Pearce Recall Update: The Pearce-Cortes election fraud scandal exposed

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Stephen Lemons and the Phoenix New Times are doing a yeoman's job in reporting on the Pearce Recall election. Pearce's "stalking horse" candidate, Olivia Cortes, has been fully exposed as a sham. Pearce's relatives helped to put her on the ballot in an effort to defraud the voters — and to siphon off votes from Pearce's legitimate recall challenger, Jerry Lewis. I am not surprised that the most corrupt politiclan in Arizona would engage in voter fraud and demonstrate such contempt for the integrity of the electoral process and democracy.

In this first report, Russell Pearce's Supporters in LD 19 Outed as Olivia Cortes Petition Gatherers, while LD 18 Stays Neutral (w/Update), Stepehen Lemons and Phoenix videographer Dennis Gilman paid a visit to the Republican meeting for LD 19:

My purpose in being there was to confront two movers behind the pro-Pearce resolution: Mesa Republican Dan Grimm, and former LD 19 chair Pat Oldroyd, both of whom circulated petitions to qualify Cortes for the election.

Oldroyd was the first person who greeted me when I entered the room at a local events center, and after I told her who I was, I asked if she was the same Oldroyd who had circulated for Cortes. She admitted as much, though she was also clearly campaigning for the Pearce resolution by handing out Pearce literature at the meeting.

I wondered why she had circulated for Cortes. 

"Because I wanted to help her get on the ballot," was her reply.

Oldroyd, an odd, spry little lady, then ran off and began informing others of the presence of New Times. There were soon cries for us to leave, to which I shouted back something to the effect that, "I didn't know Republicans held secret meetings."

LD18 chair Wayne Gardner interrupted featured speaker Shane Krauser, a local Tea Party guy, and also asked us to leave. However, to his credit, Gardner refused to have us removed, and soon Krauser was continuing his lecture, ironically on freedoms protected by the U.S. Constitution, such as freedom of speech.

After this, the fireworks soon began (an effort by pro-Pearce partisans to get a resolution passed supporting Pearce and blasting such bugbears as the Democratic National Committee and MoveOn.org as being behind an alleged conspiracy to remove Pearce from office).

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Grimm, Oldroyd and others rose to speak in favor of the resolution. One unidentified lady made the delusional statement that Arizona under Pearce is "stronger than it's ever been and we have a wonderful reputation."

Then Anson Clarkson, Jerry Lewis' campaign manager, rose in opposition. . . Clarkson quickly got to the point.

"I believe it was last Friday, because it was the last day they could turn in petitions," Clarkson said. "Pat Oldroyd knocked on my door and tried to get me to sign a petition for Olivia Cortes."

"You did that, Pat?" Gardner interrupted in horror, looking at Oldroyd, who was nearby.

Oldroyd shot back, "I did that, Wayne!"

"It's not illegal," Clarkson continued after this exchange. "But I would question the ethics of someone that stands here and is for Russell Pearce — I'm OK with people being for Russell Pearce — but then attempting to game the political system…by trying to recruit a shill candidate."

David Johnson, chief-of-staff for Maricopa County Supervisor Don Stapley was next. He agreed with Clarkson, calling the actions of Oldroyd and others "despicable" and a "sham." Pro-Pearce folks tried to shout him down, and at one point Oldroyd tried to take the mic away from him.

Following Johnson, Gardner admitted that the issue "has divided our district." He announced the next LD 19 meeting for October 20, and adjourned.

Dennis and I hung out for a while afterward. First we tried to corner Oldroyd on camera, but we were blocked by none other than Justice of the Peace Lester Pearce, Russell's brother. At the time, I didn't know Lester Pearce on sight. Otherwise I would have peppered him with questions.

We did, however, confront Dan Grimm with the fact that he had circulated petitions for Cortes, and I even pulled out one of the petitions he circulated to make the point. He was unapologetic[.]

This is part one of a video report on the shenanigans taking place at the recent Legislative District 19 GOP meeting in Mesa.

This is part two of the video report of the shenanigans that took place at the recent GOP Legislative District 19 meeting in Mesa.

In this next report, Robert Hernandez McDonald, Jr., a Democratic candidate for Pearce's senate seat in LD 18 in 2010, has requested that Arizona Secretary of State Ken Bennett conduct an investigation into the sham candidacy of Olivia Cortes. Russell Pearce/Olivia Cortes Probe Requested by Ex-LD 18 Candidate:

Below is a letter e-mailed today from Democratic precinct committeeman Robert McDonald to Arizona Elections Director Amy Bjelland requesting an investigation into the ongoing scandal surrounding apparent shill candidate Olivia Cortes, who is "running," if you can call it that, in Legislative District 18 recall of state Senate President Russell Pearce.

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The letter raises some intriguing allegations. For the record, both Pearce and Cortes have denied they are involved in promoting a sham candidacy.

(See post for text of letter or click here http://www.azcentral.com/ic/pdf/0920cortes-investigation-letter.PDF - The Arizona Republic).

Robert Hernandez McDonald, Jr. had this guest opinion published in the East Valley Tribune on Wednesday explaining why he requested the investigation. Setting the record straight on Pearce recall – East Valley Tribune.

BREAKING: State will not remove Olivia Cortes from recall ballot: The Secretary of State's Office, which oversees elections, will not investigate allegations of fraud in the campaign of recall candidate Olivia Cortes.

Finally, Brahm Resnik from Channel 12 news in Phoenix followed up on the reporting by Phoenix New Times and filed this damning video report. Russell Pearce's Relatives and Olivia Cortes Get a Visit from Channel 12's Brahm Resnik:

Bravo to Channel 12's Brahm Resnik for tonight's news segment where he pays a visit to the modest residence of Legislative District 18 recall candidate Olivia Cortes, and stops by the homes of some of state Senate President Russell Pearce's relatives to ask them why they circulated petitions for Cortes.

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Though I've reported on Pearce family members who've signed the petition sheets, and Dennis and I have confronted pro-Pearce folks such as Pat Oldroyd and Dan Grimm at the now-infamous LD 19 meeting from last week, Resnik advances things by knocking on the doors of two petition circulators — both nieces of the state Senator.

It's one thing when Dennis and I do this sort of stuff, it's another when a TV reporter like Resnik, with the audience he has at Channel 12, goes after Cortes' sham candidacy with such vigor and doggedness. Keep an eye on Resnik, he's doing solid work on exposing the Pearce-Cortes connection.