Jack Harper has gotta go

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Arizona has more than its fair share of buffoons serving in the Arizona legislature. And then there is Jack Harper – arguably in a class of buffoonery all by himself. Jack is always good for a "crazy quote" in the media.

And then there is the ideological extremist bills he sponsors. Jack Harper has gotta go. Insider: Self-serving bills mark new legislative session:

Lawmakers have proposed more than 750 bills in this week-old 2012 legislative session. . . The biggest offender — or shall we say opportunist — seems to be Rep. Jack Harper (R-Surprise! I can't believe I get elected). Harper announced he will not run for re-election to the Legislature but has in the past voiced interest in a run for secretary of state. (Oh, hell no!)

Let's start with HB 2022 (sponsor Harper): Would eliminate the one-year moratorium on lobbying for former state lawmakers. HB 2022 passed the House Government Committee last Wednesday. Bill would overturn ban on Ariz. lawmaker lobbying:

The current ban has been on the books since the early 1990s in the wake of a legislative bribery scandal known as "AzScam," a 1991 sting in which several legislators were caught taking bribes from undercover officials posing as lobbyists for the gaming industry.

Republican Rep. Jack Harper of Surprise, who introduced the measure, said the ban infringes on the freedom of lawmakers to continue their careers.

Senior legislative staff members are able to return as lobbyists at the Legislature, he said, and lawmakers should be allowed to do the same.

"It's about ideology," he said. "It's about not limiting someone's economic liberty."

Harper said his goal is ideological, saying lawmakers should have the same options as staffers and anyone else.

Let's break this down. Arizona presently suffers under a "shadow governor," lobbyist Chuck Coughlin and his HighGround Public Affairs Consultants which runs the Governor's office. Jan Brewer is merely the public face of the Governor's office. Jan Brewer, Lobbyist Puppet. I am not aware of any other state in the country which has a lobbyist firm running the Governor's office. This is a scandal in its own right to which the Arizona media continues to turn a blind eye.

HighGround also represents numerous Tea-Publican legislators and corporations with business before the legislature, like private prisons and mines. It's like a freakin' Match.com service to pair up ready and willing legislators with its corporate clients: you vote for my bill and I'll steer campaign donations your way, and maybe give you job when your done.

There are several lobbying firms which operate this way. Lobbyists have had easy access to the Arizona legislature forever. It's the lobbyists that actually run this state, not the buffoons you elect to serve in the legislature. This is why Arizona is in the sorry state it is in. Instead of making the proverbial "revolving door" of legislator-lobbyist influence peddling easier, Arizona would be far better off adopting strict limitations and regulations to prevent this, including legislative staff where the real power lies.

Harper's "economic liberty" argument disguises his sense of entitlement to influence peddling and making lots of money off access to his colleagues. This speaks volumes to his lack of character and ethics. Harper is an "AzScam" scandal just waiting to happen.

Whatever happened to "citizen legislators"? Now we have something approaching the military-industrial-congressional complex that President Dwight D. Eisenhower warned us against with the revolving door of legislator-lobbyists.

HB 2078 (sponsor Harper): Would raise the annual salaries for governor, secretary of state, state treasurer and attorney general starting in 2013. How convenient for someone who wants to run for Secretary of State in 2014. Such self-interest speaks volumes to his lack of character and ethics.

HCR 2017 (sponsor Harper): Would ask voters to amend the state Constitution to establish an office of lieutenant governor; revises the order of gubernatorial succession to put lieutenant governor second in the order of succession behind the governor. This has been regularly rejected by voters in Arizona. How convenient for someone who wants to run for Secretary of State, currently in line of succession to the Governor, in 2014. Harper would run for Lieutenant governor instead. Such self-interest speaks volumes to his lack of character and ethics.

And then there is my favorite, HCR 2006 (sponsor Harper) a referendum to repeal the provisions of the Arizona Constitution prohibiting direct state aid to private and parochial schools, which David Safier has appropriately named The "Starve Public Schools" initiative. Intend to lobby for STO organizations and private schools, do we Jack? The Arizona Republic reports today Arizona school-voucher push is revived:

As he has before, Rep. Jack Harper proposed a bill this month that would let voters decide whether to change the Arizona Constitution to permit the use of school vouchers.

The bill would allow many parents to get state vouchers for per-pupil K-12 funding and use them to pay for their children to attend private schools, including religious ones.

Harper doesn't expect it to pass.

But the West Valley Republican's proposal — made as an "ideological" statement, he says — represents the efforts of some conservative leaders to advance school-choice measures that steer public education money to private schools.

Harper's bill is unlikely to get support, even from GOP leaders, he says, because the ballot measure has no financial backing and similar ones have been rejected by voters in other states, including Utah and California [and Florida].

Ah, but you see, if he keeps the issue alive he can go lobby for STO organizations, online education companies and private schools to make lots of money lobbying his former colleagues for this right-wing ideological position. I'm curious, Jack: have these companies already committed to you as their lobbyist? And what lobbying firm has offered you a position? Is there something you should be disclosing in the interest of transparency and full disclosure? Your constituents and the public have the right to know.