District 18 will have the opportunity to recall a dangerous demagogue who has brought disrepute to Arizona

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

David Safier earlier posted that Karen Osborne certified the petitions to recall "King" Russell Pearce on Friday morning.

It’s official: Senate President Russell Pearce is the first sitting elected legislator who will face a recall election in Arizona history.

The Arizona Republic reports today, Russell Pearce recall: Enough signatures to force election:

Maricopa County Elections Director Karen Osborne submitted a 1,200-page certification package to the Arizona Secretary of State's Office on Friday morning determining that the recall effort has enough valid signatures from registered voters in Mesa's District 18 to force a special election.

On Friday afternoon, the Secretary of State's Office officially put the recall on the November ballot. Pearce, whose opponents decry him as an extremist with a radical agenda, has five days to either resign or face a recall election, which would pit him against other candidates for his seat.

Pearce, who did not return calls for comment Friday, has said he won't resign.

"King" Russell Pearce wasn't talking to the Arizona Republic, which has been properly hard on this dangerous demagogue who has brought disrepute to Arizona. Pearce also tops the list of corrupt politicians in the Fiesta Bowl Scandal. "According to documents released last month by the bowl, Pearce stayed at luxury hotels and took family members with him on bowl-sponsored trips from 2002 to 2009. In total, the bowl said it spent more on Pearce than any other individual lawmaker: $39,347. Pearce has repaid the bowl $1,417."

"King" Russell Pearce was talking to Howard Fischer, however. Pearce 'ready for an election' as county confirms signatures for recall – East Valley Tribune:

Attorney Lisa Hauser, who represents Pearce, said she is reviewing the more than 1,200 pages of documentation produced by Maricopa County in its review of the signatures which explain how county workers decided whether each signature was valid or not. Yvonne Reed, spokeswoman for the county elections department, said that paperwork is in anticipation of a possible legal challenge to what would be Arizona's first-ever recall of a state elected official.

Hauser said she will present Pearce with various legal theories on how the certification might be challenged.

But Pearce told Capitol Media Services he has no plans to take the issue to court.

"I'm ready for an election,'' he said[.]

[Gov. Jan Brewer has 15 business days to call the election, which is a formality and would not require any additional analysis of signatures. When contacted Friday, her office gave no indication as to whether it would take the full 15 days.]

Once the governor calls the election, challengers will have until Sept. 9 to submit nominating petitions with at least 621 valid signatures. Pearce, by virtue of his incumbency, does not need to do that.

Here is the press release from Arizona Seceretary of State Ken Bennett. http://www.azcentral.com/ic/pdf/0708pearce-recall-release.pdf

It is time for the voters of District 18 to remove this dangerous demagogue from office who has brought disrepute to Arizona and made us a pariah state. If for no other reason, this corrupt politician should be removed for his role in the Fiesta Bowl Scandal.

Congratulations to all of you who have worked so hard and contributed so much of your time, effort and money to this cause. But this fight has just begun. Now it is time to rally behind a single candidate who can defeat "King" Russell Pearce and topple this dangerous demagogue from office. It is time to restore sanity to this state, and regain our reputation.