Pearce’s sentiments lie with the abuser

by David Safier

The whole Scott Bundgaard episode where he was involved in a physical confrontation with his girlfriend on the freeway is seamy and semi-scandalous enough all by itself. But Russell Pearce injected a whole new dimension when he offered his analysis of the situation:

"I know what is going on," Pearce said Wednesday. "I think he is a victim of this whole thing. I feel bad for him. He certainly has paid the price."

That statement is a little more than just Pearce being Pearce. He could have stayed out of this by making a neutral statement or a "No Comment," as he did when his son Joshua recently had multiple accusations against him including a DUI, drug abuse and possible child abuse. When asked about his son by a reporter, Pearce said he didn't want to talk about it and walked away.

In the Bundgaard case, though, Pearce clearly revealed his sympathies went out to the man as the "victim" who has "paid the price," not to the woman who Bundgaard got rough with. The most likely reason is, Pearce has been there himself.

In two instances, Pearce has officially been charged with violence directed at women, specifically, his first and his second-and-current wife. You can find the complete rundown on Media Matters' Political Correction (complete with links to the official documents) and a shorter version in a Channel 12 Phoenix news story.

Here are the basic facts: In 1974, Pearce broke in the door of his estranged first wife's apartment, expecting to find another man in there with her. In 1980, Lu Anne Pearce cited Russell's tendency to get violent in divorce proceedings against him:

"Russell Keith Pearce is possessed of a violent temper, and has from time to time hit and shoved his wife, the last time being on February 3rd, when he grabbed his wife by the throat and threw her down."

Lu Anne didn't go through with the divorce. The two are currently married.

In typical conservative fashion, Pearce can feel sympathy only when he understands a situation through his personal experience. That's why the abuse heaped on brown people in this state by Pearce and his  cronies means nothing to him, but the way Bundgaard has been covered by the press makes him a victim in Pearce's eyes, someone who has suffered the slings and arrows of media coverage, just like Pearce has.

This isn't the first time Pearce has shown his sympathy for the abuser. He has a legislative track record as well.

• In 2002, Pearce's bill, HB 2472, would have forced a woman to face her abuser in court if she wanted to get an order of protection against him, a prospect which could be frightening enough to stop many women from asking for court protection. Pearce said the law as it stood favored women. Ever persistent, Pearce tried to move the bill forward a number of times, but it went nowhere.
• Also in 2002, Pearce was the only legislator to vote against a bill increasing sentences for assaulting a pregnant woman.
• Still in 2002, Pearce "voted against a bill that would eliminate the fees for orders of protection for victims. This bill had to pass in order for Arizona to be compliant with Federal law, the Violence Against Women's Act."

Whenever you typify Pearce as a bully, remember, he does have a soft spot — for other bullies.