Pearce thinks a man with felony convictions for violence is a good choice for the Child Support Committee

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by David Safier

Decker Add this to the growing list of jaw-dropping statements and actions by Russell Pearce. He appointed Terry Decker to serve on the Child Support Committee, according to a Capitol Times article (subscription only), a man with a felony conviction for trying to take his children out of school even though his custody agreement forbade it, then punching a teacher who tried to stop him.

Here are some of the charges which have been made against Decker:

  • He "pled guilty in 2008 to aggravated assault and interference with or disruption of an educational facility" when "he punched a teacher while taking his children out of school, in violation of his custody agreement."
  • In 2003, "his ex-wife reported to Scottsdale police that he opened the door to his home holding a handgun, but not pointing it at her."
  • In 1982 he was convicted of aggravated assault "for firing shots at the passing car of his newspaper deliveryman as he threw the Wall Street Journal on his driveway."

Decker has explanations, of course. He was defending himself against the teacher. The shots he fired at the newspaper deliveryman were "precipitated by business rivals throwing fire bombs at his business and house." And his ex-wife's report of his coming to her house with a handgun was a lie (claims Decker).

For the past five years, Decker "has been unemployed and receiving Social Security disability payments for mental health issues."

This is the man Russell Pearce — who is known for his temper and in 1974 broke down his wife's front door when they were separated and he wanted to prove there was a man in the room with her — thinks is fit to be a member of a committee that makes recommendations about child support policies.

In the interest of fairness, I have to point out that background checks are not run on people appointed to the committee, so Pearce may not have known about Decker's violent past when he made the appointment.

But Pearce has a never-back-down policy, so, when confronted by the information about Decker, Pearce said this:

“I have every reason to believe Mr. Decker will be a strong voice for noncustodial parents and an excellent member of the Child Support Committee,” Pearce said in the statement.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the most powerful politician in Arizona who — I hope with every fiber of my being — will be recalled once the Recall Pearce petitions are counted and validated.

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2 thoughts on “Pearce thinks a man with felony convictions for violence is a good choice for the Child Support Committee”

  2. This needs to be in every single newspaper in this state…especially whatever paper there is in Mesa.What in the world?? As if the reasons to recall this vile man weren’t enough…if there are any fence sitters(though I can’t for the life of me know why)this should be enough to throw you all the way over the fence!He is potentially putting people at risk by this appointment.He is unfit for his job.I echo your intense hope that this man will be recalled and Arizonans will be rid of this vile human being once and for all. It can’t come soon enough.

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