors, said the members were not told about the project and only
found out after the booklets were distributed Friday morning. “At this
time we’re still searching for a funding source,” she said. [E.V. Tribune]
Nor is this the first time that Thomas has blatantly used taxpayer money to get his name prominently before the voters of Maricopa. "Recently, Thomas has been criticized for spending $2.5 million in
public money since he took office in 2005 to pay for public service
advertisements that promote his name." [E.V. Tribune]
Most recently, Thomas kicked off an anti-DUI billboard campaign where
his name is splashed in a broad red strip with large lettering across
the bottom. The letters used for Thomas’ name are nearly as large as
the letters in the board’s message.[E.V. Tribune]
Let me make perfectly clear that I think the idea of a County Attorney issuing a crime prevention guide is laudable and forward-thinking. To the extent that the purpose and effect of this publication is to reduce crime, I applaud and credit CA Thomas for publishing it.
But the devil lies in the details, as always…
I was surprised to find that I couldn’t explain how the Right is using immigration as the latest wedge issue better than a cat. That’s right. A cat. Just watch: More good sense from cats…
I posted some pretty strong views on how effective the new employer sanctions law taking effect January 1st will be, and expressed concern about their impact on Arizona’s economy. State Representative Kavanagh, one of the sponsors of the sanctions bill here in Arizona, responded to my post and I invited him to respond to two … Read more