Pearce Recall Update: Pearce’s stalking horse candidate files, petition challenge likely

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

In early 16^th-century England, a "stalking horse" was one trained to conceal the hunter walking behind it; the practice allowed human predators to sneak up on their prey without attracting suspicion. What exactly is a "stalking horse"? – Slate Magazine:

In modern political applications of the phrase, a stalking horse is either a candidate used to divert attention from someone else's candidacy, or a candidate who splits the vote of a serious contender, perhaps unwittingly, and thus benefits a third, better-positioned candidate.

Stealth recall candidate Olivia Cortes, who has studiously avoided the media, submitted enough signatures at the deadline on Friday to qualify for the recall ballot, barring any legal challenge to the sufficiency of her petitions and/or signatures. Pearce recall election: 3 candidates poised to be on ballot:

Friday was the deadline for candidates to turn in the minimum 621 signatures from district voters required to qualify for the ballot.

Jerry Lewis turned in his signatures weeks ago and added a couple hundred on Friday, bringing his total to about 1,400. Olivia Cortes' campaign, which has become enmeshed in controversy, filed 1,177 signatures Friday afternoon.

Pearce, as the candidate facing recall, is automatically on the ballot.

Cortes has been bombarded with allegations that she is trying to run a sham campaign to draw support away from Lewis and help Pearce. She has turned down numerous media attempts to question her about the allegations, as well as requests for more information about her campaign stances.

She did not show up at the Secretary of State's Office to submit her petitions. East Valley Tea Party leader and District 18 resident Greg Western submitted them on her behalf. (His tea-party group has historically been a strong supporter of Pearce).

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Anyone with concerns about the signatures they collected has until Sept. 23 to challenge them in court. If the court determines that fewer than 621 are from registered voters in the district, they would be disqualified.

There is good reason to review Russell Pearce's "stalking horse" Olivia Cortes' petitions and to file a petition challenge. Stephen Lemons at the Phoenix New Times explains why in this report. Russell Pearce "Opponent" Olivia Cortes' Purpose to "Dilute" the Vote, Say Signature Gatherers – Phoenix New Times:

Stealth recall candidate Olivia Cortes may not want to answer her phone or come to her door, but on Thursday there were paid petition circulators soliciting signatures for her at the main branch of the Mesa public library.

These individuals are informing skeptical pro-Russell Pearce signers that getting Cortes in the race will help split the vote in favor of the state Senate President in the upcoming November 8 recall election.

 stopped by the main branch of the Mesa library this afternoon, and was asked to sign a petition to put Cortes' name on the ballot by a woman who said her name was Suzanne. 

Suzanne told me she was working for a woman who showed up later and identified herself to me as Diane Burns, with a company called Petition Pros.

When Suzanne asked if I lived in LD 18, I fibbed and said I did. She then asked if I was a Russell Pearce supporter. So I told an even bigger fib, and said yes.

"Then you want to sign this," Suzanne told me. "The whole purpose of getting her on the ballot is to dilute the vote so that [Pearce] stays in."

She's not running on her own behalf, I asked incredulously?

"She's running on her own," the woman said. "But the whole purpose is to split the vote. So that everyone who [is] against [Pearce] will vote for two people instead of one, and that way [Pearce] will get the most votes."

Though I'd been tipped off that the petition circulators for Cortes were at the library, I don't think I would have believed they would be so brazen, unless I'd heard the pitch myself.

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Before I finally identified myself as a reporter and gave them my card, they both stated that the Pearce campaign knew nothing of this dilution-strategy. Doug told me that he and other generous souls were just spontaneously helping out, by paying for Burns' services.

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Adding to all this weirdness was the fact that Burns at one point asked Doug if he was going to see "Constantin" later on. I immediately asked if she meant pro-Pearce GOP operative Constantin Querard. Burns wouldn't say anything. I asked Doug if Querard was assisting the Cortes effort. He hemmed and hawed, then talked up Querard's status as a political whiz.

After getting back to my office, I e-mailed Querard, asking if he was helping Cortes out. Haven't gotten a reply as of yet. I've reached out to Cortes as well, and will update this blog if she has a response.

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I'm kind of amazed at how bald-faced the petition circulators were about their actions. But I recorded all of the conversations we had, to be on the safe side, and snapped a few images with my cell phone.

Who are these people and where is the money coming from to pay for the signature-gatherers and the signs? 

That is unclear, despite Doug's admission regarding Petition Pros.

Stephen Lemons has more on Friday's petition filing by the Cortes campaign. Russell Pearce Supporter and Tea Party Chairman Greg Western Submits Sigs for Olivia Cortes – Phoenix New Times:

Like you needed more proof that Olivia Cortes' candidacy in the November 8 recall election in Legislative District 18 is all about "diluting" the vote and helping state Senate Russell Pearce beat challenger Jerry Lewis, East Valley Tea Party Chairman Greg Western submitted 1,177 signatures on behalf of Cortes today, just under today's 5 p.m. deadline.

Sources have indicated to me that Western recruited Cortes to run, as they both attend the same Mormon church in Mesa and know each other from there. As he left the Arizona Secretary of State's Office where he'd just dropped off Cortes' petition sheets, he admitted that he and Cortes attend the same church, but he denied that he recruited Cortes.

"I didn't recruit her," he said, as he left. "She decided to run and I decided to help her."

He also denied knowing who paid Petition Pros to gather signatures for Cortes, or ponied up the dough for her illegal campaign signs, bearing the Cesar Chavez slogan, "Si, Se Puede."

"Somebody was paid," he said of the signature-gathering, "but I don't know who did it."

Interestingly, the East Valley Tea Party recently advertised an event for Pearce, and in a 2010 statement to the Maricopa County Republican Party Web site, Western cited Pearce's ascension to the state Senate Presidency as a win for the Tea Party.

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Two weeks ago, I stopped by Western's house in Mesa to question him about his involvement in Cortes' candidacy. A woman identifying herself as his wife came to the door. I asked to talk to Western. She said he wasn't home and asked why I wanted to see him.

When I told her, she said didn't know about Cortes' candidacy, but she insisted that her husband supported Pearce.

"I know he's for Russell Pearce," she explained.

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Whoever put Cortes up to run must've thought this was a pretty smooth move. If I were them, I'd be praying that she doesn't make the ballot. Because if she does, she'll be an albatross around his thick, sweaty red neck.

She needs 621 signatures from qualified LD18 voters. You can bet there will be a challenge of the 1,177 Western turned in for her.

Libertarian Michael Kielsky was a no-show, BTW. Earlier in the day, he bowed out and threw his support behind Lewis. Kudos to him for doing so.

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Update: Pearce-foe Jerry Lewis has issued the following statement regarding the Cortes-Western charade:

"I am in this race to bring integrity and respect to Mesa's politics. This political stunt, designed to deceive voters, is a symptom of our currently ailing political climate. I am very disappointed. I call for a fresh start for Mesa, focused on how we can improve education and bring back jobs and strengthen our economy."